Unlocking the Power of Multi-Servers: A Guide to Hosting Multiple Minecraft Servers on One IP
Sep. 4, 2022
Minecraft's vast and immersive world offers endless possibilities for creativity, collaboration, and adventure. As a server owner or administrator, you may find yourself wanting to host multiple Minecraft servers to cater to different gameplay modes or communities. However, you may wonder how it's possible to run multiple servers on a single IP address. In this article, we will guide you through the process of unlocking the power of multi-servers by hosting multiple Minecraft servers on one IP.
Understanding Port Forwarding:
To host multiple Minecraft servers on one IP, you need to understand the concept of port forwarding. Port forwarding allows incoming connections from the internet to reach specific devices or servers within your local network. Each server requires a unique port number to differentiate it from other servers running on the same IP address.
Step 1: Assigning Different Port Numbers:
Start by assigning different port numbers to each Minecraft server you want to host. The default port for Minecraft is 25565, but you can choose any available port number. For example, you might assign the first server to port 25565, the second server to port 25566, and so on.
Step 2: Configuring Port Forwarding:
Access your router's configuration settings by entering the router's IP address into your web browser. The IP address is typically provided in the router's documentation. Once you're in the router's settings, locate the "Port Forwarding" or "Virtual Server" section.
Add a new port forwarding rule for each Minecraft server you want to host. Specify the unique port number assigned to each server and the local IP address of the device running the server. This tells the router to direct incoming connections on those specific ports to the corresponding server.
Step 3: Setting Up Server Files:
Ensure that you have separate server files for each Minecraft server you want to host. Each server requires its own set of files, including the server.jar file, server properties file, and any additional plugins or mods specific to that server.
Create separate directories for each server and place the corresponding server files in their respective directories. Make sure to configure each server's properties file with the correct port number specified in the port forwarding settings.
Step 4: Start the Servers:
Launch each Minecraft server individually by running the server.jar file within each server's directory. This will start each server on the assigned port number and allow players to connect to them.
Step 5: Communicate Server Information:
Inform your players about the different servers and their corresponding port numbers. Provide them with the IP address of your router (your public IP address) and instruct them to append the port number to the end of the IP address when connecting. For example, if the IP address is 123.45.67.89 and the server is on port 25565, players should enter "123.45.67.89:25565" in their Minecraft client to connect to the first server.