How to Setup a Minecraft Server – Ultimate Guide

Have you ever wanted to start your Minecraft server and open it public?

With this tutorial, you will learn how to create a Minecraft server for Java Edition and upkeep it.

This guide is specially made to help you set up your Minecraft Server on Windows. 

What Do You Need to Set Up a Minecraft Server?

To start a server, you will need to understand the minimum Minecraft server requirements.

Since this guide is about setting up and hosting a Minecraft server locally, we will need to have:

1. Windows Operating System
2.  At least 4 GB of RAM installed
3. Static IP address
4. CPU for running your server

While Minecraft does not require or use any GPU resources, it requires you to have a CPU installed. The CPU can be single-threaded.

It’s a myth that Minecraft servers require multi-threaded cores, so you don’t need to worry. A CPU with more than one core could be useful for some plugins, but not mandatory.

However, if you want to run your Minecraft server on a multi-threaded CPU, you can use Folia.

How to Setup a Minecraft Server

To make a Minecraft server and host it yourself, we have enlisted X easy-to-follow steps. Each step is crucial to creating and hosting your Minecraft server.

Setting up a server takes no more than 5 minutes. After you have created your private Minecraft server, you will be able to connect and start playing.

These steps are different and will not work if you try to run Minecraft server using Linux.

Download and Install Java

The first and most important part before making your Minecraft server is installing Java. Depending on your server version, you will need a certain Java Update to be installed.

For Minecraft servers 1.12 or below, you will need to have Java 8. Everything above will require the latest version of Java.

To download Java, you will need to navigate to the Java official website and choose the proper version.

Download Minecraft Server

To make a Minecraft server on a Windows PC we need to download the server software. In this case, we will be showing how to make a dedicated server using the Minecraft Vanilla Jar.

Head over to the Minecraft server hosting page, and download the server jar.

The file contains the plain Minecraft server jar file. You can also use alternative Minecraft server jars such as Spigot.

When downloading the Minecraft server jar, you will need to create a folder. Make a special Minecraft server folder and save the Jar file in the server folder.

Create a start batch file for the server

To start the Minecraft server jar, we will need to create a batch file. This file will be the trigger to start your server.

The first step to creating this file is by creating a simple Txt file. The name of the file does not matter.

Open your newly created Txt file and paste the following code:

java -Xms2G -Xmx4G –JAR_NAME.jar -o true

PAUSE

Now proceed to save the file. Simply choose the option “Save As”, and name your file “run.bat”.

After clicking the save button, you will be granted a batch file. It is used to trigger the Minecraft server jar and install the basic components.

Start the Server

To begin setting up a server, we will need to install the default server files. Double-click on the batch file and wait for the files to start generating.

Agree to the EULA

Upon the file generation process, you will encounter a specific EULA message. This message requires you to accept the Mojang EULA. If you don’t accept it, your server will never start.

To accept Mojang’s EULA, open the EULA text file, and change the last line to “true”.

Launch The Server

Now that we have set the EULA on our Minecraft server, we can run the server.

Double-click on your batch file and wait until the server starts running.

Once everything loads, you can connect to your server via “localhost” or by using your external IP address.

Connect to the server

To connect to your server, you will need to open your Minecraft launcher. Choose the correct version of Minecraft. It should be the version your server is running on.

 Launch your Minecraft game and head to the multiplayer section. Click on “Direct Connect” to connect using your external IP.

Obtain your external IP Address by searching for “What’s my IP”, and input it in the “Server Address” field.

Press the connection button, and you will be able to join your Minecraft server. With the external IP people outside your network can connect, and start their Minecraft experience.

Giving OP permissions on your Minecraft Server

Since you will be the head of your Minecraft server, you will need full permissions. With these permissions, you can use various commands, and restrict players.

To give yourself full permissions, you will need to access the server console. Once you have navigated to the server’s console, type “OP player_name”. The “player_name” needs to be replaced with your in-game name.

The OP permission lets you operate your Minecraft server as an administrator.

Making your Minecraft server public

If you want people to connect to your Minecraft server, you will need to make it public. This will require opening the Minecraft server ports from the router.

Without your ports being open, only the people in your network can connect. Port forwarding allows people to access your home network, and join your server.

A port forward requires to access your router to open certain ports. If you cannot port forward you can create a server with PlayIt.

Once you have acquired your port and IP address, the next step is to attach them to your server.

Navigate to your server properties file to place the Server IP for the forwarded port. When the information is filled out, save your server settings and exit out of the config.

When sharing your IP address you must give it in the form of IP followed by the port number. In that case, if our IP is 123.123.123 and the port number is 25565, our server’s IP address should be 123.123.123:25565.

With the IP and port, you give access to players to join your server and play.

Additional Tips for Starting a Minecraft Server

Set a custom MOTD

Before releasing your Minecraft server to the public, you will need to set an MOTD. It can be used for announcing updates or using catchy texts.

Without a message, your players will not see your server professionally.

Configure max player amount

Setting a max player for Minecraft servers can be beneficial. It helps you protect your server from bots and unwanted attacks. Also, it gives players an understanding of how many players can join.

Otherwise, you may see your server constantly crashing if too many people join. If your server upkeeps a lot of players, use a higher number. This will depend on the plugins or mods you are using as well.

Make sure to test thoroughly and ask friends to join before setting it up. You can always change the number so it’s best to be cautious in the beginning.

Create server saves

Minecraft servers require constant saving. Especially when players progress on it. If your server gets corrupt, everything might be lost. In such cases, it is best to configure Minecraft server saves, and backup whenever possible.

Doing so will prevent file loss, and you can always revert to previous saved versions.

Set a restart script for your server

Minecraft servers crash sometimes, and you may not be home when this happens. To prevent a large downtime it is best to set restart scripts for your server.

With these scripts, every time your server crashes, it will restart and start running.

Add startup flags

Startup flags are commonly used for RAM allocation and server operation. They keep a server healthy and create RAM reserves, so your server doesn’t crash.

It is a common fact that Windows takes unused RAM. Without setting up flags, your server might not have enough memory to upkeep itself.

The same goes for cache and garbage collection. When Minecraft players log in or log out, the cache gets saved. If too many actions happen, your server might run out of RAM quickly. Flags can also prove helpful in such cases by dumping the cached files.

The best way to configure flags for your Minecraft server is through Aikar’s Flags tutorial.

It contains useful flags for Minecraft servers and scripts to help you prevent your server from trouble.

Add plugins to your Minecraft server

Now that you have added all the needed components to your Minecraft server, it is time to start adding plugins.

There are more than 60,000 developed Minecraft plugins for servers, from which you can choose any (if it’s compatible with your server version) and add them to your plugins folder.

Minecraft plugins can be downloaded from repositories like Spigot or Bukkit.

You may find that some plugins are asking for a certain price. These are paid plugins, which require players to pay real money to acquire them.

Frequently Asked Questions about Minecraft Servers

Are Minecraft Servers free to make?

Yes, Minecraft servers are free to make and don’t require any subscriptions or payments. You can freely download anything you like, and Mojang will not charge you for that.

However, running your Minecraft server will require your computer to be turned on all the time.

Can I make money with my Minecraft server?

You can absolutely make money with your Minecraft server. If you abide by the EULA, you can safely get income for running a server.

But to earn money you need to have something players might want to pay for. For example, a donations plugin like MineMarket can help you earn money.

Can I change my Minecraft IP address with a custom name?

If you want to use a custom Minecraft server name, you will need to change your IP with a domain name. This happens by setting your DNS records. Your server’s IP address will need to point to your domain.

This way players can join your Minecraft server without exposing your IP.

Can I make Multiple Minecraft Servers with the same IP address?

Minecraft servers can use the same IP multiple times, but you will need to assign a different port. If there is a server running on port “25565”, you cannot use the same port.

To prevent errors, you will need to create a port “25566” and run the Minecraft server under it. Having more than one server under the same IP is considered as a Minecraft server network.

Linking all servers together can boost your authority, and make your projects more appealing.

How much RAM does a Minecraft server need?

Depending on the player’s capacity, you will need to allocate RAM for your Minecraft server. If you create a small server, you will need around 2 GB of memory.

However, if you want a modded server, you may need to allocate more of your RAM.

Conclusion

Hosting your own Minecraft server may seem hard. Upkeeping also. But with our tutorials, you will quickly get a grasp of how to maintain balance.

While upkeeping your server may seem like a chore, it can be a fun one. Especially, when you can automize a big portion of the duties.

However, if you need a basic server setup to play with friends, that’s all you need. With this tutorial, you will have a server up and running 24/7 without issues.

It is up to you to choose the Minecraft version and the type of server you want to host.