How to create and configure a Minecraft server: 11 steps

Winner of seven game awards, the video game Minecraft was developed by Markus Personn in 2009 and released as a full-fledged PC game in 2011. Also available for Macintosh, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, Minecraft has become a worldwide game that can be played alone and by several players. However, in order to play it with multiple players, you need to rent or set up and maintain a server. Server hosting requires downloading and installing a special file on the server computer, and then connecting to this server. The following steps describe the specifics of hosting a Minecraft server for Windows and Mac operating systems.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Preparing Your Computer

Step 1. Check the capabilities of your computer

If you plan to use your computer as a server for Minecraft, you need a powerful processor and enough RAM so that it can handle requests from the planned number of people who will log into the server to take part in the game. This is especially important if you want to simultaneously use your computer in order to play yourself and as a server for other players.

Step 2. Check your internet connection speed

You need fast download and upload speeds so players can interact in real time. Step 3. Make sure the latest version of Java is installed on your computer.

The software to set up a Minecraft server requires Java. At the time of this writing, the most recent version is Java 7.

• On Windows computers, Java is usually not installed by default. You can install the current Java version from here http://www.java.com/en/download/help/download_options.xml. There are two versions of Java available: 32-bit and 64-bit. You can run 32-bit Java on a 64-bit computer, especially if you are using an old browser that only supports 32-bit Java, but you cannot run 64-bit Java on a 32-bit computer.

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• By contrast, Macintosh computers usually come with Java already installed and it is automatically updated. If your Mac does not have the current version of Java installed, you can get it from the same source as for Windows.

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Method 2 of 2: Setting up the host server

Step 1. Create a folder for the server application

This is hard work if you really want to know where your application is installed in order to be able to directly access it. Give the folder a meaningful name, such as "MinecraftServer."

• You can place this folder in the root directory of your hard drive, on most computers it is "C: \", or on the Desktop.

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Step 2. Download the appropriate Minecraft server program for your system

The format of the file you download depends on whether you have Windows or MacOS.

• For Windows, download Minecraft_Server.exe and save it in the folder created in the previous step. This file is available on Minecraft.net.

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• For Macintosh, download minecraft_server.jar and save it in the folder created in the previous step. This file can also be downloaded from the Minecraft website.

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Step 3. Prepare the application for use

• In the case of a Windows executable file, double-click the file to launch it. You will see an interface window and several messages.

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• For a.jar file for Macintosh, create a batch file by opening TextEdit and choosing "Make Plain Text" from the "Format" menu. Copy the instructions "#! / Bin / bash cd" $ (dirname "$ 0") "exec java -Xmx1G -Xms1G -jar minecraft_server.jar" (no quotes). Save the file in the same directory as the.jar file using the.command extension and a suitable name such as "start" or "startserver." Then start Terminal and type "chmod a + x," (including spaces, but no quotes), and drag the.command file into the Terminal window, and press Enter. Then double click on the.command file, which runs the.jar file.

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• At this point, when you run the executable or jar file, you may get several "lost files" warnings. This applies to those files that do not yet exist, but will be created when the program is first launched. As soon as you see the word "Done" after the last message about preparing the site, enter "stop" in the text box. Hit Enter.

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Step 4. Adjust the settings according to how you want to play Minecraft

This can be done in the Server. Properties file using Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on MacOS. Save your changes when finished.

• Set the game mode to "0" if you want to play Minecraft in survival mode, where players need to collect food and other resources at the risk of injury from enemies. To play in Creative Mode, where players cannot take any damage, and where they can instantly place and destroy blocks, set the game mode to "1."

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• To adjust the survival mode, change the value of the difficulty parameter. The value "0" corresponds to a Peaceful mode in which there are no enemy mobs; value "1" - Easy mode, where mobs are present as a minor hazard; the value "2" makes mobs a moderate threat; and the value "3" - Hard level, where mobs are a serious threat.

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• You can find out about other parameters and what they affect on the Minecraft wiki.

Step 5. Determine who will have access to the game

It is necessary to give other players the opportunity to have access to the server in order to play Minecraft, but at the same time to prevent outsiders from interfering with the game.

• First, enable the whitelist in the Server. Properties file by changing the "White-List" setting to "True". Then edit the White-List file to add your username and the usernames of all the players you want to give access to the server. Press Enter after entering each username.

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Step 6. Determine who will have administrator rights

Administrators, or moderators, can use chat commands during gameplay to add or block players, or otherwise modify the game. Assign administrator rights by entering usernames in the Ops list or Admin (for older versions of Minecraft) in the same way as you entered the names in the whitelist. Enter your username on the Ops list, as well as the username of the player you trust to help you.

Step 7. Configure your router to make the server visible to players outside of your immediate network

You will have to configure your router to forward port 25575 (TCP) to the Minecraft server. The exact instructions may differ depending on the brand and model of your router; a list of routers with instructions for port forwarding can be found at

Step 8. Determine your external IP address

You will have to provide this address to everyone outside your immediate local network in order for them to connect to the Minecraft server. You can find out your external IP address by making an Internet request "what is my IP."

The last two steps apply if you are playing Minecraft with players who are physically located in a different location than you and your server. In the case of a LAN or game room where all players will be in the same room, you don't need to know the external IP or configure port forwarding in the router

Advice

• If you want to unite a large number of players or want to set up a Minecraft server in the game room, you can rent a server instead of configuring it yourself. You can search the Internet for suitable host servers or search for them in the hosting section of the Minecraft forums.
• You can also use the.jar version of the Minecraft server program on Windows, but for that you need to create a bat file in the same directory where you saved the.jar file. You can create a bat file using Notepad by inserting the following line (without quotes): "java -Xms512M -Xmx1G -jar minecraft_server.jar". Save this file with a.bat extension and an appropriate name, for example "startserver." (This bat file plays the same role as a.command file on a Mac.)
• To change the amount of available RAM when Minecraft starts, change "1G" (for 1GB) in the.bat or.command file to a larger value, for example "2G."
• If you have a small number of players, you can set up a virtual private network (VPN) instead of setting up a server as described above. A VPN will require all players who want to connect to the server to install special software on their computers.
• Use your desktop computer as a Minecraft server if you don't have the option of using a dedicated server. While high-end laptops are good for gaming, their hardware doesn't offer the same capabilities as desktops or dedicated servers.