This guide explains how to create and host a personal Minecraft server on a Windows or Mac computer. If you want to create a server in Minecraft PE, you need to pay a subscription to the Realms service.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Configure the Router
Step 1. Open your router's web page
To set a static address (which does not change over time) for your computer and forward the port used by your Minecraft server, you need to access the router page. You can do this by entering the IP address of the device in a browser.
Since so many router models have different configuration menus, check the specific instructions on how to assign IP addresses and forward ports on your router in the user manual or documentation available on the internet
Step 2. Log in if asked
If the router asks you to log in with your username and password, enter the correct credentials in the appropriate fields.
If you've never set up these credentials but still need to enter them, check your router's manual to find out the default username and password
Step 3. Assign a static IP to your computer
In this way, you will be sure that the computer will never be assigned an IP other than the one you choose and therefore you will not have to change the port forwarding or server settings in the future:
- Find the page of devices connected to the router;
- Select your computer;
- Change your computer's IP if necessary.
Step 4. Save your changes
Click the button Save or Apply, then wait for the router to restart if necessary.
Since the router will assign a new address to the computer after reboot, which is usually needed after configuring the ports, it is very important to assign a static IP to the system
Step 5. Find the "Port Forwarding" section
You can usually find it in the advanced settings, but search all the configuration pages if you don't see it.
Again, the router configuration menus are very different from each other, so read your model's documentation if you don't know where to look for the "Port Forwarding" page
Step 6. Create a new rule with the name "Minecraft"
On some routers, just type Minecraft in the description field; on others, you will have to click New rule (or a similar button) and then enter the necessary information.
Step 7. Enter your computer's static IP address
Type the system IP (usually "192.168.1.number") in the "IP" or "Address" section of the rule.
Step 8. Select both TCP and UDP protocols
In the "TCP" or "UDP" drop-down menu, next to the rule name, click TCP & UDP.
Step 9. Forward the Minecraft port
Enter 25565 in both port fields.
Port 25565 is the default for Minecraft servers
Step 10. Activate the rule
If it is not enabled by default, check the required box or click the button Hon.
Step 11. Save your changes
Click on Save or Apply, then wait for the router to reboot if necessary. When finished, you can continue with the installation of the Minecraft server on your Windows or Mac computer.
Part 2 of 5: Installation on Windows
Step 1. Make sure Java is up to date
Go to https://java.com/it/download/installed.jsp with Internet Explorer (other browsers would not work), then click on Accept and continue and follow the onscreen instructions.
If your computer's Java version is out of date, you may have problems running the server
Step 2. Install the Java JDK if you haven't already
This step is required to run Java commands on your computer:
- Go to the JDK web page;
- Check the "Accept License Agreement" box under the heading "Java SE Development Kit 8u201";
- Click on the link jdk-8u201-windows-x64.exe to the right of the entry "Windows x64";
- Double-click on the installation file, then follow the on-screen instructions.
Step 3. Download the server file
Go to https://minecraft.net/en-us/download/server with your computer browser, then click on minecraft_server.1.13.2.jar in the center of the page.
Step 4. Create a new folder
Right click on the desktop, select New one, click on Folder and type Minecraft Server before hitting Enter.
Step 5. Move the server file into the "Minecraft Server" folder
Drag the downloaded JAR file into the folder you just created, then drop it.
You can also click on the server file to select it, then press Ctrl + C, open the "Minecraft Server" folder and finally press Ctrl + V to paste the file
Step 6. Run the server file
To do this, double click on the Java file server inside the "Minecraft Server" folder. You should see some files and folders appear.
Step 7. Accept the terms of use
Once you see the "eula" text file appear in the "Minecraft Server" folder, follow these steps:
- Double click on the "eula" file;
- Replace the string "eula = false" with "eula = true";
- Press Ctrl + S to save the changes;
- Close the text document.
Step 8. Restart the server
A window will open and more files will be added to the "Minecraft Server" folder.
Step 9. Shut down the server after execution
Once "Done!" at the bottom, in the main server window, click the text field in the lower right corner, type stop and press Enter.
Step 10. Find the "server.properties" file
You will see it inside the "Minecraft Server" folder.
Step 11. Rename the file
Right click on the "server.properties" file, click on Rename, delete the period from the name, then press Enter. This way, you will get a simple file called "serverproperties", which you can open normally.
Step 12. Open the "serverproperties" file
You can do this by double clicking, then double clicking on Block notes in the window that appears.
Step 13. Add your computer's static IP address to the file
Find the string "server-ip =", then type the static IP of the system you set earlier, just to the right of the "=" symbol.
For example, if your computer's static IP address is "192.168.1.30", type server-ip = 192.168.1.30 into the file
Step 14. Save the file
Press Ctrl + S, then close Notepad.
Step 15. Create a boot file
Although you can start the server by double clicking on the file server, in doing so the memory available to the server would be limited. You can fix this by creating a startup file inside the "Minecraft Server" folder:
-
Open Notepad (to find this program click on Start
and type notepad);
- Type java -Xmx3G -Xms1G -jar server.jar in Notepad;
- Click on File, then click on Save with name… within the menu;
- Type run.bat in the "File Name" text field;
- Click on the "Save As" menu, then click on All files;
- Select "Minecraft Server" as the save path;
- Click on Save.
Part 3 of 5: Installation on Mac
Step 1. Make sure Java is up to date
Go to the page https://java.com/en/download/, click on Free Java Download, open the installation file and follow the instructions.
If your computer's Java version is out of date, you may have problems running the server
Step 2. Install Java JDK if you haven't already
This step is required to run Java commands on your computer:
- Go to the JDK web page;
- Check the "Accept License Agreement" box under the heading "Java SE Development Kit 8u201";
- Click on the link jdk-8u201-macosx-x64.dmg to the right of the entry "Mac OS X x64";
- Double click on the DMG file, then drag the Java icon into the "Applications" folder;
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
Step 3. Download the server file
Go to https://minecraft.net/en-us/download/server with your computer browser, then click on minecraft_server.1.13.2.jar in the center of the page.
Step 4. Create a new folder
Click on the desktop, then click on File, on New folder, type Minecraft Server and finally hit Enter.
Step 5. Move the server file into the "Minecraft Server" folder
Drag the downloaded JAR file into the folder you just created, then drop it.
You can also click on the server file to select it, then press ⌘ Command + C, open the "Minecraft Server" folder and finally press ⌘ Command + V to paste the file
Step 6. Start the server
To do this, double click on the Java file server inside the "Minecraft Server" folder. You should see some files and folders appear.
Step 7. Accept the terms of use
Once you see the "eula" text file appear in the "Minecraft Server" folder, follow these steps:
- Double click on the "eula" file;
- Replace the string "eula = false" with "eula = true";
- Press ⌘ Command + S to save the changes;
- Close the text document.
Step 8. Restart the server
A window will open and more files will be added to the "Minecraft Server" folder.
Step 9. Shut down the server after execution
Once "Done!" at the bottom, in the main server window, click the text field in the lower right corner, type stop and press Enter.
Step 10. Find the "server.properties" file
You will see it inside the "Minecraft Server" folder.
Step 11. Open the file
Click on "server.properties", then click File, select Open with and click on TextEdit to open it.
If you can't open the file, click on it, click on File, then on Rename, delete the point between "server" and "properties" (if necessary, first click on the arrow to the right of the "Name" field and remove the check mark from "Hide extensions"), finally click on Save.
Step 12. Add your computer's static IP address to the file
Find the string "server-ip =", then type the static IP of the system you set earlier, just to the right of the "=" symbol.
For example, if your computer's static IP address is "192.168.1.30", type server-ip = 192.168.1.30 into the file
Step 13. Save the file
Press ⌘ Command + S, then close TextEdit by clicking on the red circle in the upper left corner of the window.
Step 14. Create a boot file
Although you can start the server by double clicking on the file server, in doing so the memory available to the server would be limited. You can correct this problem by creating a startup file inside the "Minecraft Server" folder.
-
You open Spotlight
type textedit, double click on TextEdit, finally click on New Document.
- Type the following text into TextEdit:
- #! / bin / bash
- cd "$ (dirname" $ 0 ")"
- java -Xmx3G -Xms1G -jar server.jar
- Click on Format, then click on Simple text come on OK.
- Click on File, then on Save in the menu that appears.
- Type run in the "Name" field, then click the arrow to the right of "Name".
- Uncheck the "Hide extension" box, then replace ".txt" in the "Name" field with.command.
- Select the "Minecraft Server" folder as the save path, click on Save, then Use.command when asked.
Part 4 of 5: Installation on Linux
Step 1. Download the server file from
Step 2. Create a new folder called Minecraft Server
Step 3. Move the file into the new folder
Step 4. Open the folder in the terminal and type the following commands:
- chmod + x *
- sudo java -jar *
Step 5. Accept the eula
You can do this by opening eula.txt and changing false to true.
Step 6. Restart the command:
sudo java -jar *.jar.
Step 7. Wait for the text "Done" to appear, then type stop
Step 8. Click on minecraft.properties and change the following settings:
- If you want users using offline (cracked) versions of the game to be able to connect to your server, just change the online mode entry from true to false.
- You can also change the game mode and other options.
Step 9. Add the computer's local IP address to this file
In the server-ip line add an ip, such as 192.168.1.16.
Step 10. Save the file and close the program
Step 11. Start the server
To do this, just use the command:
sudo java -jar *.jar
Part 5 of 5: Connecting to the Server
Step 1. Find your public IP address
This is the address that you will need to communicate to your friends who wish to connect to your server. Remember that all users who know this address can participate in your games.
If your friends are connected to the same network as your computer, they will need the local static IP address
Step 2. Start the server with the "run" file
Shut down the server if it is currently running, then double click on the file run that you created inside the "Minecraft Server" folder. Wait for the upload to finish.
The server window should always remain open as long as it is running
Step 3. Open Minecraft
Double-click the Minecraft app icon, which looks like a block of grass, then click PLAYS at the bottom of the launcher.
If you haven't opened Minecraft for a long time, you may need to log in with your email and password
Step 4. Click on Multiplayer in the Minecraft menu
Step 5. Click Add Server
You will see this button in the lower right part of the window.
Step 6. Choose the server name
Type your preferred name in the "Server Name" field.
Step 7. Enter your computer address
In the "Server Address" field, type in the static IP address of your system.
If you have changed the port, you should add ":", then the port number (ex: 192.168.1.30:5555). If you're using Minecraft's default port instead, you don't need to add it manually
Step 8. Click Done at the bottom of the window
You will see the server appear immediately.
Step 9. Select the server
Click on the name you just chose at the top of the window.
Step 10. Click on Join Server at the bottom of the window
After loading the game world will open.
Step 11. Invite your friends to join
You can do this by communicating your public IP address to up to 19 friends, who will need to connect by following these steps:
- Open Minecraft and click on Multiplayer;
- Click on Direct connection;
- Enter the public IP address of your computer (different from the local one you used to host the server, unless they are connected to the same network);
- Click on Log into the Server.
Step 12. If necessary, disable your firewall
If your friends can't connect to your server, you may need to turn off your computer's firewall. Remember that this makes your system vulnerable to attacks from potential intruders, so you should only do this when playing with people you trust.
Advice
- The faster your computer, the more players you can host on a server with no side effects (20 players is the maximum limit of Minecraft servers).
- Hosting a server over an ethernet connection is much safer and faster than hosting a server over a wireless connection.
Warnings
- If your computer crashes or shuts down, the server will stop working too.
- By opening the router ports, you expose your network to potential attacks by malicious people.
