How to create a Minecraft server: step by step instructions

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Customize your virtual world to play with your friends.

How to create a Minecraft server on your own computer

This method is good because it is available for free to all Minecraft owners. In addition, you can even install any fan mods on your server.

On the other hand, you have to spend some time setting up. The server will only be active when your PC is running. And the speed of the game depends on the power of the computer.

How to create a pure Minecraft server without mods

Download from the official website and install the latest Java version. The server may not work without this free application.

If you don't have Minecraft: Java Edition yet, download the game from the developer's site and install it on your computer. It costs 1,900 rubles.

Launch Minecraft and log into your account or, if you don't already have one, register. After that, load the game world and close it immediately.

Create a folder on your computer called Minecraft Server.

Download the official server as server.jar file, copy it to Minecraft Server and run it. After that, additional files will appear in the folder.

Edit the document called eula.txt. To do this, open it in notepad, find the parameter eula = false and replace false with true. Save the file and close it.

Now edit the file called server.properties. Find the parameter online-mode = true in it and replace true with false.

Run the server.jar file again. This will open a console that will display the status of the server. While it is open, the server will work and players will be able to connect to it.

How to create a Minecraft server with mods

Install the Minecraft client and add mods to it using the Forge app. How to do this, read the Lifehacker's instructions.

Create a folder on your computer called Minecraft Forge Server.

Run the Forge app again, but this time install the server. Select the folder created in the previous step as the target location.

Run the file forge-1.15.2-31.2.0.jar (you may have different numbers in the name) in the Minecraft Forge Server folder. As a result, other elements of the server will appear next to it.

Edit the eula.txt file. Open it in notepad, find the parameter eula = false and replace false with true. Save the file and close it.

Edit the server.properties file. Find the parameter online-mode = true in it and replace true with false. Save the document and close.

Open the mods folder in the directory with the Minecraft client: to do this, use the Win + R keys, enter% appdata% \. Minecraft / and press Enter. Send all mod files present here to other players and ask everyone to move these mods to the same folder on their PCs.

Now copy the same mod files from the mods folder to another directory with the same name located in the Minecraft Forge Server folder. Other players do not need to do this.

Start the server again using the forge-1.15.2-31.2.0.jar file (your numbers may differ). A console will open and display the server status. While it is open, the server will work and players will be able to connect to it.

How to connect to a Minecraft server

To connect from other computers on the local network or from the same PC where the server is installed, do the following. Launch Minecraft, select Multiplayer → Add. In the Server Address field, enter localhost and click Finish. When the new server appears in the list, select it and click "Connect".

To connect over the Internet, you first need to allow Minecraft to use the network port 25565 on the server computer. Keep in mind: this will open a loophole that makes it easier for attackers to gain remote access to your computer. But otherwise your server won't work for other players.

You can open ports in the settings of the router. To do this, enter 192.168.0.1 or another address indicated on the bottom panel of the router in the browser. There you can also see the username and password that will be required to enter.

Unfortunately, the menus of routers vary significantly depending on the model and manufacturer. There is no universal instruction. But you can find all the necessary information for your device on the Internet yourself. Just enter in the search engine the query "how to open ports in the router" and add the name of the manufacturer or model. You can also use the queries "how to forward the port" or "how to forward the port". They are all the same.

As an example, we will show how to open port 25565 in the ZyXEL router settings. You need to go to the "Home Network" → "Servers" section, activate the "Port Forwarding" function and add a new rule. Specify the local IP of the computer as the IP address, and enter 25565 in the "Ports" item. Then enter in the description of Minecraft for convenience and save the rule.

When you open the port, players will be able to connect to your server over the Internet. To do this, each of them must run Minecraft on their PC, select "Multiplayer" → "Add". If you connect to the clean version, in the launcher you should select "Latest version" or just Minecraft. If it's modified, run Forge instead.

In the field "Server address" you need to enter the public IP of your computer, add to it: 25565 (separated by a colon) and click "Finish".

When a new server appears in the list, you need to select it and click "Connect".

How to set up a Minecraft server

You can change the difficulty level, the maximum number of players and other server parameters.

To do this, open the server.properties file in Notepad or another text editor. Then enter the appropriate values after the "=" sign next to the parameters you want to change. The settings are described in this table.

How to get a ready-made remote Minecraft server

If you do not want to waste time on configuration, you can use ready-made servers. For this, the developers have built the Minecraft Realms service into the game. It allows you to quickly create game worlds and invite selected friends to them. Realms servers run in the cloud and are independent of PC power, and players can join even if the creator is disconnected from the internet.

But this solution also has disadvantages. The service is paid: although players can connect to the creator for free, he is obliged to give a little more than 7 euros every month. Also, Minecraft Realms servers do not support fan mods.

To try the service, you need to pay for a subscription and select Minecraft Realms in the main menu of the game.

This material was first published in April 2019. In June 2020, we updated the text.