NOTE: I run Windows as my primary operating system, so I'm not sure if the following setup instructions are the same for all operating systems. Thus, this guide is the most accurate for setting up Windows-based Minecraft servers!
Hello everyone!
This will be my first guide, so bear with me. Although there are a lot of guides out there dedicated to setting up a working server, when I was figuring things out myself, it seemed like I was always getting stopped by one problem or another and setting up a server was a lot harder than I thought it should be, especially when I was trying to set up a modded server. Being a person who pays attentional to detail, I'll make sure to have the instructions in this guide explained as best as possible so that(hopefully) setting up a working server will be a simple, and easy process for any Minecraft player, be s/he old or new!
So! Let's get started!
Table of Contents
Press Ctrl + F and search for the number and letter corresponding to the section!)
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1.0a - Setting up a Classic (Creative) Server! 2.0a - Setting up a Non-Modded SMP (Beta / Survival Multi-Player) Server! 3.0a - Setting up a Modded SMP (Beta / Survival Multi-Player) Server! 4.0a - Server Optimization! 5.0a - Non-detailed/Concise Setup for Everything (For all you lazy readers) 6.0a - Frequently Asked Questions! (FAQs)
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1.0a - Setting up a Classic (Creative) Server!
Step 1:
First thing you'll need to do is make a folder somewhere on your computer for all your server files. You can call it whatever you want, but just make sure you put it somewhere you can easily find it.
As you can see in the photo, I just placed my server folder in the My Documents folder and called it Minecraft Server, but like I said before, you can call it whatever you want and place it wherever you can easily find it.
Step 2:
Next, you will need to download the server files and put them in the folder you just created.
After you have finished downloading the server files, put the .zip file in the server folder you created, and extract it to the folder. In my screenshot, the files are being extracted to the Minecraft Server folder I created earlier.
Before Extraction
After Extraction
Step 3:
Next thing you'll need to do is test your server by double-click the start server.bat file, and a command prompt window should pop up. If it popped up like it does in the screenshot below, then you've done everything up until now correctly.
Just to explain a bit what it's doing... the first time you run start server.bat, it creates the files you'll need to run the server effectively, such as the world folder and your user logs and files. The server failing to load the text files is perfectly normal... the first time you run it.
Step 4:
Next, close your server(if you still have it running), and go back into your server folder. Look for a server.properties file, and open it with notepad. If it says it can't find a program to open it with, just choose the "select program from a list" option, and you should see notepad in the list of programs. If you somehow don't see notepad in the list, and/or you can't open the file, then try opening the file with other notepad-like programs.
The contents of the server.properties file should look like it does here:
Within this file, you can set all sorts of stuff like anonymous login(verify-names), the maximum amount of people you'll want on your server at one time, etc. The most noticable setting is the name of your server. To rename your server, just edit the "server-name=Minecraft Server" line, and change the Minecraft Server part of it to whatever you want your server name to be.
If you want this server to be private, then change the public=true line to public=false.
IMPORTANT!: Notice the port number is 25565 in the server.properties file! You WILL need to port forward the 25565 port if it hasn't been forwarded already! Doing this will allow people to connect to your server!
Once you've finished setting up your server.properties file, save it and exit. You now have your very own classic server set up! Your server will appear in this list when your server is running: http://www.minecraft.net/servers.jsp
Tip:
Set admins, and player names by editing your text files within the server folder(admins.txt, players.txt, etc.) so it's to your liking!
2.0a - Setting up a Non-Modded SMP (Beta / Survival Multi-Player) Server!
Step 1:
First thing you'll need to do is make a folder somewhere on your computer for all your server files. You can call it whatever you want, but just make sure you put it somewhere you can easily find it.
As you can see in the photo, I just placed my server folder in the My Documents folder and called it Minecraft Server, but like I said before, you can call it whatever you want and place it wherever you can easily find it.
Step 2:
Next, you will need to download the server files and put them in the folder you just created.
Download those, and place them in your server folder so it looks like this:
Step 3:
Now that you have gotten your server packages where you need them, go ahead and open Minecraft_server.exe - the one with the minecraft block as the icon. A java screen thing should make itself visible when you do, and it will also create the server files.
Now close your server, and open up the server.properties file using notepad, or any other notepad-like program. The contents of the server.properties file should look like this:
Now there are few options here that you can fiddle around with. But first, you absolutely have to set an IP Address so you and others can connect to your server. To see the IP Address that you need to add, click on the Start Menu, and look for a Run button. It should be immediately to your right when you open the menu. Click it, and type cmd. It should open up a command prompt window. Type in ipconfig /all and it should display your network information. Look for your IP Address listed in the information, and add it to the server-ip= line in the server.properties file. Save it, and you've done the critical stuff. Now you can fiddle around with other options. I will list them and explain what each of them do in the screenshot below.
I placed the image directly onto the guide for convenience's sake, but if for some reason the text is too small for you to read, please follow this link instead: http://img339.imageshack.us/f/servertut15a.png/
Step 4:
Pat yourself on the back and run your server by double-clicking Minecraft_Server.exe! You now have a fully functioning non-modded SMP server!
Tip:
You will need two different IP Addresses. Your LAN IP Address, which will allow YOU to connect to the server... and your WAN IP Address, which will allow others who aren't using your internet connection to connect.
3.0a - Setting up a Modded SMP (Beta / Survival Multi-Player) Server!
Before we get started, you have a few options that you can choose from to mod your server. There's the heavily outdated Hey0 Server, it's successor, Bukkit, and then a direct .jar edit, however there are only a select few mods which I've seen that support a direct modification of the .jar file.
We'll start with the Bukkit server since it's the most popular, however, if you want, you can always skip ahead by using Ctrl+F and finding the section you're interested in.
First thing you'll need to do is create a folder somewhere. This can be named anything, and be placed anywhere as long as you can easily find it. I'm going to name my folder "Bukkit Server" and place it in My Documents. Like I said though, you can place it anywhere you want. It should look something like this:
Now you will need to open up Windows Notepad(can usually be found by going into your start menu and looking under the Accessories menu). Now you'll need to place a bit of code. It varies based on if you're running 32-bit, or 64-bit Windows, but even if you don't know, you can always just try both and if one doesn't work, then just go with the other.
For 32-bit systems, place this code:
@echo off
java -Xincgc -Xmx1024M -jar craftbukkit-0.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar nogui
pause
For 64-bit systems, place this code:
@echo off
"%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Java\jre6\bin\java.exe" -Xincgc -Xmx1024M -jar craftbukkit-0.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar
pause
Now, you'll need to save the file as a .bat file type. To do this, go under File tab in Notepad and choose Save As . It should pop up with a Save As window where you can name your file and save it to a certain location. You can name the file whatever you want(I named mine Start Bukkit), but make sure you save it as a .bat file! To do this, click the Save as type: drop down menu, choose All Files from it, and then name your .bat file whatever you want, but put a .bat at the end of the name instead of a .txt.This will allow you to execute the code inside the file instead of just opening up the notepad in editing mode.
Check the screenshots below if you're still confused.
Step 4:
Place the .bat file you just created into the same folder you created in Step 1, so it should be in the same folder as the craftbukkit-0.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar, run the .bat file, and you're done! All that's left is to join!
First thing you'll need to do is make a folder somewhere on your computer for all your server files. You can call it whatever you want, but just make sure you put it somewhere you can easily find it.
As you can see in the photo, I just placed my server folder in the My Documents folder and called it Minecraft Server, but like I said before, you can call it whatever you want and place it wherever you can easily find it.
Extract hMod to the folder you created. It should look something like this after the extraction:
Step 3:
Now double-click server_nogui.bat, and it should begin to run the server. A successful launch(while still preparing the spawn point) should look like this:
NOTE: If you look at the server command prompt screenshot above, you'll notice that it says it's for Minecraft v1.2_01, but it is still compatible with 1.2_02!
Close the server and open up your server.properties file using notepad or another notepad-based program. You'll notice immediately near the top of the file, there's a plugins= line. This is where you will tell the server what mods to load into the game. There is also a plugins folder within your server folder where you will put your mod files so that the game can read them.
You will also need to set your LAN IP Address in the server.properties file, and port forward the 25565 port in your router settings. The rest of the file is pretty straight-forward. I'd list them all for you, but there's like 30 options, and it would be really tedious to explain every last one of them.
Anyway, that's how you get a hMod modded server running.
Although this is an easier and MUCH stabler way to mod a server, there are only a few mods out there with server support for Notch's server software. One of the most noticeable ones being SDK's Gun Mod. Forum topic is here: http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewtopic.php?t=92206&f=25
First thing you'll need to do is make a folder somewhere on your computer for all your server files. You can call it whatever you want, but just make sure you put it somewhere you can easily find it.
As you can see in the photo, I just placed my server folder in the My Documents folder and called it Minecraft Server, but like I said before, you can call it whatever you want and place it wherever you can easily find it.
Step 2:
Next, you will need to download the server files and put them in the folder you just created.
Download those, and place them in your server folder so it looks like this:
Step 3:
Now that you have gotten your server packages where you need them, go ahead and open Minecraft_server.exe - the one with the minecraft block as the icon. A java screen thing should make itself visible when you do, and it will also create the server files.
Now close your server, and open up the server.properties file using notepad, or any other notepad-like program. The contents of the server.properties file should look like this:
Now there's a few options here that you can fiddle around with. But first, you absolutely have to set an IP Address so you and others can connect to your server. To see the IP Address that you need to add, click on the Start Menu, and look for a Run button. It should be immediately to your right when you open the menu. Click it, and type cmd. It should open up a command prompt window. Type in ipconfig /all and it should display your network information. Look for your IP Address listed in the information, and add it to the server-ip= line in the server.properties file. Save it, and you've done the critical stuff. Now you can fiddle around with other options. I will list them and explain what each of them do in the screenshot below.
I placed the image directly onto the guide for convenience's sake, but if for some reason the text is too small for you to read, please follow this link instead: http://img339.imageshack.us/f/servertut15a.png/
Step 4:
Run your server by double-clicking Minecraft_Server.exe! You now should have a fully functioning Modded SMP server!
Tip:
You will need two different IP Addresses. Your LAN IP Address, which will allow YOU to connect to the server... and your WAN IP Address, which will allow others who aren't using your internet connection to connect.
Essentially, installing mods on a multiplayer server using Notch's server software is done the same way as installing Single player mods. The only difference is that instead of going into .minecraft/bin/minecraft.jar under %appdata%, you go into the server folder and open up the minecraft_server.jar instead.
For those who haven't modded their game before, what you do is you go and get an archiving program such as WinRAR, or 7-zip, and you open the minecraft_server_.jar folder with it, then copy and paste the mod files into it. Usually when modding single player, you delete the META-INF folder, but in server modding, you don't.
NOTE: You cannot put mods that aren't specifically suited for multiplayer into theminecraft_server.jar and expect it to run! Server files and Single player files are different even if it's the same mod!
Once you have opened the minecraft_server.jar using WinRAR or another archiving program, copied and pasted your mod files into the minecraft_server.jar archive, then you can close the archive and start up your server!
That's basically it for server mod installation using Notch's server software.
This section is near obsolete since Notch finally got some work done on his code, but I'll leave it up anyways in case there's a need for it in the future. For now, it still houses a couple solutions to server lag problems.
1. Minecraft.bat file (Does not work with Hey0's Server Mod)
Create a new text file, and rename it to Minecraft.bat. If it says that renaming the file might make it unstable, click OK and rename it anyway. Now right-click on the .bat file you just created, and there should be an Edit option. Click that, and it should bring up a notepad-like window. Copy and paste this into the .bat file:
5.0a - Non-detailed/Concise Setup for Everything (For all you lazy readers)
This tutorial section assumes that you do not need your hand held completely throughout the entire setup process. Things like adding your IP to the server properties file, what certain options do in said properties file, and other detailed instructions will not be found here. If you are lost, or are frustrated because you don't understand how to do a certain part, you should read the detailed instructions for your desired setup above.
Classic Creative Server:
1. Create, name, and place a server folder to store your server files in.
2. Download the classic server files: http://www.minecraft.net/minecraft-server.zip
3. Extract the server files to the folder you created.
4. Run start server.bat, let it load fully, and then close it.
5. Set up your server using the server.properties file.
6. Setup Complete. Server is ready.
@echo off
java -Xincgc -Xmx1024M -jar craftbukkit-0.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar nogui
pause
For 64-bit Systems
@echo off
java -Xincgc -Xmx1024M -jar craftbukkit-0.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar nogui
pause
4. Run the .bat file.
5. Close your server and set it up using the server.properties file.
6. Setup complete. Server is ready.
Modded Beta SMP Server (Notch Software)
1. Create, name, and place a server folder to store your server files in.
2. Download Beta server files: http://www.minecraft.net/download/Minecraft_Server.exe?v=1296726203482 http://www.minecraft.net/download/minecraft_server.jar?v=1296726203482
3. Place the server files into your server folder.
4. Run Minecraft_Server.exe, let it load fully, and then close it.
5. Set up your server using the server.properties file.
6. Open up minecraft_server.jar with an archiving program such as WinRAR, and place the files that came with your mod in there.
7. Setup complete. Server is ready.
Modded Beta SMP Server (hey0's Server)
1. Create, name, and place a server folder to store your server files in.
2. Download the hey0 server mod:
.RAR: http://www.mediafire.com/?d2j9xax47e066r0
.ZIP: http://www.mediafire.com/?7f75vvof4d3n5p9
3. Extract the server files to the folder you created.
4. Run server_nogui.bat
5. Download hMod plugins from here: http://wiki.hey0.net/index.php/Plugins
6. Place the plugin files in the plugins folder in your server folder.
7. Setup your server.properties file, and add the plugin names of the .jar files associated with them(if you installed any plugins) onto the plugins= line.
8. Setup complete. Server is ready.
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6.0a - Frequently Asked Questions! (FAQs)
If you are having problems with your server, refer to these and see if any of them can help you with setting up your server or solving other problems.
Q: Where can I find my LAN or WAN IP? A: For your LAN IP, click Run... under your start menu, and type in ipconfig /all into the command prompt window that pops up. It should be listed for you there, unless for some reason you aren't connected to the internet. For your WAN IP, click this link: http://wanipaddress.com/
Q: What is this 64-bit and 32-bit stuff that you're asking me to type in when setting up a bukkit server? How do I know what type of system I'm running? A: Depending on what type of OS you're running, there are different answers to this question. If you're running Windows XP, then right-click My Computer and click Properties. It should bring up a window with your computer's basic information. If your Windows XP version does not say that it's a 64-bit version, then you are running a 32-bit system. If it does say that it's a 64-bit version, well... there you go. :tongue.gif:
If you're running Vista or Windows 7, go to your Control Panel and double-click System and Maintenance, then click System. You can view your system type from there.
If you're running anything earlier than XP, you're probably running on a 32-bit system.
Q: Why did my server stop working after a new version of Minecraft came out? A: If you have mods on your server, chances are that it's your mods mucking up your server. All mods must be created from the same version of Minecraft. So if you're running a mod that was made during the 1.3_01 version of Minecraft, and Minecraft is now 1.4, then the mod on your server is outdated and will no longer work with your server. You must wait for the mod's creator to come out with a new version of their mod. To make your server operational again, you must create a new server, or if you're running bukkit, just disable the mod by deleting it from your server folder..
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UPDATES
April 4, 2011 - Added a FAQs section to the guide.
March 13, 2011 - Re-formatted the guide for better readability.
March 13, 2011 - Added Bukkit Server Tutorial.
Arlic : Hey man, what are you playin'? Ruthius : Minecraft. Arlic : What's Minecraft? Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft? Arlic : No... Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want. Arlic : Can I build statues of myself? Ruthius : Sure. Arlic : Sweeeet.
Hi, i'd like to ask, if it's possible to use Survival Singleplayer Mods, which require to mod the minecraft.jar in Survival mutliplayer?
Unfortunately, unless the author of the mod has a multiplayer server pack out for the mod, it isn't possible to load that particular mod into the server. You'll have to stick with whichever mod has multiplayer support.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Arlic : Hey man, what are you playin'? Ruthius : Minecraft. Arlic : What's Minecraft? Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft? Arlic : No... Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want. Arlic : Can I build statues of myself? Ruthius : Sure. Arlic : Sweeeet.
Very nice post, but you should maybe switch hey0's Server to bukkit.
I didn't know bukkit was out with a release already. As far as I knew, it was still to come.
I'll do some sniffing around for the bukkit release and see if I can do a trial setup. I'll post the instructions for the bukkit server as well when I'm done. Thanks for letting me know! :smile.gif:
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Arlic : Hey man, what are you playin'? Ruthius : Minecraft. Arlic : What's Minecraft? Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft? Arlic : No... Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want. Arlic : Can I build statues of myself? Ruthius : Sure. Arlic : Sweeeet.
I don't get it.
What is the difference between a private and public server?
And why do you need a different program for a creative server and a survival server?
How does someone connect to each one?
Thanks for helping, and it is a great guide!
What is the difference between a private and public server?
The difference between a private server and a public server is that a server set to private doesn't appear on the list of servers that people can join when it's running, and as a result, the person must already know the IP that they are connecting to when joining that server. This mostly applies to Creative servers, since I don't think the current Beta servers appear on the list anyways.
And why do you need a different program for a creative server and a survival server?
You need different software because creative and survival operate on two different versions of Minecraft. I wasn't here since the beginning of Minecraft, but from what I understand, Creative mode is actually the "Vanilla" version of Minecraft and is crazily outdated. However, this "crazily outdated" version offers a different style of gameplay and is better than the current Beta/Survival version if you just wanna build stuff.
In short, you need different programs because they are essentially two different games.
How does someone connect to each one?
Ah, yes! I actually forgot to add that to the guide for Creative servers. Thanks for pointing that out.
With Creative servers, there is a list on the main page that allows you to see all of the servers online at that moment. If your server is already running and is ready for people to join, then your server should appear somewhere here:
I think you can also type in your WAN IP to connect if you're using the installed client.
As for Beta servers, the person joining must know the WAN IP to your internet connection to join(or your LAN IP if the person connecting is in your house and using the same internet connection as you), or if you're paying for an online webserver, they usually give you some sort of URL that everyone can type in to connect.
(ex. server1.minecraftserverhost.com)
__________
Hope this helps. :smile.gif:
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Arlic : Hey man, what are you playin'? Ruthius : Minecraft. Arlic : What's Minecraft? Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft? Arlic : No... Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want. Arlic : Can I build statues of myself? Ruthius : Sure. Arlic : Sweeeet.
Thank you for this Ruthius. Very good and informative guide. I was able to get my server running in less than 10 min:)
I do have a few questions though-->
When I run my server, does it automatically get on a server list? I dont want to be on a list, not yet anyways. I just want to host a server for my friends.
And I have allso notised that when I enter my world, there are some blocks that I cant destroy. I mean they do destroy, but pops right back in place. And if I move a few block either way, they breake normally again... Why is this?
And for my WAN-IP, should I put that in the properties, or just give it to whoever I want to have at my server?
Allso when I put my local IP or WAN-IP in the server ip in properties it wont start..
Are you going to do a tutorial on Bukkit? (Please do) ^.^
Thank you for this Ruthius. Very good and informative guide. I was able to get my server running in less than 10 min:)
I do have a few questions though-->
When I run my server, does it automatically get on a server list? I dont want to be on a list, not yet anyways. I just want to host a server for my friends.
And I have allso notised that when I enter my world, there are some blocks that I cant destroy. I mean they do destroy, but pops right back in place. And if I move a few block either way, they breake normally again... Why is this?
And for my WAN-IP, should I put that in the properties, or just give it to whoever I want to have at my server?
Allso when I put my local IP or WAN-IP in the server ip in properties it wont start..
Are you going to do a tutorial on Bukkit? (Please do) ^.^
Hey there Lemming,
Sorry for getting back to you so late. I've been sick this week, and haven't been able to get out of bed. Anyways, I'm pretty sure that your server will only be listed if it is a creative server. If it's a beta one, you'll probably have to refer people to it directly. As for your blocks, if you've been mining them close to where you spawned, then they pop back immediately because spawn protection is on. It's the game's way of making sure nobody can grief your spawn so you fall like 40 blocks down and die if they've mined it out.
If you're hosting your server on your computer, then you'll need to input your LAN IP in your properties file. WAN IP is given out to people who are connecting to your server. However, if someone is connecting to the server using your house's internet, you use your LAN IP since you're connecting locally after all. If you're still having problems setting stuff up with your IP, I've heard that not adding an IP at all can be a solution. Not sure how that works, but apparently it works in some cases. If that still doesn't work, then I'm not sure what to suggest.
Also, I will be doing a tutorial on Bukkit once I muster up the energy and work out the kinks I'm having with it myself.
Hope I helped!
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Arlic : Hey man, what are you playin'? Ruthius : Minecraft. Arlic : What's Minecraft? Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft? Arlic : No... Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want. Arlic : Can I build statues of myself? Ruthius : Sure. Arlic : Sweeeet.
Currently trying to figure out how to set up a bukkit server... should be updated soon.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Arlic : Hey man, what are you playin'? Ruthius : Minecraft. Arlic : What's Minecraft? Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft? Arlic : No... Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want. Arlic : Can I build statues of myself? Ruthius : Sure. Arlic : Sweeeet.
UPDATE: There are now instructions on how to set up a basic bukkit server! You can find the instructions under section 3.0a of this guide! I'm also noticing the guide needs some aesthetic formatting, so I'm also working on that at the moment too. Hopefully it should be a little easier to read when I'm done.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Arlic : Hey man, what are you playin'? Ruthius : Minecraft. Arlic : What's Minecraft? Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft? Arlic : No... Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want. Arlic : Can I build statues of myself? Ruthius : Sure. Arlic : Sweeeet.
okay i followed the steps for classic but every time i try opening it, it says
'java' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Press any key to continue...
and when i hit any button it closes, it doesn't open or anything, can anyone help me with this
okay i followed the steps for classic but every time i try opening it, it says
'java' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Press any key to continue...
and when i hit any button it closes, it doesn't open or anything, can anyone help me with this
Do you have Java installed? It sounds like your computer doesn't know what Java is. Go to the main website and download the latest version, and hopefully your problem will be solved. :smile.gif: If you have Java installed, then I don't know. I've never gotten that error before.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Arlic : Hey man, what are you playin'? Ruthius : Minecraft. Arlic : What's Minecraft? Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft? Arlic : No... Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want. Arlic : Can I build statues of myself? Ruthius : Sure. Arlic : Sweeeet.
What this guide covers:
Creative / Classic Servers
Survival / SMP / Beta Servers
Bukkit Servers / Modded Servers
NOTE: I run Windows as my primary operating system, so I'm not sure if the following setup instructions are the same for all operating systems. Thus, this guide is the most accurate for setting up Windows-based Minecraft servers!
Hello everyone!
This will be my first guide, so bear with me. Although there are a lot of guides out there dedicated to setting up a working server, when I was figuring things out myself, it seemed like I was always getting stopped by one problem or another and setting up a server was a lot harder than I thought it should be, especially when I was trying to set up a modded server. Being a person who pays attentional to detail, I'll make sure to have the instructions in this guide explained as best as possible so that(hopefully) setting up a working server will be a simple, and easy process for any Minecraft player, be s/he old or new!
So! Let's get started!
Table of Contents
Press Ctrl + F and search for the number and letter corresponding to the section!)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1.0a - Setting up a Classic (Creative) Server!
2.0a - Setting up a Non-Modded SMP (Beta / Survival Multi-Player) Server!
3.0a - Setting up a Modded SMP (Beta / Survival Multi-Player) Server!
4.0a - Server Optimization!
5.0a - Non-detailed/Concise Setup for Everything (For all you lazy readers)
6.0a - Frequently Asked Questions! (FAQs)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1.0a - Setting up a Classic (Creative) Server!
Step 1:
First thing you'll need to do is make a folder somewhere on your computer for all your server files. You can call it whatever you want, but just make sure you put it somewhere you can easily find it.
As you can see in the photo, I just placed my server folder in the My Documents folder and called it Minecraft Server, but like I said before, you can call it whatever you want and place it wherever you can easily find it.
Step 2:
Next, you will need to download the server files and put them in the folder you just created.
For the classic server files, click this link:
http://www.minecraft.net/minecraft-server.zip
After you have finished downloading the server files, put the .zip file in the server folder you created, and extract it to the folder. In my screenshot, the files are being extracted to the Minecraft Server folder I created earlier.
Before Extraction
After Extraction
Step 3:
Next thing you'll need to do is test your server by double-click the start server.bat file, and a command prompt window should pop up. If it popped up like it does in the screenshot below, then you've done everything up until now correctly.
Just to explain a bit what it's doing... the first time you run start server.bat, it creates the files you'll need to run the server effectively, such as the world folder and your user logs and files. The server failing to load the text files is perfectly normal... the first time you run it.
Step 4:
Next, close your server(if you still have it running), and go back into your server folder. Look for a server.properties file, and open it with notepad. If it says it can't find a program to open it with, just choose the "select program from a list" option, and you should see notepad in the list of programs. If you somehow don't see notepad in the list, and/or you can't open the file, then try opening the file with other notepad-like programs.
The contents of the server.properties file should look like it does here:
Within this file, you can set all sorts of stuff like anonymous login(verify-names), the maximum amount of people you'll want on your server at one time, etc. The most noticable setting is the name of your server. To rename your server, just edit the "server-name=Minecraft Server" line, and change the Minecraft Server part of it to whatever you want your server name to be.
If you want this server to be private, then change the public=true line to public=false.
IMPORTANT!: Notice the port number is 25565 in the server.properties file! You WILL need to port forward the 25565 port if it hasn't been forwarded already! Doing this will allow people to connect to your server!
Once you've finished setting up your server.properties file, save it and exit. You now have your very own classic server set up! Your server will appear in this list when your server is running:
http://www.minecraft.net/servers.jsp
Tip:
Set admins, and player names by editing your text files within the server folder(admins.txt, players.txt, etc.) so it's to your liking!
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2.0a - Setting up a Non-Modded SMP (Beta / Survival Multi-Player) Server!
Step 1:
First thing you'll need to do is make a folder somewhere on your computer for all your server files. You can call it whatever you want, but just make sure you put it somewhere you can easily find it.
As you can see in the photo, I just placed my server folder in the My Documents folder and called it Minecraft Server, but like I said before, you can call it whatever you want and place it wherever you can easily find it.
Step 2:
Next, you will need to download the server files and put them in the folder you just created.
You will need these:
http://www.minecraft.net/download/Minec ... 6717341656
http://www.minecraft.net/download/minec ... 6717341656
Download those, and place them in your server folder so it looks like this:
Step 3:
Now that you have gotten your server packages where you need them, go ahead and open Minecraft_server.exe - the one with the minecraft block as the icon. A java screen thing should make itself visible when you do, and it will also create the server files.
Now close your server, and open up the server.properties file using notepad, or any other notepad-like program. The contents of the server.properties file should look like this:
Now there are few options here that you can fiddle around with. But first, you absolutely have to set an IP Address so you and others can connect to your server. To see the IP Address that you need to add, click on the Start Menu, and look for a Run button. It should be immediately to your right when you open the menu. Click it, and type cmd. It should open up a command prompt window. Type in ipconfig /all and it should display your network information. Look for your IP Address listed in the information, and add it to the server-ip= line in the server.properties file. Save it, and you've done the critical stuff. Now you can fiddle around with other options. I will list them and explain what each of them do in the screenshot below.
I placed the image directly onto the guide for convenience's sake, but if for some reason the text is too small for you to read, please follow this link instead:
http://img339.imageshack.us/f/servertut15a.png/
Step 4:
Pat yourself on the back and run your server by double-clicking Minecraft_Server.exe! You now have a fully functioning non-modded SMP server!
Tip:
You will need two different IP Addresses. Your LAN IP Address, which will allow YOU to connect to the server... and your WAN IP Address, which will allow others who aren't using your internet connection to connect.
To see what your WAN IP Address is, click here:
http://wanip.info/
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3.0a - Setting up a Modded SMP (Beta / Survival Multi-Player) Server!
Before we get started, you have a few options that you can choose from to mod your server. There's the heavily outdated Hey0 Server, it's successor, Bukkit, and then a direct .jar edit, however there are only a select few mods which I've seen that support a direct modification of the .jar file.
We'll start with the Bukkit server since it's the most popular, however, if you want, you can always skip ahead by using Ctrl+F and finding the section you're interested in.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 1:
First thing you'll need to do is create a folder somewhere. This can be named anything, and be placed anywhere as long as you can easily find it. I'm going to name my folder "Bukkit Server" and place it in My Documents. Like I said though, you can place it anywhere you want. It should look something like this:
Step 2:
Next, you will need to download CraftBukkit.jar from here and place it in the folder you created:
http://ci.bukkit.org/job/dev-CraftBukkit/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/target/craftbukkit-0.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar
Step 3:
Now you will need to open up Windows Notepad(can usually be found by going into your start menu and looking under the Accessories menu). Now you'll need to place a bit of code. It varies based on if you're running 32-bit, or 64-bit Windows, but even if you don't know, you can always just try both and if one doesn't work, then just go with the other.
For 32-bit systems, place this code:
For 64-bit systems, place this code:
Now, you'll need to save the file as a .bat file type. To do this, go under File tab in Notepad and choose Save As . It should pop up with a Save As window where you can name your file and save it to a certain location. You can name the file whatever you want(I named mine Start Bukkit), but make sure you save it as a .bat file! To do this, click the Save as type: drop down menu, choose All Files from it, and then name your .bat file whatever you want, but put a .bat at the end of the name instead of a .txt.This will allow you to execute the code inside the file instead of just opening up the notepad in editing mode.
Check the screenshots below if you're still confused.
Step 4:
Place the .bat file you just created into the same folder you created in Step 1, so it should be in the same folder as the craftbukkit-0.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar, run the .bat file, and you're done! All that's left is to join!
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 1:
First thing you'll need to do is make a folder somewhere on your computer for all your server files. You can call it whatever you want, but just make sure you put it somewhere you can easily find it.
As you can see in the photo, I just placed my server folder in the My Documents folder and called it Minecraft Server, but like I said before, you can call it whatever you want and place it wherever you can easily find it.
Step 2:
Next, download hMod:
You can choose either. I only uploaded both because some people favor zip files over rars, and vice-versa.
ZIP format: http://www.mediafire.com/?7f75vvof4d3n5p9
RAR format: http://www.mediafire.com/?d2j9xax47e066r0
Extract hMod to the folder you created. It should look something like this after the extraction:
Step 3:
Now double-click server_nogui.bat, and it should begin to run the server. A successful launch(while still preparing the spawn point) should look like this:
NOTE: If you look at the server command prompt screenshot above, you'll notice that it says it's for Minecraft v1.2_01, but it is still compatible with 1.2_02!
Close the server and open up your server.properties file using notepad or another notepad-based program. You'll notice immediately near the top of the file, there's a plugins= line. This is where you will tell the server what mods to load into the game. There is also a plugins folder within your server folder where you will put your mod files so that the game can read them.
Here is a list of the hMod plugins(SOME MAY BE OUT OF DATE!):
http://wiki.hey0.net/index.php/Plugins
You will also need to set your LAN IP Address in the server.properties file, and port forward the 25565 port in your router settings. The rest of the file is pretty straight-forward. I'd list them all for you, but there's like 30 options, and it would be really tedious to explain every last one of them.
Anyway, that's how you get a hMod modded server running.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Although this is an easier and MUCH stabler way to mod a server, there are only a few mods out there with server support for Notch's server software. One of the most noticeable ones being SDK's Gun Mod. Forum topic is here: http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewtopic.php?t=92206&f=25
First thing you'll need to do is make a folder somewhere on your computer for all your server files. You can call it whatever you want, but just make sure you put it somewhere you can easily find it.
As you can see in the photo, I just placed my server folder in the My Documents folder and called it Minecraft Server, but like I said before, you can call it whatever you want and place it wherever you can easily find it.
Step 2:
Next, you will need to download the server files and put them in the folder you just created.
You will need these:
http://www.minecraft.net/download/Minec ... 6717341656
http://www.minecraft.net/download/minec ... 6717341656
Download those, and place them in your server folder so it looks like this:
Step 3:
Now that you have gotten your server packages where you need them, go ahead and open Minecraft_server.exe - the one with the minecraft block as the icon. A java screen thing should make itself visible when you do, and it will also create the server files.
Now close your server, and open up the server.properties file using notepad, or any other notepad-like program. The contents of the server.properties file should look like this:
Now there's a few options here that you can fiddle around with. But first, you absolutely have to set an IP Address so you and others can connect to your server. To see the IP Address that you need to add, click on the Start Menu, and look for a Run button. It should be immediately to your right when you open the menu. Click it, and type cmd. It should open up a command prompt window. Type in ipconfig /all and it should display your network information. Look for your IP Address listed in the information, and add it to the server-ip= line in the server.properties file. Save it, and you've done the critical stuff. Now you can fiddle around with other options. I will list them and explain what each of them do in the screenshot below.
I placed the image directly onto the guide for convenience's sake, but if for some reason the text is too small for you to read, please follow this link instead:
http://img339.imageshack.us/f/servertut15a.png/
Step 4:
Run your server by double-clicking Minecraft_Server.exe! You now should have a fully functioning Modded SMP server!
Tip:
You will need two different IP Addresses. Your LAN IP Address, which will allow YOU to connect to the server... and your WAN IP Address, which will allow others who aren't using your internet connection to connect.
To see what your WAN IP Address is, click here:
http://wanip.info/
(Optional) Step 5:
For a list of the current up-to-date mods, visit the Mapping & Modding forum and there should be a sticky, or you can optionally click this link:
http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=93171
Essentially, installing mods on a multiplayer server using Notch's server software is done the same way as installing Single player mods. The only difference is that instead of going into .minecraft/bin/minecraft.jar under %appdata%, you go into the server folder and open up the minecraft_server.jar instead.
For those who haven't modded their game before, what you do is you go and get an archiving program such as WinRAR, or 7-zip, and you open the minecraft_server_.jar folder with it, then copy and paste the mod files into it. Usually when modding single player, you delete the META-INF folder, but in server modding, you don't.
NOTE: You cannot put mods that aren't specifically suited for multiplayer into theminecraft_server.jar and expect it to run! Server files and Single player files are different even if it's the same mod!
Once you have opened the minecraft_server.jar using WinRAR or another archiving program, copied and pasted your mod files into the minecraft_server.jar archive, then you can close the archive and start up your server!
That's basically it for server mod installation using Notch's server software.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4.0a - Server Optimization!
This section is near obsolete since Notch finally got some work done on his code, but I'll leave it up anyways in case there's a need for it in the future. For now, it still houses a couple solutions to server lag problems.
1. Minecraft.bat file (Does not work with Hey0's Server Mod)
Create a new text file, and rename it to Minecraft.bat. If it says that renaming the file might make it unstable, click OK and rename it anyway. Now right-click on the .bat file you just created, and there should be an Edit option. Click that, and it should bring up a notepad-like window. Copy and paste this into the .bat file:
Save the file, and make sure it's in your server folder. Launch your server with that .bat file from now on.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5.0a - Non-detailed/Concise Setup for Everything (For all you lazy readers)
This tutorial section assumes that you do not need your hand held completely throughout the entire setup process. Things like adding your IP to the server properties file, what certain options do in said properties file, and other detailed instructions will not be found here. If you are lost, or are frustrated because you don't understand how to do a certain part, you should read the detailed instructions for your desired setup above.
Classic Creative Server:
1. Create, name, and place a server folder to store your server files in.
2. Download the classic server files: http://www.minecraft.net/minecraft-server.zip
3. Extract the server files to the folder you created.
4. Run start server.bat, let it load fully, and then close it.
5. Set up your server using the server.properties file.
6. Setup Complete. Server is ready.
Non-Modded Beta SMP Server:
1. Create, name, and place a server folder to store your server files in.
2. Download Beta server files:
http://www.minecraft.net/download/Minecraft_Server.exe?v=1296726203482
http://www.minecraft.net/download/minecraft_server.jar?v=1296726203482
3. Place the server files into your server folder.
4. Run Minecraft_Server.exe, let it load fully, and then close it.
5. Set up your server using the server.properties file.
6. Setup complete. Server is ready.
Bukkit Modded SMP Server:
1. Create, name, and place a server folder to store your server files in.
2. Download CraftBukkit.jar and put it in the server folder:
http://ci.bukkit.org/job/dev-CraftBukkit/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/target/craftbukkit-0.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar
3. Make a .bat file and place the code that corresponds to your system inside it.
For 32-bit Systems
For 64-bit Systems
4. Run the .bat file.
5. Close your server and set it up using the server.properties file.
6. Setup complete. Server is ready.
Modded Beta SMP Server (Notch Software)
1. Create, name, and place a server folder to store your server files in.
2. Download Beta server files:
http://www.minecraft.net/download/Minecraft_Server.exe?v=1296726203482
http://www.minecraft.net/download/minecraft_server.jar?v=1296726203482
3. Place the server files into your server folder.
4. Run Minecraft_Server.exe, let it load fully, and then close it.
5. Set up your server using the server.properties file.
6. Open up minecraft_server.jar with an archiving program such as WinRAR, and place the files that came with your mod in there.
7. Setup complete. Server is ready.
Modded Beta SMP Server (hey0's Server)
1. Create, name, and place a server folder to store your server files in.
2. Download the hey0 server mod:
.RAR: http://www.mediafire.com/?d2j9xax47e066r0
.ZIP: http://www.mediafire.com/?7f75vvof4d3n5p9
3. Extract the server files to the folder you created.
4. Run server_nogui.bat
5. Download hMod plugins from here:
http://wiki.hey0.net/index.php/Plugins
6. Place the plugin files in the plugins folder in your server folder.
7. Setup your server.properties file, and add the plugin names of the .jar files associated with them(if you installed any plugins) onto the plugins= line.
8. Setup complete. Server is ready.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6.0a - Frequently Asked Questions! (FAQs)
If you are having problems with your server, refer to these and see if any of them can help you with setting up your server or solving other problems.
Q: I'm getting an error when I try to start my server that says: "'java' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file." What's wrong?
A: You probably just don't have Java installed. Go here and download the latest version for your computer:
http://www.java.com/en/download/installed.jsp?jre_version=1.6.0_24&vendor=Sun+Microsystems+Inc.&os=Windows+XP&os_version=5.1
Q: Where can I find my LAN or WAN IP?
A: For your LAN IP, click Run... under your start menu, and type in ipconfig /all into the command prompt window that pops up. It should be listed for you there, unless for some reason you aren't connected to the internet. For your WAN IP, click this link: http://wanipaddress.com/
Q: What is this 64-bit and 32-bit stuff that you're asking me to type in when setting up a bukkit server? How do I know what type of system I'm running?
A: Depending on what type of OS you're running, there are different answers to this question. If you're running Windows XP, then right-click My Computer and click Properties. It should bring up a window with your computer's basic information. If your Windows XP version does not say that it's a 64-bit version, then you are running a 32-bit system. If it does say that it's a 64-bit version, well... there you go. :tongue.gif:
If you're running Vista or Windows 7, go to your Control Panel and double-click System and Maintenance, then click System. You can view your system type from there.
If you're running anything earlier than XP, you're probably running on a 32-bit system.
Q: Why did my server stop working after a new version of Minecraft came out?
A: If you have mods on your server, chances are that it's your mods mucking up your server. All mods must be created from the same version of Minecraft. So if you're running a mod that was made during the 1.3_01 version of Minecraft, and Minecraft is now 1.4, then the mod on your server is outdated and will no longer work with your server. You must wait for the mod's creator to come out with a new version of their mod. To make your server operational again, you must create a new server, or if you're running bukkit, just disable the mod by deleting it from your server folder..
__________________________________________________________________________________________
UPDATES
April 4, 2011 - Added a FAQs section to the guide.
March 13, 2011 - Re-formatted the guide for better readability.
March 13, 2011 - Added Bukkit Server Tutorial.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Ruthius : Minecraft.
Arlic : What's Minecraft?
Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft?
Arlic : No...
Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want.
Arlic : Can I build statues of myself?
Ruthius : Sure.
Arlic : Sweeeet.
Unfortunately, unless the author of the mod has a multiplayer server pack out for the mod, it isn't possible to load that particular mod into the server. You'll have to stick with whichever mod has multiplayer support.
Ruthius : Minecraft.
Arlic : What's Minecraft?
Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft?
Arlic : No...
Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want.
Arlic : Can I build statues of myself?
Ruthius : Sure.
Arlic : Sweeeet.
I didn't know bukkit was out with a release already. As far as I knew, it was still to come.
I'll do some sniffing around for the bukkit release and see if I can do a trial setup. I'll post the instructions for the bukkit server as well when I'm done. Thanks for letting me know! :smile.gif:
Ruthius : Minecraft.
Arlic : What's Minecraft?
Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft?
Arlic : No...
Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want.
Arlic : Can I build statues of myself?
Ruthius : Sure.
Arlic : Sweeeet.
w: minecraft.cm | e: [email protected] | t: @minecraft_cm | reviews
What is the difference between a private and public server?
And why do you need a different program for a creative server and a survival server?
How does someone connect to each one?
Thanks for helping, and it is a great guide!
The difference between a private server and a public server is that a server set to private doesn't appear on the list of servers that people can join when it's running, and as a result, the person must already know the IP that they are connecting to when joining that server. This mostly applies to Creative servers, since I don't think the current Beta servers appear on the list anyways.
You need different software because creative and survival operate on two different versions of Minecraft. I wasn't here since the beginning of Minecraft, but from what I understand, Creative mode is actually the "Vanilla" version of Minecraft and is crazily outdated. However, this "crazily outdated" version offers a different style of gameplay and is better than the current Beta/Survival version if you just wanna build stuff.
In short, you need different programs because they are essentially two different games.
Ah, yes! I actually forgot to add that to the guide for Creative servers. Thanks for pointing that out.
With Creative servers, there is a list on the main page that allows you to see all of the servers online at that moment. If your server is already running and is ready for people to join, then your server should appear somewhere here:
http://www.minecraft.net/servers.jsp
I think you can also type in your WAN IP to connect if you're using the installed client.
As for Beta servers, the person joining must know the WAN IP to your internet connection to join(or your LAN IP if the person connecting is in your house and using the same internet connection as you), or if you're paying for an online webserver, they usually give you some sort of URL that everyone can type in to connect.
(ex. server1.minecraftserverhost.com)
__________
Hope this helps. :smile.gif:
Ruthius : Minecraft.
Arlic : What's Minecraft?
Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft?
Arlic : No...
Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want.
Arlic : Can I build statues of myself?
Ruthius : Sure.
Arlic : Sweeeet.
I do have a few questions though-->
When I run my server, does it automatically get on a server list? I dont want to be on a list, not yet anyways. I just want to host a server for my friends.
And I have allso notised that when I enter my world, there are some blocks that I cant destroy. I mean they do destroy, but pops right back in place. And if I move a few block either way, they breake normally again... Why is this?
And for my WAN-IP, should I put that in the properties, or just give it to whoever I want to have at my server?
Allso when I put my local IP or WAN-IP in the server ip in properties it wont start..
Are you going to do a tutorial on Bukkit? (Please do) ^.^
My server is up and working!
Hey there Lemming,
Sorry for getting back to you so late. I've been sick this week, and haven't been able to get out of bed. Anyways, I'm pretty sure that your server will only be listed if it is a creative server. If it's a beta one, you'll probably have to refer people to it directly. As for your blocks, if you've been mining them close to where you spawned, then they pop back immediately because spawn protection is on. It's the game's way of making sure nobody can grief your spawn so you fall like 40 blocks down and die if they've mined it out.
If you're hosting your server on your computer, then you'll need to input your LAN IP in your properties file. WAN IP is given out to people who are connecting to your server. However, if someone is connecting to the server using your house's internet, you use your LAN IP since you're connecting locally after all. If you're still having problems setting stuff up with your IP, I've heard that not adding an IP at all can be a solution. Not sure how that works, but apparently it works in some cases. If that still doesn't work, then I'm not sure what to suggest.
Also, I will be doing a tutorial on Bukkit once I muster up the energy and work out the kinks I'm having with it myself.
Hope I helped!
Ruthius : Minecraft.
Arlic : What's Minecraft?
Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft?
Arlic : No...
Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want.
Arlic : Can I build statues of myself?
Ruthius : Sure.
Arlic : Sweeeet.
Ruthius : Minecraft.
Arlic : What's Minecraft?
Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft?
Arlic : No...
Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want.
Arlic : Can I build statues of myself?
Ruthius : Sure.
Arlic : Sweeeet.
Ruthius : Minecraft.
Arlic : What's Minecraft?
Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft?
Arlic : No...
Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want.
Arlic : Can I build statues of myself?
Ruthius : Sure.
Arlic : Sweeeet.
'java' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Press any key to continue...
and when i hit any button it closes, it doesn't open or anything, can anyone help me with this
Do you have Java installed? It sounds like your computer doesn't know what Java is. Go to the main website and download the latest version, and hopefully your problem will be solved. :smile.gif: If you have Java installed, then I don't know. I've never gotten that error before.
Ruthius : Minecraft.
Arlic : What's Minecraft?
Ruthius : It's -the- Minecraft, dude. You've never heard of Minecraft?
Arlic : No...
Ruthius : Dude, you can like, build whatever you want.
Arlic : Can I build statues of myself?
Ruthius : Sure.
Arlic : Sweeeet.