Table of Contents
Who this is for: Minecraft players wanting to create private servers for friends and family without paying for hosting services.
Ready to jump in? Play minecraft games and explore different gameplay styles while your server sets up.
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Download the Server Software
First, grab the official Minecraft server jar file from Minecraft.net. Make sure you download the version that matches your game client – if you’re running 1.20.4, get the 1.20.4 server file. Create a dedicated folder on your computer for the server files, as it’ll generate several new files when you first run it.
Set Up Your Server Environment
You’ll need Java installed on your computer to run the server. Most modern systems have this already, but double-check by typing ‘java -version’ in your command prompt or terminal. Place the downloaded server jar file in your new folder and create a simple batch file (Windows) or shell script (Mac/Linux) to launch it easily.
Configure Server Settings
When you first run the server, it creates a ‘server.properties’ file. This is where the magic happens. Open it with any text editor and adjust key settings like:
- gamemode – survival, creative, adventure, or spectator
- difficulty – peaceful, easy, normal, or hard
- max-players – how many friends can join
- server-port – usually 25565 (default)
- online-mode – set to false for LAN-only play
Handle Port Forwarding (For Internet Access)
If you want friends outside your home network to connect, you’ll need to forward port 25565 through your router. Log into your router’s admin panel (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1), find the port forwarding section, and create a rule directing port 25565 to your computer’s local IP address. This step varies by router brand, so check your manual if needed.
Start Your Server and Connect
Run your server using the batch file or by typing ‘java -jar server.jar’ in the command line. Once it’s running, you can connect locally using ‘localhost’ as the server address. For LAN connections, use your computer’s local IP address. Friends connecting from the internet will need your public IP address, which you can find by searching ‘what is my IP’ online.
Essential Server Management
Learn basic server commands like ‘/op [username]’ to give yourself admin privileges, ‘/whitelist add [username]’ to control who can join, and ‘/save-all’ to manually save the world. Keep backups of your world folder regularly – server crashes can happen, and you don’t want to lose hours of building progress.
Running your own server opens up endless possibilities for customizing your Minecraft experience with friends and family.
TL;DR
Download Minecraft server software, configure settings in server.properties, set up port forwarding for internet access, then launch and connect using localhost or your IP address.
