Minecraft is a very popular game and most of the people want to enjoy playing it. This article will help you in hosting a free Minecraft server.
Minecraft is undoubtedly an addictive, fast paced, action game in which the players would have to perform many day-to-day tasks to gain advantage over other characters that in the form of attackers and dangerous creatures.
This games highly engaging when played in a multiplayer mode in which a player has to harness his/her skills to take an advantage over other players. The plot thickens with many players joining and forming alliances/teams and carry out the tasks with perfect coordination.
How to play Minecraft multiplayer game
Multiplayer mode of Minecraft can be played in two methods i.e.
- Playing on an online server that hosts Minecraft.
- Providing access to a home computer that has Minecraft to others through home or LAN.
Many gamers prefer the first option as playing on an online server is not only easy but also free.
Can I setup a Minecraft server
Yes.
Any player can setup a Minecraft multiplayer server and invite others to join the server. When you setup a server you would have the preferences to set a new world and control many admin functions. It would an immense responsibility to be a server admin but it allows you learn more about the game to become a pro.
How many types of Minecraft servers available
Minecraft can be run on the following server types:
- Minecraft hosting server
- Dedicated server
- VPS (Virtual Private Server)
- Home PC
Are there free servers to play Minecraft
Yes. There are many hosting service providers like FreeMinecraftHost.com who offer free Minecraft hosting. You have to sign-up with these services to start your own game server.
How to setup a server
Server setup needs technical skills but with free hosting services most of the actions can be done with the help of the wizard. A sample server setup guide is given here for you to get an idea about the Minecraft server setup. The setup may vary in accordance with the type of server and the operating system. Keep this in mind before attempting to follow the steps.
Step 1 – Basic Server Setup
Irrespective of the operating system platform you should have active Java working on the server. Else you would not be able to setup the server. Hence ensure that the Java is activated on the server.
Download .jar file in the appropriate location and run the command prompt and type the relevant commands that launch the server. This operation would generate the config files that are necessary to create a base game world for your players.
Step 2 – Server Configuration
After the basic setup, you need to configure the server so that the right files are in their respective places and the players would not find the difficulty in accessing the game.
Ensure that the following server files are installed properly:
- World Directory with maps called ‘world’
- The main server file called server.properties which is critical for configuration.
- The logs file called ‘server.log’
- Admin or operators names list called ‘ops.txt’
- List of allowed players called ‘.txt’
- Banner players list called ‘banned-player.txt’
- Banner IP list called ‘banner-ip.txt’
Step 3 – Enabling Dynamic IP Setting & External Access
Choose a free dynamic DNS server with a catchy name and spread the word about the name so that other players can gain access to it.
That’s it. Your Minecraft free server is ready to run.