ou through the steps of setting up your own server using the default server software that Mojang distributes free of charge. The software may be installed on most operating systems, including Windows, Mac and Linux.
For more tutorials, see the bottom of this page or the Tutorials page. For more information on Minecraft servers, see the Server page.
Notes:
Setting up a server takes some time, and some technical knowledge. Don't try to set up a server unless you have some basic computer and networking abilities. Probably, your best bet can be to look on the Internet for a guide on how to set up a server.
A Minecraft server does not need to be a high-end machine, but netbooks and notebooks don't usually make for good server machines. They typically have lower-end hardware and bad I/O performance in comparison to desktop computers.
Hosting and playing on the same machine is also possible, if your computer is powerful enough.
Having many players in a wireless network (WLAN and especially WWAN) is not recommended. Use a wired network instead, such as Ethernet.
If you decide you don't want to host, but still want to play online, check out the public server options in the Minecraft servers area of the Minecraft forum.
If you still want to manage a server, but not from home, check out the Minecraft server hosting area of the Minecraft forum or other websites. Expect to pay monthly for this type of server since finding free hosting is a rarity. But you save the hassle of constantly maintaining a server and having is on-line for your players.
Note: There is also custom server software available, which most large servers use, but these applications are not supported by Mojang.
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