Setting up your own dedicated Minecraft server

With over 100 million users, the sandbox video game, Minecraft, has developed into a worldwide phenomenon over the past few years. People from all over the world work meticulously on constructing blocks and exploring the open world of the game. Many of these building-block architects set up Minecraft servers for multiplayer mode use. This is an especially worthwhile pursuit for those wishing to customize individual settings or play together with friends. But just how does one go about setting up a Minecraft server and which server is best suited to the game’s various needs?

The online multiplayer mode is generally considered the centerpiece of the Minecraft experience. Online multiplayer games require servers—these act as gateways to the Minecraft world. Available servers vary according to both game mode type as well as the number of players they support. Users can browse through different publicly available Minecraft server lists and select their desired gaming world. Keep in mind, however, that users who join games hosted on other players’ servers have no influence on the general set-up of the game; that responsibility lies in the hands of the server operator. Further restrictions apply for gamers looking to play with friends: some servers may not have enough space for every player. A truly customized gaming experience can only be obtained by opting to host your own Minecraft server—this is the only way for players to decide themselves exactly which and how many players are able join their virtual realm.

If the aim is to make the server easily available and to accommodate a large number of players, then opting to rent a Minecraft server often proves to be a good option. Rented servers are permanently available and have the robust computing capacities at their disposal needed for larger-scale multiplayer Minecraft gaming. Dedicated root servers are especially advantageous for such needs.

After selecting the right server, Minecraft is now ready to be set up. Whether it be Windows, Mac OSX, or Linux, users are left to decide which operating system to host the game on. Detailed instructions on setting up a Minecraft server for all operating systems are also available on Minecraft Wiki. We’ve laid out an example on how to get Minecraft up and running on Windows:

1. First and foremost, access the dedicated root server.
    
2. Ensure that the most current version of Java is installed on your server. Should this not be the case, then download and install the latest version from the official Java site.
    
3. On the official Minecraft homepage Minecraft-Homepage, download the Windows multiplayer Minecraft program. Save the .exe file in a new folder and then run it. The server will then be automatically configured and added to the folder. Should the server fail to load, make sure that you have administrator rights by right clicking the .exe file and selecting the “run as administrator” tab. Following this, you will be prompted to enter the required password.
    
4. After setting up the Minecraft-Server check to see if the end users license agreement in the eula.txt file has been accepted. Open the file with WordPad and ensure that the last line of the text reads “eula=true”. Do not forget to save should “false” need to be replaced with “true”.
    
5. Operator rights are needed to maintain control over the Minecraft server. Close the server, enter your username into the ops.txt file, and then save. Game settings can now be adjusted.
    
6. An open port is needed so that other players are able to access your server. The access port is located inside the server.properties file. Port 25565 should be registered as the standard configuration. Make sure that this is also the case for your server. Should you need to adjust this, open the port forwarding in the router and enter the port number. In case a range needs to be entered, use the port number as both the starting and ending point.
    
7. Both IP addresses and the server name are required so that other players are able to access the Minecraft server. Forward this information to the other players and enter them into the following Minecraft menu item: Now you have access to your own server. At this point you are ready to play in your very own Minecraft world!

Once the server is set up, you are now able to adjust the many settings for your Minecraft world. Most of these adjustments are made with the server.properties file. Changes are activated here by opening and editing the file with WordPad. From the number of eligible players to the difficulty level and appearance of the gaming environment, many modifications are under the administrator’s control. Enter the desired number in each respective line or change the command in “true” or “false”.

Players can also be banned by using the files banned-players.txt and banned-ips.txt. Enter the name or IP address of the undesired player in the respective file. Using a whitelist, on the other hand, allows you to directly determine how to access to your Minecraft server. Enter the user names of your fellow gamers into the white-list.txt file—all other players not listed here will be denied access. Now you should be squared away to enjoy your private Minecraft world with your friends.