Have you watched Hermitcraft, Empires SMP, or Dream SMP on YouTube? The players seem to be having a lot of fun exploring and improving their Minecraft worlds together. The best way to have the same experience is by creating your own private server. But how? This article will help you. Continue reading to know what tools you need and how to set up a private Minecraft server for your friends and family.
Why Play in a Private Minecraft Server
Minecraft is one of the most popular video games of all time, and it is easy to see why. It’s a game that has almost no restrictions. You have absolute freedom to decide what you want to do. You can create huge farms, modern cities, or futuristic bases — your imagination is the limit! The world is your oyster. Minecraft also has education modes and is a great learning tool for children.
The game is best experienced with friends and family. Solo gameplay is great, but playing with other people in the same world makes it feel livelier.
However, you may encounter “griefers” on public servers. They will destroy your builds and steal your supply while you’re gone. It can ruin the game for you. That said, it is best to play with friends and family on private servers. It will give you peace of mind, knowing no player would destroy your builds when you are not playing. More importantly, it creates fun times with those who are closest to you.
So, how to set up a private Minecraft server? Follow these steps to do so.
Option 1. Check Minecraft Hosting Services
You can make a Minecraft server on your Mac or Windows PC. However, please note that you need a powerful Mac or PC to do that. If you don’t have one, you will experience performance issues. That is especially true if you are also playing on the same computer.
The good news is that you can use Minecraft hosting services instead. It lets you play the game with family and friends without straining your Mac or Macbook. Also, they offer convenience by streamlining the setup process. You may not need to download any additional files except for the game itself. Likewise, they make adding mods a lot easier.
That is not all. Hosting a private server on your Mac or Macbook means you are exposing your home network. That is not good for cybersecurity. So, it is better to use hosting services, which come with cybersecurity features. For example, some offer DDOS protection.
As for your options, there are many great ones. Hostinger provides an easy setup. Just launch the game and you are set. Meanwhile, Liquid Web has some tutorials. Some may offer great features but may not be very secure. That said, we recommend this list of the best Minecraft server hosting services created by the cybersecurity experts from Cybernews. They graded these based on convenience, features, and security.
Option 2. Setting Up a Minecraft Server on Your Mac
Suppose you have a powerful Mac. On top of that, you only want to play with your family or a few other friends. Then, making a Minecraft server on your Mac is okay. It lets you save by not having to pay for a hosting service every month.
If that is what you want to do, here are the steps to follow.
1. Install Java
The first thing to check is if your Mac already has Java installed. If your device runs on a newer version of MacOS, it likely has it. They include Java by default. On the other hand, older versions of MacOS do not have it. So, if your device is on OS X or older versions, go to the Apple website and download the legacy version of Java.
2. Create a Folder for Your Minecraft Server Files.
You need to put the server files in one folder. It makes things orderly and ensures everything functions properly. That said, create a new folder dedicated to storing the server files.
3. Download the Minecraft Server Tool.
Go to the Minecraft website and download the Minecraft server software. Save it to the folder you created for the server files.
4. Create the Minecraft Server Script
Next, you need to create a script that automatically launches a Minecraft server. Save it in your folder for server files, where the software (.jar file) is located.
To create the script:
Open TextEdit and set the format to plain text. Type these:
#!/bin/bash
cd “$(dirname “$0″)”
exec java -Xms1G -Xmx1G -jar nogui
(The server file name)
Save the file as “start.command”.
5. Make the Script Executable
Open the Terminal to make the script executable by giving it permissions.
Type “chmod a+x “. Ensure there is a space after the command. Then, drag and drop the script file into the terminal window to import it. Press Enter.
4. Enable Port Forwarding
Suppose all players reside in your home, and you are all on the same network. You do not need to do this. On the other hand, if you want to play with friends on a different network, you need to enable port forwarding on your router.
You will need to forward TCP port 25565 to make a Minecraft server. Additionally, you will need to enter the local IP address of the server as the Output IP or Server IP for the forwarded port.
Please note that this is a security risk and this is why opting for hosting services is more recommended.
The steps for enabling port forwarding are different for each device. So, check your router’s documentation to learn how to do it.
5. Start Your Private Minecraft Server.
Finally, it is time to start your Minecraft server. Here are the steps to do so:
- Double-click the “start.command” file that you created to execute it. This will open a terminal window. If you see an error message the first time you run the server, do not worry. That is normal.
- Invite family members and friends to connect to your server. For people on your home network, they need to use your IP address. For people on different networks, they need to use your external/public IP address.
That is it! You successfully created a private Minecraft server on your Mac. Have fun playing with your friends and family!
