Each Time You Start Your Server

This post is over one year old and may have outdated information. Setting up a Minecraft server on your home Windows computer is fairly easy. If you have a basic understanding of computers and networking, it is possible to play with friends over a local or international network (LAN), or the Internet in a matter of minutes.

Note: This guide only applies to Minecraft Java Edition. It is not the original version for PC. Every player who wants to connect must have purchased Minecraft Java Edition from minecraft.net. Mobile and console versions of Minecraft Java Edition are not compatible with each other. You will need Minecraft Realms for those versions.

Computer Performance Requirements I recommend a wired network to cut down on latency. You may need more power depending on how many players your server has. Stopping as many running and background programs as possible will also help.

If you plan on playing Minecraft on the same computer with the server, I recommend at least 4 GB RAM and a relatively new processor and graphics cards.

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Step 1: Get the Latest Version of Java

Go to java.com/en/download and get the latest version of Java.

Step 2: Download the Minecraft Server

Download the latest version of server from the official site. It will be a server.jar. Put that downloaded file in a folder where you'd like to run the Minecraft server.

Step 3: Run your server

Open a Windows prompt in the folder that contains the server.jar file. You can do this by holding down shift and right-clicking in an empty space within the folder.

To start the server, enter the following command at the command prompt:

java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar server.jar nogui You can paste the command into the command prompt by right-clicking and choosing paste (ctrl+v does not work in command prompts).

Using PowerShell Instead of Command Prompt If the command prompt didn't work or you would prefer to use PowerShell, you can and it works similarly. PowerShell must be open in the directory server.jar is located. This might be different for different Windows versions. Search online if you're unsure how. minecraft survival servers Once you are in the correct directory run the following command. You can copy the above command into PowerShell by right-clicking in the window.

Once ran, the Minecraft server will create some files in the folder it resides in and you should receive an error message about the EULA:

You will need to open the generated.eula.txt files and set:

After you have done that, run the command again. After that, a new environment should be created. Your server should now be running.

Step 4: Server commands

The server can be controlled by server commands, which you enter at the command prompt. View the basic server commands here and familiarize yourself with them. At the very least, know how to use stop, which safely closes down the server and saves the world.

Step 5: Connect to your Server

Open the regular Minecraft game, click Multiplayer, then click Direct Connect. Based on your current location relative to the server, you'll enter an IP address.

On the same computer If you're playing Minecraft on the same computer as the Minecraft server, enter 127.0.0.1:

On another computer in a network If you are on another computer within the network (connected to a router), enter the local address of the computer running the server. To find the IP address, go to your server's computer and enter ipconfig into the command prompt. The IP address should look similar to 192.168.1.1, though the last two numbers could be different.

(The above is an example IP address only)

Over the Internet To connect to the Minecraft server over the Internet, you'll need to know the external IP address of the computer the Minecraft server is on. You can find it by browsing to whatismyip.com while on the Minecraft server PC. It will consist of 4 sets, separated by periods, just like your local IP address. It may look something like 65.214.224.57 but each set of numbers will be different.

If the computer that the Minecraft server is on is connected via a router to the Internet modem, which it should be for security reasons, then you'll have to make sure the router is properly port forwarding Minecraft Internet traffic to the computer that has the Minecraft server on it (even if you only have the one computer).

Port forwarding is a feature your router uses to ensure it sends the correct type of traffic to the correct computer. Minecraft uses port 25565, so the router needs to be setup to send any traffic on port 25565 to the computer that has the Minecraft server.

Go to portforward.com, scroll down and select your router model. The model number is usually listed on the front or back of your router.

Next, select the game you want to port forward for, which is "Minecraft Server" in this case. You may be prompted to enter a static IP address. This refers to your internal IP Address. Every time a computer is connected to your router, or turned on, the router assigns it a local IP address. It is usually the same, but it can change at times. You may need to update the settings if your computer is disconnected from the router or turned off. If you run Minecraft server a lot and shut down your computer often, you may want to look into giving your computers static local IP addresses.

Once you've forwarded port 25565 to the correct computer, you can test it at www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports. Be sure to check for port 25565 (80 is the default port for website traffic). For additional troubleshooting, see the Minecraft server install wiki.

When you restart your computer, or reset your modem, both your local and external IP addresses might change. When you start your server, make sure you double-check both your local and external IP addresses, and update settings accordingly.