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It has been suggested that this page be merged with Setting up a server. [discuss]
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Minecraft servers allow players to play online with other people. They may either be run on a dedicated server, or be temporary, and run off a home machine.

Server Setup

General recommendations

  1. Setting up a server takes some time, and some technical know-how. Don't try to set up a server unless you have some basic computer and networking knowledge.
  2. Hosting and playing on the same machine is not generally recommended, unless you have a fairly powerful computer.
  3. Hosting a server from a computer that uses a wireless card is not recommended.
  4. Laptops don't make for good server machines. They heat up quickly, and get very hot - which can damage the computer! In addition, they typically have lower end hardware in comparison to desktops and dedicated server machines.

Server requirements

  1. Refer to http://canihostaminecraftserver.com/ to see whether you should host a server, based on your internet bandwidth.
  2. The more memory your computer has, the better. It's recommended to have more than 2 GB, that way plenty is left over for the operating system, and you have the possibility of allocating more to the Minecraft server.
  3. A dual core processor, or better, is recommended for hosting. A single core processor can be used, but only if you are hosting for a very small number of players.

How to Setup a Server

Download the official server software from the Minecraft multiplayer page or custom server software.

For installing and running the server check here.
For instructions on running a server on Mac OSX check here.

Connecting to Your Local Server

Select the "Multiplayer" option in the game client (or browser client), and type in the local address (e.g. 127.0.0.1) include the port number only if you aren't using the default (25565TCP) (e.g. 127.0.0.1:1234).
If this does not work, enter "localhost" instead.

Server Information and Known Issues

See the known bugs page for known single/multiplayer issues.

The server commands page has a list of useful commands.

Types of Servers

There are numerous kinds of Minecraft servers, usually distinguished by the level used in them or how players in them are supposed to behave. Many special types of servers rely on the use of map editors.

Types of Gameplay

Standard

Standard servers usually have relatively regular maps, allowing players to build or destroy whatever they want (though griefing is often against servers' rules).

Survival Multiplayer

Also referred to as SMP. A type of Standard server, in which survival against monsters is key. Time of day is generally not tampered with unnecessarily, to provide players with a sense that they are in a singleplayer-type environment, with other players in the world.

Something to do on SMP if your bored and got lots of TnT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJzykDJjBt4

Falling Lava

A form of roleplay, falling lava servers usually use a small map with a single block of lava or a lava "timer" (a long channel through which lava flows, delaying its spread) at the top of it. Players are intended to try to construct a shelter so as to "survive" before the lava engulfs the map; the map usually reset/restored sometime afterwards. Some maps use water in the place of lava to make building after the flood easier.

Roleplay

A server, usually with a normal map, where players are encouraged to take on roles and act as them in the game. These servers often attempt to simulate settlement in some foreign land or similar, and require the gathering of resources to build structures.

Spleef

Spleef servers are usually dedicated to playing Spleef. They use a nonstandard map which contains Spleef arenas, of which are generally much more extravagant than those a standard server might have.

Grief

Though rare, a grief server usually consists of another server's map which the grief server's owner would retrieve, therefore allowing people to "grief" without getting banned.

Types of Map Design

Randomly Generated

A map design generated using either the standard in-game generator or an external generator such as Omen. While the in-game generator can only create temperate-themed maps, desert-, mountain-, hell-, snow-themed maps and others can be created with external generators.

Flat

An otherwise standard design which is not randomly generated, but is instead simply a vast grassy plain. These are usually created by various external generators.

Ocean

Ocean maps usually consist of mostly or entirely water to encourage building underwater structures; they may also be dry at first, but flooded later, after players have built on them. These gained more prominence when sponges were added.

Cave

A server which is mostly or entirely an elaborate cave or series of caves, far more spacious and dynamic than standard caves. These commonly have the top and sides blocked off with bedrock to stop light getting through.

Landscape

Landscape server with widely varying features across the map, such as caves, forests, mountains and oceans. These are commonly custom-made and used in roleplay.

Maintenance

Delete Player

If you want to delete a player from the game, you can remove the player's .dat file. Navigate to the Minecraft home directory, open the map folder, open the player's folder, and delete the PLAYERNAME.dat file. This will cause the player to start over at the spawn point with no inventory. The player's changes to the world will be unchanged along with any inventory stored in chests.

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