Minecraft has sold over 200 million copies worldwide. In multiplayer worlds, kids and adults from all over are mining, crafting, and playing Minecraft together; this fosters the development of players’ social skills, their capacity for problem-solving, and their capacity for creativity. It’s amazing how many benefits there are for playing Minecraft.
However, you can’t control exactly who connects to the public servers, and as a result, who your child is interacting with online. On a public internet server, players can collaborate to create bigger and better things than they could have made alone. The good news is that by setting up your own server, you can monitor who connects to and interacts with your child’s virtual world.
To get you started hosting your own Minecraft server for your student, we created some instructions. These were produced utilizing iD Game Plan, the same learning management system used by campers.
These instructions are meant for parents who are assisting their children before you attempt to do any of this at home. Kids MUST therefore ask their parents for permission and select a time when they can supervise and assist. Anyone with your external IP address can connect to your online server and play in your Minecraft world if you set it up and run it. When inviting people to play on your server, be careful!
Keep a record of who you and your child invite to play on your server by doing so. Only inviting players you actually know in person is the best way to keep your server secure and happy. There are a lot of nice people on the internet, but by restricting your server to people you’ve met, you won’t be surprised by who your kids are interacting with.
How to make a Minecraft server
Making a Minecraft server on Windows essentially involves the following steps:
Things to keep in mind before you start:
Setting up a server takes some effort. In order to configure a Minecraft server properly, you need some technical knowledge.
To manage any type of server, you should have a fundamental understanding of computer and networking concepts.
Specifically, you should be comfortable and familiar with:
- Using the command line
- Networking (IP, DHCP, ports)
- Your system configuration
- Your network configuration
- Your router configuration (for home setups)
Running a Minecraft server from home?
A desktop computer works best for running a Minecraft server because you don’t need a high-end system.
While you can play and run a Minecraft server on the same computer, doing so will require a more powerful setup.
Last but not least, connect your server via wired ethernet rather than wireless. A wired connection is more reliable.
What if you don’t want to host your server at home?
When you run a server from your house, the entire world can access your home network.
Instead, if you’d prefer not to take that chance, you can use a hosting provider. Although there will be a fee to be paid on a regular basis or annually, you won’t have to deal with the hassle of maintaining the server hardware.
A GoDaddy Virtual Private Server is a good fit if you’re just getting started. Just keep in mind that you’re sharing hardware with other users, so keep an eye on resource usage.
Try a dedicated server instead if you want to connect a lot of players and you need a little more power.
Make a Minecraft server on your Windows PC
Open the Windows Control Panel. Under Programs, look for Java, and click Update Now.
Open a command prompt and enter java -version. You should see a version number.
Install Java if it isn’t already installed on your computer or if your version is out of date.
Choose a location for your Minecraft server files.
Choose a location on your PC where you want to run the server before downloading the Minecraft server software.
A few configuration files will be created when the server is first started. It’s best to keep all of these files in a specific folder.
You can put this folder anywhere you want, including on your desktop, in your documents folder, your programs folder, or another location. It’s entirely up to you.
Download and start the Minecraft server software.
Download the server software from the Minecraft website. It comes as a Java .jar file. Save it to the location you chose in the previous step.
Double-click the . jar file to start the server. The server configuration files will be generated; they must be modified before the server is usable.
Accept the EULA: A text file called eula. txt was created. In a text editor, open the file, and change eula=false to eula=true. Your ability to launch the Minecraft server will be suspended if you refuse to accept the EULA.
Run the Minecraft server as an administrator by right-clicking the Minecraft server icon if you encounter the message “Can’t save server properties.” jar file and selecting “Run as administrator”.
Enable port forwarding on your router.
Note: Port forwarding can be a security risk.
If you’re just hosting a server for players on your local network, you don’t need to worry about port forwarding. If, however, you want to make your server accessible to the world, you’ll need to enable port forwarding on your router. (To learn more about port forwarding, check out PortForward.com for tutorials.)
For detailed instructions on how to set up port forwarding for your device, consult the router’s documentation. For Minecraft, you’ll need to forward TCP port 25565.
Additionally, you must enter the local IP address of your server as the Output IP or Server IP for the forwarded port. This tells the router which device to point at. Open a command prompt and type ipconfig to find your server’s local IP address.
Start the Minecraft server.
To start the Minecraft server, open the Windows command prompt.
Navigate to the location of the Minecraft server file, which is typically named “minecraft_server.” 1. 12. 2. jar”) was installed.
Start the server with the following command:
java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar {server file name} nogui
(Replace {server file name} with the actual server file name.)
Leave out “nogui” if you’d rather use the server’s UI:
java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar {server file name}
You can also create a . bat file to batch the commands together.
Once the server is up and running, you can invite people to connect by sending them an invitation using either your local IP address if they are on your home network or your external/public IP address if they are not.
Connecting to your server
Players can join your server by following these steps:
- Selecting “multiplayer” in Minecraft.
- Clicking “add server”.
- Entering your server name.
- Entering your server address. Your IP address is the first part of the server address, followed by port 25565. By using the Google search term “my ip address,” you can discover your public IP address. You should enclose your IPv6 address in square brackets [] if you have one.
- Clicking “done”.
- Players should now be able to click “join server” after Minecraft connects to the server.
If you encounter any problems, check if your server is accessible by entering your public IP address into the Minecraft Server Status Checker.
Make a Minecraft server on your Mac
Newer versions of MacOS includes Java by default. If you’re running an older version of MacOS (OS X), you may need to download the legacy version of Java from the Apple website.
Choose a location for your Minecraft server files.
Create a folder to contain your Minecraft server files. The decision is entirely up to you; for example, you could make the folder on your desktop.
Download the Minecraft server software.
Download the server software from the Minecraft website. It comes as a Java . jar file. Save it in the location that you decided on in the earlier step.
Open TextEdit. Set the format to plain text. Enter the following:
exec java -Xms1G -Xmx1G -jar {server file name} nogui
(Replace {server file name} with the actual server file name.)
Save the file as start. command in the same folder where the server’s . jar file is located.
Open the Terminal and grant permissions for the new start. command file so it can be run. Type chmod a+x with a space after the command. Drag and drop the start. command file into the terminal window. Press Enter.
Enable port forwarding on your router.
Note: Port forwarding can be a security risk.
If you’re just hosting a server for players on your local network, you don’t need to worry about port forwarding. If, however, you want to make your server accessible to the world, you’ll need to enable port forwarding on your router. (To learn more about port forwarding, check out PortForward.com for tutorials.)
For detailed instructions on how to set up port forwarding for your device, consult the router’s documentation. For Minecraft, you’ll need to forward TCP port 25565.
Additionally, you must enter the local IP address of your server as the Output IP or Server IP for the forwarded port. This tells the router which device to point at. Open the Terminal and type ifconfig to determine your server’s local IP.
Start the Minecraft server.
Double-click the “start. command” file you created in step 3. A Terminal window will open. When you launch the server for the first time, you probably see error messages. This is normal.
Once the server is up and running, you can invite people to connect by sending them an invitation using either your local IP address if they are on your home network or your external/public IP address if they are not.
Follow these steps to have people connect to your server.
Make a Minecraft server on a Linux host
You can set up a Linux hosting plan to host a Minecraft server if you don’t want to host one at home. By doing so, you avoid having to manage any hardware and protect your private home network from prying eyes.
As mentioned before, a Linux VPS hosting plan from GoDaddy is a lightweight option if you’re experimenting or not expecting a lot of players to join your server. If, however, you’re expecting a lot of players, you should look at using a dedicated Linux server instead.
You must establish an SSH connection to your hosting in order to complete these steps. (This Help article will explain the procedure if you are unfamiliar. ).
Enter the following command while SSH’d into your host as the root user:
This’ll list the available OpenJDK packages that can install Java. We’ll choose openjdk-7-jdk, the OpenJDK 7 Development Kit, for this example.
Update the list of available packages from the remote repositories:
Then install the selected software package:
When asked to approve the necessary storage space for installation, select “Y.” Once that’s done, verify that Java has been successfully installed:
Check out the most recent Java version that was installed.
Create a location for your Minecraft server files.
To save the Minecraft server files, create a directory on your host, then navigate to it.
Download the Minecraft server files.
Use the wget command to download the Minecraft server files from the Minecraft directory:
wget -O minecraft_server.jar https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/1.12.2/minecraft_server.1.12.2.jar
(Tip: Double-check the URL to the most recent version on the Minecraft download page. ).
Next, we’ll install and activate “screen” to ensure that your server keeps running even if you aren’t connected:
Start your Minecraft server.
java -Xmx512M -Xms512M -jar minecraft_server.jar nogui
(Hint: You can modify the -Xmx and -Xms settings to alter how much memory the Minecraft server is allotted. For instance, you could type -Xmx1G -Xmx1G to increase the RAM to 1GB. The available memory will depend on your hosting plan. ).
Stop your server with: to verify that everything is functioning properly.
Then edit the “server.properties” file and set:
Save the “server.properties” file and restart your server. From there, enter your server IP address into the Minecraft Server Status Checker to see if it’s publicly accessible.
Point a domain at your Minecraft server.
More people will connect to your Minecraft server if you give them an easy-to-remember domain name rather than a confusing IP address.
Adding an “A” record for your domain (using @ as the hostname) or subdomain (using something like “mc” as the hostname) that points to your Minecraft server’s IP address updates your domain’s DNS records.
Please be aware that it may take up to 24 hours for DNS changes to become effective worldwide.
Check out this Help article for adding an A record if you’re unsure how to modify DNS records.
Additional resources for managing a Minecraft server
We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of creating your very own Minecraft server. The following resources go into greater detail about configuring, running, and advertising your server:
This article provides instructions for using third-party products, but GoDaddy does not recommend or directly support them, and it is not liable for their features or dependability. The owners of third-party marks and logos have registered them as their trademarks. All rights reserved. Products Mentioned.
How to Make a Minecraft Server 1.19 – (Play Minecraft Java with Your Friends)
FAQ
How do you make a Minecraft server on PC?
the following instructions to have users join your server:open Minecraft and select “Multiplayer “Click “Add Server. “Enter a server name. Enter the server address. Your external IP address will be listed here, followed by the port number 25565. This will resemble the address shown in the right-hand image. Click Done.
How do you make a server on Minecraft PC for free?
How to create a Minecraft serverInstall the most recent Java version. Choose a location for your Minecraft server files. Download and start the Minecraft server software. Enable port forwarding on your router. Start the Minecraft server. Connecting to your server.
Are Minecraft servers free on PC?
Hosting a server Mojang Studios makes the default multiplayer software available for free on Windows, macOS, and Unix-like systems (Linux, BSD). ). For assistance, go to the Mojang Studios’ website and download the Minecraft multiplayer server tutorial.
What does a PC need to run a Minecraft server?
Server RequirementsOne to five players. Intel Pentium 4 2. 0 GHz or AMD Athlon-based CPUs and better. 512 MB of RAM. 2 GB of free HDD space (5 GB if you frequently backup your data) a 3 Mbps upload and 2 Mbps download internet connection
