How To Set Up A Minecraft Server Using A VPS In 8 Steps

Minecraft is a popular video game with over 140 million players around the world. However, some things are more fun with friends, and a big part of Minecraft's success lies in public and private gaming servers.

As a hosting provider, it's possible to turn the community's love for multiplayer mode into a business opportunity. By setting up your own Minecraft server, you can create a more engaging, varied, and unique block-based world - and then monetize your creation.

This post will discuss how to make money with Minecraft via a Virtual Private Server (VPS). Next, we will share a step-by–step guide for installing, configuring, launching, and launching a gaming server. Let's get started!

An Introduction to Minecraft

Minecraft is widely regarded as one the most successful video games, having sold millions worldwide. Mojang, a Stockholm-based software developer, originally created the game. In 2014, Microsoft purchased both the Minecraft intellectual property and Mojang for $2.5 billion:

This sandbox game has a simple concept. When players log into Minecraft, they can explore a 3D world, extract raw materials, craft tools and items, and build structures:

There are several modes, including a creative one where players have unlimited resources. You can also modify the gameplay, items, or assets.

Minecraft has received a variety of awards, including the Best Debut Game and Best Downloadable Game at the Game Developers Choice Awards, as well as Innovation titles. It is also part of World Video Game Hall of Fame.

This cultural phenomenon isn’t only popular among gamers. Minecraft is used frequently in educational settings, which is unusual for a mainstream videogame. For example, one teacher recreated various historical landmarks for their students to explore.

Minecraft has taught young players how codes and how build virtual and physical devices. Minecraft: Education Edition has been created to help educators. This edition is dedicated to promoting the use of Minecraft within schools, and has some extra features that can help teachers monitor their students' progress within the game.

Why Create Your Own Minecraft Server

While you can explore Minecraft's block-based world alone, multiplayer mode is very popular. You can create bigger and more amazing things by logging in to a shared Minecraft server.

Public servers can be a breeding ground for harassment and bullying. This is especially concerning because Minecraft has a young fan base.

Fortunately, it's possible to create your own Minecraft server. This allows you to have complete control over your Minecraft server, including setting your own rules as well as deciding who can access it.

There's also the opportunity to monetize your Minecraft server by charging for access. To start, you might create a server that caters to the needs of a particular community. For example, by strictly moderating your server, you can appeal to parents who are concerned about their children enjoying their favorite game in a secure environment.

Alternativly, you might be more focused on creating a unique Minecraft experience. Players may be willing to pay more to play the unique world you have created if it is filled with mini-games, expansions and beautiful structures.

You may even allow people to join your server free of charge, while still generating revenue through other avenues. Minecraft's Commercial Usage Guidelines prohibit the sale of in-game benefits. There are many addons that do not affect the gameplay. This includes cosmetics that are in-game, such as a change in the color of the player's name or an effect that appears around their character.

As your server grows in popularity, you may also be eligible for sponsorships and online ads. Affiliate links could also be a possibility. All of this can turn your Minecraft server into a lucrative revenue stream.

Virtual Private Servers (VPS), Reasons You May Want to Use

When it comes to creating a Minecraft server, you'll need enough firepower to ensure smooth and responsive gameplay. In terms of horsepower, it's difficult to beat a dedicated server. These are the most expensive hosting plans. gaming

Virtual Private Servers (VPS), are the solution. With a VPS, your provider can host multiple customers on the same server. This helps minimize their running costs, which means they can offer VPS hosting at a more affordable price.

Similar to a baremet server, a VPS gives you access to a portion of the server’s physical resources and functionality. This puts you in a strong place to deliver fast rendering and lag-free gaming. A VPS could be the best option if you want to impress your community without spending a fortune.

There is a chance that your requirements might change as you create a server. You might attract many players, install additional mod packs, or add new areas and blocks to your block based world.

It becomes more important to have access to the server's resources as your game demands increase. But, shared plans can lead to bad neighbors who take advantage of your server's resources.

Even worse, your neighbors might experience an increase in traffic. While this is great for them, it means less resources for you. A shared server and growing demands can spell disaster. If the gameplay starts to suffer, your players may go elsewhere.

VPS hosting gives you the freedom to work independently from other users. This allows you to have more control over how your server is configured. By optimizing your VPS specifically for Minecraft, you should have no problems delivering a fast, responsive gaming experience and growing your community.

How to Set Up a Minecraft Server Using a VPS (In 8 Steps)

Minecraft may have launched way back in 2011, but this popular game shows no signs of slowing down. In 2020 alone, it generated over $142 million.

Let's see how you can turn the biggest video game of all time into your next business opportunity. Here's how to set up your own Minecraft server, in eight easy steps.

1. Choose a VPS Package

We recommend that Minecraft servers have 1.5GB RAM and at least 15GB hard drive storage. A2 Hosting provides more than enough power to run successful Minecraft VPS servers with all managed VPS plans. Runway 2 and higher are available if you prefer an unmanaged VPS plan.

It's also smart to consider how your needs may change over time. If you install add-ons, plugins, and texture packs, this will all increase your requirements. If your game is popular, you might need to upgrade or risk making your players suffer slow gameplay.

In almost all instances, A2 Hosting offers free migration for existing customers who are upgrading their accounts to a higher level service. This means that you can be confident about providing a high level of performance and reliability, regardless of how big your Minecraft world grows.

Root access is required to install Minecraft and any associated software. The good news is that all of our managed and unmanaged VPS plans come with optional root access. This allows you to choose the plan that provides the best value for your money and gives Minecraft users the best experience.

2. Secure Shell Protocol Connect (SSH)

The next step is connecting to your VPS over Secure Shell Protocol (SSH). This protocol allows you to communicate with your server via an unsecured network. Once you've made this link, you can configure your server to run Minecraft.

You will need your IP Address, SSH Port and root password to get started. Logging into your client area allows you to access all of the information for A2 Hosting customers. Select Services > My services from the toolbar

Find the account that you want to connect to, and click on the accompanying Manage button. Select the Additional Information tab from the screen that follows.

This screen provides all the information that you need to connect via SSH. To enter this information, you will need to open a terminal from your local computer. The following command can be typed. Make sure you replace port-number with ip-address.

You'll find the port number in your A2 Hosting dashboard, listed as FTP/SFTP Port. You'll also find your IP address here. The completed terminal command should look like this:

To run this command press the Enter key on you keyboard. The terminal will ask for your password if you have entered the correct port numbers and IP addresses.

This information is located in the A2 Hosting client area listed under Root Password (SSH/WHM). After typing your password, press the Enter key again. You should now be connected to your VPS as [[email protected]:/root]$.

3. Install the Open Java Development Kit

Open Java Development Kit (OpenJDK), which is required to run Minecraft on Java, must be installed on your VPS. This is a free, open-source implementation of Java Platform Standard Edition (Java SE).

We're going to install OpenDK using the YUM package management tool. This popular tool handles dependency resolution when updating, installing, and deleting software package.

To install OpenJDK simply enter the following command into your terminal

Then, press the Enter key. YUM will now check for the required software package and any dependencies in order to run OpenJDK.

After a few moments, the terminal should display some information about the download, including its estimated size:

If you're happy for it to proceed, then press Y. SSH will now download and install the OpenJDK on your VPS.

4. Install Minecraft

It is smart to create a directory to store all your Minecraft content. This will help you keep your server organized. This command can be used to create a directory for all your Minecraft content:

You can navigate to the folder by using the change directory command (cd).

Now that we are inside the Minecraft directory it is time for us to install the Minecraft software. At the time of writing, the latest version of Minecraft Server was 1.17.1. For the most current update, you can always go to Minecraft's official website. On that page, find the download Minecraft server link:

Control-click on this link. Next, select Copy Link address from the context menu.

To download Minecraft Server jars, we'll use the command wget. The final command should look something like the following:

After a few minutes, you will see a "server.jar" saved message. Congratulations, you've just installed Minecraft on your VPS!

5. Accept the End User License Agreement (EULA).

The next step is configuring the Minecraft jar file. You might want to rename the file to help you keep track. For example, you might rename server.jar to reflect the version of Minecraft you just downloaded.

In the following example, we're renaming server.jar to minecraft_server.1.17.1.jar:

Before starting your Minecraft server, you'll need to agree to the End-User License Agreement (EULA). This is a legal agreement between you and Mojang, which sets out some guidelines for how you can use the Minecraft software.

Enter the following command into your terminal:

You may need modify the above command in order to reflect your renamed Jar file.

The terminal will ask you to accept the Minecraft EULA. The following command will verify that the EULA file has been included in the downloaded file.

The terminal will now list all the contents of your /minecraft folder, which should include the EULA. You can edit this file using the Nano editor if you have it.

Now, read the EULA. If you accept the terms and condition, change eula=false or eula=true

The EULA file will be saved. Now that you have accepted Minecraft's terms, you can configure your server.

6. Configure Your Server

The server.properties file specifies all the gaming settings and variables. You can modify this file to customize your Minecraft experience.

This includes cosmetic changes such as a unique welcome message or fundamental changes to the gameplay mechanics. For example, you can change the world size and the number of players permitted.

To start configuring your Minecraft server, type the following:

Next, hit Enter. The terminal will now display the current configuration for your Minecraft server:

You can edit any settings by entering Insert mode by pressing and holding the I key. You can then use your arrow keys to move between the different settings.

Let's take a quick look at an example. The default difficulty setting is Easy. This means that enemies spawn, but inflict less harm than those in Hard or Normal modes. It is also impossible for enemies to poison players or to destroy doors.

You can use the arrow keys to challenge your players. These settings can then be edited.

For example, you could change it to difficulty=normal oder difficulty=hard.

You can exit Insert mode when you are satisfied with your changes by pressing the Escape key on your keyboard. Then, type in the following:

Press Enter to return the main terminal window.

7. Install Screen

You're almost ready to launch your Minecraft server. However, currently if you disconnect from the session, it will also stop the game. This can lead to alienation among your players. You will need to address this issue before you allow your server to go live.

Screen will ensure that your session remains active. With this popular utility in your corner, processes will continue to run even when their window is not visible or if you get disconnected.

Screen also enables you to initiate a command from one terminal, disconnect from that terminal, and then reconnect from a different location. You can install Screen using the following commands:

Now, you can start the Minecraft server by executing your jar file. In the terminal, enter the following:

The system will now execute your Minecraft jar file. After a few seconds, you will see a message confirming the process is complete. Your Minecraft server is now up and running.

8. Configure your Firewall

You can now disconnect from the Minecraft screen by pressing CTRL + A + D. To reattach to the session again, press CTRL + R.

You will need to allow incoming connections if you want to monetize your VPS. Minecraft uses port 2565 by default. You will need to configure port forwarding for port 25655.

Now, people can connect to your server from the Minecraft launch screen. They will need to choose Multiplayer from this screen.

They can then select Add Server, and enter the IP or web address of your server. Finally, they'll just need to choose Join Server, and they should successfully connect to your Minecraft VPS!

Multiplayer mode is hugely popular in Minecraft. However, it's expensive to maintain a successful gaming server. A Virtual Private Server (VPS) can help you minimize your running expenses and maximize your profits.

It's essential to offer a smooth, lag free gaming experience in order to impress your customers. A VPS can be your secret weapon. Similar to a dedicated server, with a VPS you're allocated a portion of the server's physical resources. You don't need to spend a lot on a costly plan.

A2 Hosting has carefully crafted VPS plans that combine the cost-savings and performance of shared hosting with the power of a dedicated server. Choose one of our VPS plans to make your Minecraft venture a success. It will also appeal to the massive (and growing!) gaming community.