How to set up a private Minecraft server: detailed guide

Today, Minecraft is probably the most popular and well-known online game. Its popularity is due not only to the original gameplay, but also the ability to create your own game servers. There are a number of features that must be considered when choosing a VPS or dedicated server for Minecraft.

The architecture of Minecraft is based on four elements. A server is a special software for interaction between players via the Internet. The client software is used for connection: it is installed on gamers' computers and, after launching, opens access to the game world.

The functionality of the game is expanded with mods and plugins. Mods bring new objects to Minecraft, while plugins complement the servers. For example, they help keep track of cheaters, improve the authorization mechanism, allow you to create custom menus or quickly find unpopulated areas.

Choosing a hosting service for Minecraft

For a comfortable game, you need to choose the right hosting, taking into account the technical MC server requirements, as well as other conditions.

Technical requirements

Minecraft is quite demanding to the server configuration, so you cannot choose the first powerful server and enjoy the game. We recommend following these points:

• Cores

Choosing a multi-core processor for Minecraft will not be the right decision, because a Minecraft server core can only use one thread of computation. So, we recommend opting for a more powerful dual-core processor.

Two cores are needed to reduce the load from the Java machine and to efficiently use some plugins running in separate threads. In general, a single dual-core CPU with a high clock speed is much better than a multi-core solution with a lower one. It is necessary to take the CPU from 3 GHz.

• RAM

The game needs a lot of RAM and takes into account both the number of players and plugins. Each player requires at least 5-10 MB of allocated memory. Also, keep in mind the RAM consumption for plugins with modifications: the more additional plugins, the greater the load on the server. Thus, for a server with 50 players, you will need at least 4 GB of RAM.

It is always reasonable to focus not on the minimum point, but on the maximum as this will help to avoid game slowdowns.

• File system

The performance of the file system is essential. Forget about ordinary hard drives. Low speed typical of such devices causes a lot of problems. Instead of morally and technically obsolete HDDs, you should use SSDs, ideally if the hosting provides NVMe, their latest type.

• Channel bandwidth

The speed of your Internet connection can slow down your game if you choose the wrong configuration. For example, 10 Mb/s is enough for 50 people. If you want to create a larger Minecraft project with a website, a forum for players, and a dynamic map, you should choose a higher bandwidth.

Minecraft server cost

The cost of hosting for a comfortable game of 50 players is on average $40-50 per month. This amount includes a server with a 3-3.5 GHz CPU, 6-8 GB of RAM, and the right SSD. If you increase the monthly cost by another $20-40, you can rent an Intel Xeon-based solution with 8-12 GB of RAM.

Advantages of VPS from is*hosting

Why do gamers choose servers from is*hosting? With us, you can rent a server almost anywhere in the world - we've taken care of international infrastructure and work with the best data centers.

is*hosting server equipment belongs to the HI-END class and is highly reliable, which guarantees peace of mind and security to our customers. The loyalty of our clients is confirmed by positive feedback.

You can learn more about our dedicated servers and VPS with the option to add additional services before renting on the is*hosting site.

If you still have any doubts about the configuration or you haven't found the right server for you, you can always contact our technical support. The is*hosting specialists will be glad to consult you and create an individual offer according to your needs.

Choosing a platform for Minecraft

As for platforms, the choice is quite extensive, but the most common are three: Vanilla, Bukkit, and Spout.

Software for Vanilla is produced and supported by the game developers. As soon as the next version of Minecraft is released, the official server is updated.

Many server owners criticize Vanilla for being "voracious" as it requires a lot of RAM. For a comfortable game, one user needs up to 50 MB. It's not much by today's standards, but imagine how much space is needed to ensure the stability of the interaction of thousands of players. In addition, the platform does not support plugins.

So, the significant advantages of Vanilla are official support and earlier access to game updates. Extended functionality of the updated server becomes available immediately and contains a minimum of bugs, as it is pre-tested.

An alternative platform is Bukkit. The platform was created by enthusiasts on the basis of the original game. The software is compatible with numerous plugins and modifications.

The main advantage of Bukkit is the lower RAM consumption. One player is allocated from 5 to 10 MB, which significantly reduces the resources spent compared to the original platform.

Bukkit updates are often full of bugs, with the latest features from the original game getting improved within a couple of weeks to a month. But thanks to mods and plugins, the platform is very flexible. Experienced owners of game servers recommend using Bukkit.

Another option to consider is Spout. This platform is similar to Bukkit and has its own advantages. In Spout, you get convenient management of plugins thanks to the GUI. The platform has a relatively low RAM consumption, as well as its own launcher for servers of this type (unlike Bukkit and Vanilla, which use the official launcher).

New versions of Spout are released 0.5-2 weeks after the release of a new version of Minecraft.

The disadvantage of Spout is definitely the way it works with mods: they have to be written from scratch because this platform does not support Modloader. That is, by choosing this platform, you will have to spend more time on its research and configuration, which is suitable for more experienced server administrators.

Setting up an MC server

Sign up and buy a VPS on is*hosting

The easiest way to rent a VPS is to sign up on the is*hosting website and choose the server configuration. We recommend deciding in advance on a pricing plan and location because your work efficiency will depend on them.

Here are simple steps to buy a virtual private server:

1. Choosing a location
2. Choosing a plan
3. Setting up a plan
4. Order confirmation
5. Payment for order

We have described the details of each step in this article.

How to host an MC server

There are two ways to install a Minecraft server on a hosting: using the FileZilla FTP client or using the Putty SSH client.

Installation using the FileZilla FTP client

File Transfer Protocol is used to transfer large files. You can use any FTP client, such as FileZilla, to connect to a server using the SFTP protocol.

First, you need to run the FTP client and fill out the connection data for your server. We described this process and the file uploading in detail in this article.

Before downloading, you need to completely clean the server by deleting all the files on it via the FTP client. After downloading, you can connect to the game server using the IP address.

Installation using the Putty SSH client

When connecting the server via SSH on Windows operating systems, you need to install additional software. We recommend using the PuTTY. You can download it for free from the official site. In the case of Linux/MacOS, the built-in utility called Terminal is used.

We have described a guide on how to connect to the server via SSH in this article.

First, you need to install the most recent version of Java (command: sudo apt-get install default-jdk) and the Screen utility (command: sudo apt-get install screen).

Then you need to set the directory for installation (two consecutive commands: mkdir minecraft and cd minecraft). To download the game server files, you must install the wget console program (command: sudo apt-get install wget).

Now you can start downloading and installing the latest version of the game (command: wget https://piston-data.mojang.com/v1/objects/f69c284232d7c7580bd89a5a4931c3581eae1378/server.jar). The current version of the game can be found on the official Minecraft website.

So, the server is loaded. Now you have to accept the license agreement (command: echo "eula=true" > eula.txt).

You can configure your server and remove user login verification (command: nano server.properties). If you get an error after this command, use the sudo apt-get install nano command and repeat the previous one. In the file, you can disable user authentication by changing the value of the "online-mode" parameter from "true" to "false" and make other changes. You can close the file by pressing Ctrl + X → Y → Enter.

Using the Screen program, start the server (command: screen -S minecraft java -Xms512M -Xmx1024M -jar server.jar nogui). The server will continue to run after closing, as it is open in Screen mode - use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + A → D.

This completes the configuration and you can enjoy the game with friends.

Minecraft server optimization

Setting up the server on which the game platform will be installed should come first. This will require skills in system administration, or you can get this service from a hosting company. Many hosts will gladly help with the configuration, and often for free.

When the Minecraft server platform is installed and running, you will have to constantly monitor your RAM usage by analyzing how much the server and plugins consume. Plugins are responsible for a large share of RAM problems. New versions fix critical development bugs. This reduces the load on memory, so do not forget about updates.

Try to use extensions with broad functionality that combine the capabilities of other software modules. Drops can be automatically removed, and anti-cheat software connected to a given Minecraft server can be discarded if they are not important to you. The load on the server will be significantly reduced.