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This is your complete guide to creating and managing every type of Minecraft server on our platform. From your first launch to setting up a complex network, we've got you covered.

Your First Server Launch: Accepting the EULA

Welcome to your new Minecraft server! Before you can play, there is one very important first step you must complete: accepting Minecraft's End User License Agreement (EULA). Your server will not start correctly until you do this.

Start the Server for the First Time

Go to the "Console" page in the control panel and click the green "Start" button. Watch the console output. You will see the server try to start and then stop almost immediately. You might see an error message telling you to agree to the EULA.

Find and Edit `eula.txt`

Now, go to the "Files" tab. You will see several new files that the server just created. Find the file named eula.txt and click on it to open the editor.

Change `eula=false` to `eula=true`

Inside this file, you will see a line that says eula=false. You must change the word false to true. Make sure not to add any extra spaces or characters. The line should look exactly like this:

eula=true

Click the "Save Content" button.

Start the Server Again

Go back to the "Console" page and click "Start" again. This time, the server will continue to boot up properly. Congratulations, you're ready to play!

Choosing a Server Type

When you create a Minecraft server, you'll be asked to select a "Server Type". Choosing the right one is crucial for what you want to do. Here are the main options we provide:

PaperMC (Recommended for most users)

PaperMC is a high-performance version of Minecraft that is designed for speed and stability. It's compatible with thousands of plugins, offering massive customization options while fixing many gameplay and performance issues.

  • Best for: Almost all server types, from small survival servers to large minigame networks.
  • Supports: Plugins (like EssentialsX, LuckPerms, WorldEdit).

Forge / Fabric (For Mods)

Forge and Fabric are mod loaders. They allow you to run servers with modifications (mods) that can drastically change the game, adding new blocks, items, creatures, and gameplay mechanics.

  • Best for: Playing with friends on a custom modpack.
  • Supports: Mods (like JourneyMap, JEI, or large packs like AllTheMods).
  • Important: To join a modded server, every player must have the exact same mods installed on their own computer.

Velocity (Advanced)

Velocity is a server proxy. It is not a server you can play on directly. Instead, it acts as a gateway that links multiple other Minecraft servers together, allowing players to move between them seamlessly.

  • Best for: Advanced users creating a network of connected servers (e.g., a hub, survival, and creative server).
  • Requires: At least two other Minecraft servers to link together.

Uploading a Custom World

Want to continue playing a world from your single-player game or a map you downloaded? This guide will show you how to upload it to your server.

Find and Zip Your World Folder

First, you need to find the world save folder on your computer. For the default Minecraft launcher, press Windows Key + R, type %appdata%\.minecraft\saves, and press Enter. You will see a list of folders, each one representing one of your single-player worlds.

Right-click on the folder of the world you want to upload and choose "Compress to ZIP file" (or on Windows 11, "Send to" > "Compressed (zipped) folder"). This will create a .zip file of your world.

Upload via SFTP

Your world file is too large for the web uploader, so you must use SFTP. Follow our SFTP guide in the Control Panel documentation to connect to your server. Drag the world's .zip file from your computer into the main directory of your server.

Unzip the World

Go back to the panel's File Manager. Find the .zip file you just uploaded, click the three dots next to it, and select "Unarchive". This will extract your world folder onto the server.

Set the World in `server.properties`

The final step is to tell the server to load your new world instead of the default one. Find and open the server.properties file.

Look for the line that says level-name=world. Change world to the exact name of the folder you just unzipped. For example, if your folder is named MyEpicWorld, the line should be:

level-name=MyEpicWorld

Save the file and restart your server. It will now load your custom world!

A Beginner's Guide to Migrating From Another Host

Welcome! If you're coming from another host like Aternos, you can easily bring your world and plugins with you. This process might seem complicated, but if you follow these steps carefully, you'll be playing on your old world in no time!

Download a Backup From Your Old Host

A "backup" is just a complete copy of all your server's files packed into a single, neat file. On most hosts, you can find this in a "Backups" or "Worlds" section.

Your goal is to download this backup to your computer. It will almost always be a .zip file. Think of a .zip file like a suitcase that holds all your server's folders (like your world, plugins, and configs) in one convenient package.

Prepare Your New Server Here

Create a new PaperMC server on our dashboard. Once it's finished installing, start it up once and then stop it. This is a very important step because it makes the server create all the empty folders (like plugins) that you'll need to put your old files into.

Upload Your Backup with SFTP

Because your world file is probably very large, you can't use the regular web uploader. You must use a special tool called an SFTP client. Think of it like a special file explorer that lets you drag files from your computer directly onto your server.

  1. Download an SFTP program: We highly recommend FileZilla. It's free and easy to use.
  2. Find your SFTP details: Follow our Control Panel Guide to find your Server Address, Username, and Port in the panel's "Settings" tab. Your password is your main panel password.
  3. Connect in FileZilla: Open FileZilla and enter your details into the boxes at the top of the screen, then click "Quickconnect".
  4. Transfer the files: You will now see your computer's files on the left and your server's files on the right. First, on the right side (your server), delete the default folders like world, world_nether, and world_the_end. Then, find your backup .zip file on the left side (your computer) and drag it over to the right side. Wait for the transfer to complete.

Unpack Your Backup

Now that your "suitcase" (the .zip file) is on the server, you need to unpack it. Go back to our web-based File Manager in the control panel. You will see the .zip file you just uploaded. Click the three dots next to it and choose "Unarchive" or "Unzip". This will unpack all your old files and folders into your new server.

Final Checks

Start your server! Watch the console for any errors. The most common problem is that your plugins are outdated. If a plugin was for Minecraft 1.18 and your new server is 1.20, it will likely cause an error. You may need to go to the plugin's download page and install the latest version.

Installing Plugins (PaperMC)

What is a Plugin?

A plugin is a file you add to your server to add new features, commands, or rules. The best part is that they are server-side only. This means you can install them, and your friends can join and enjoy the new features without having to install anything on their own computers.

Recommended Starter Plugins

For any new server, we recommend starting with these three essential plugins:

  • EssentialsX: Adds over 100 essential commands like /sethome, /tpa, /spawn, and basic economy features.
  • LuckPerms: A powerful permissions plugin that lets you control exactly what commands and features different groups of players (e.g., Members, Admins) can use.
  • ViaVersion: An incredibly useful plugin that allows players on newer versions of Minecraft to connect to your older-version server.

How to Install a Plugin (Step-by-Step)

  1. Download the Plugin: Find a plugin you want from a trusted source like SpigotMC or Modrinth. You will download a single file ending in .jar.
  2. Open the `plugins` folder: In the control panel's File Manager, look for a folder named plugins. If you don't see it, start and stop your server once to generate it. Click on it to enter the folder.
  3. Upload the `.jar` file: Drag the .jar file you downloaded from your computer and drop it into the upload box in the plugins folder.
  4. Restart Your Server: A full restart is required for the server to load the new plugin. You can restart from the "Console" page.
  5. Configure the Plugin: After restarting, go back into the plugins folder. You'll see a new folder with the plugin's name. Inside this folder are its settings files, usually a text file named config.yml that you can edit.
Security Warning: Download Safely!

Only download plugins from reputable sources like SpigotMC, Modrinth, or the developer's official GitHub page. Downloading plugins from unofficial websites can expose your server to malware and security risks.

Installing Mods (Forge/Fabric)

What is a Mod (and why is it different)?

Mods are different from plugins because they add new content to the game itself, like new blocks, items, or creatures. Think of it this way: a plugin can change the rules (like setting a home), but a mod adds new physical things to the game world. Because these are new things, Minecraft doesn't know what they are by default. This is why every single player must also install the mod on their own computer to see and interact with the new content.

Client & Server Must Match!

If you add a mod to the server, anyone who tries to join without that exact same mod installed on their own Minecraft game will be unable to connect.

How to Install Mods (for Server and Players)

  1. Download the Mod: Find a mod on a safe site like CurseForge. Download the .jar file, making sure it's for the correct Minecraft version and mod loader (Forge/Fabric).
  2. Install on the Server: In the panel's File Manager, find the mods folder. (If it's not there, start and stop the server once). Upload the mod's .jar file into this folder.
  3. Install on Your Computer: You and your friends must also install the mod. First, make sure you have Forge or Fabric installed on your own Minecraft launcher. Then, on your keyboard, press Windows Key + R, type %appdata%\.minecraft, and press Enter. Find the mods folder inside and place a copy of the mod's .jar file in there.
  4. Restart Your Server: Restart the server to load the new mod. Now you and your friends can connect!

Installing a Full Modpack Manually

To install a large modpack, you must download the "Server Pack" from its CurseForge page. This is usually a .zip file. Unzip it on your computer, then use an SFTP client like FileZilla to upload all the contents (the mods folder, config folder, etc.) to your server, overwriting the default files.

Performance Warning

Modpacks, especially large ones, are extremely demanding on RAM and CPU. They may not run smoothly on our free tier plans. If you experience lag or crashes with a large modpack, you may need to upgrade to a paid plan with more resources.

Server Configuration & Optimization

Once your server is running, you can fine-tune its performance and gameplay by editing its configuration files. Always stop your server before editing these files and start it again after you save your changes.

Basic Settings (`server.properties`)

This is the main config file for any Minecraft server. It controls the most important gameplay rules. Below are some of the most critical settings for performance and server management.

view-distance

This controls how many chunks are loaded around each player. This is the most impactful setting for server performance. A lower value dramatically reduces CPU usage.

# Recommended for free plans: 4-6, Default: 10
view-distance=6

simulation-distance

This controls how far away from a player the server will process entities and game events (like crops growing). Lowering this reduces CPU load without affecting what players can see.

# Recommended: 5, Default: 10
simulation-distance=5

online-mode

This setting determines if your server checks with Mojang's servers to see if a player owns a legitimate copy of Minecraft. If you set this to false, players with cracked launchers can join.

Security Risk: Setting online-mode=false is a major security risk. It allows anyone to log in with any username, including an admin's. Only do this if you have a separate authentication plugin (like AuthMe) installed. 
# Recommended: true, Default: true
online-mode=true

Advanced Performance (`paper-global.yml`)

Because you are using PaperMC, you have access to much more powerful optimization settings. After the first run, your server will create a config folder. Inside this folder, you will find paper-global.yml. This is where you can make changes that significantly reduce lag.

Finding the file:

In the File Manager, navigate to /config/paper-global.yml

Older Paper Versions: On older versions of PaperMC (before 1.19), these settings might be split across files named paper.yml, spigot.yml, and bukkit.yml in the main directory. The setting names are very similar.

Key Settings to Change:

Below are some of the most effective settings in paper-global.yml to improve performance.

Per-Player Mob Spawns: This stops the server from trying to spawn mobs in every loaded chunk, instead focusing only on chunks near players. This is a massive performance saver.

# In paper-global.yml, find these lines and set them to true
per-player-mob-spawns: true

Entity Activation Range: This setting makes mobs and entities that are far away from players "go to sleep". They stop using CPU resources until a player gets closer. This is extremely effective at reducing lag caused by having lots of animals or mob farms.

# These are good starting values. You can lower them more if needed.
entity-activation-range:
  animals: 16
  monsters: 24
  raiders: 48
  misc: 8

Merge Radius: This makes it so that item drops and XP orbs on the ground will merge together into a single stack if they are close to each other. This is great for reducing lag from large farms.

# A good value for items is 4.0, and 6.0 for experience orbs.
merge-radius:
  item: 4.0
  exp: 6.0

Bedrock Edition & GeyserMC Cross-Play

This section will guide you on how to allow players from consoles (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch), mobile phones, and the Windows Store version of Minecraft to join your server.

What is Bedrock vs Java?

There are two main versions of Minecraft. Java Edition is the original version for PC, Mac, and Linux, known for its strong modding and plugin community. Bedrock Edition is the version played on almost every other device. They are fundamentally different games and cannot connect to each other normally.

What is GeyserMC?

The simplest way to think of GeyserMC is as a translator. It's a special plugin you install on your Java server (like PaperMC) that translates the game information in real-time. This translation allows Bedrock players to connect and play alongside Java players on the same server.

There are two main ways to support Bedrock players: run a server built only for them, or run a Java server with GeyserMC for cross-play.

Option 1: Running a Dedicated Bedrock Server

This option is best if you only want Bedrock players on your server and have no intention of allowing Java players. We offer several types of dedicated Bedrock server software:

  • Vanilla Bedrock: The official server software from Mojang. It's stable and provides the authentic vanilla experience, but it does not support plugins.
  • PocketMine-MP (PMMP): A popular, community-made server software for Bedrock that has a large library of its own plugins, allowing for extensive customization. It's highly optimized but may not always be perfectly up-to-date with the very latest vanilla features.
  • Nukkit: Another excellent community-made option similar to PocketMine-MP, which also supports its own set of plugins for adding new features to a Bedrock server.

Option 2: Setting up GeyserMC for Cross-Play (Recommended)

This is the most popular and versatile method, allowing you to create one server that both Java and Bedrock players can join and play on together. It requires a bit more setup, but this guide will walk you through it step-by-step.

Core Requirements: You must start with a running Java Edition server, preferably PaperMC. GeyserMC is a plugin that gets installed on this Java server.

Get an Extra Port for Geyser

Bedrock Edition uses a different network port than Java Edition. Your server is only given one port by default (for Java). To allow Bedrock players to connect, you must get a second port, called an "Allocation".

You need an additional Server Allocation for Geyser to work. You can get one from the Store on the main dashboard using coins. Please refer to our Dashboard Features guide to learn how to earn coins and purchase items from the store.

Download Geyser and Floodgate

You need two plugins. Geyser is the translator, and Floodgate is what allows Bedrock players to join without needing to own a Java Edition account.

  1. Download the latest Geyser-Spigot.jar from the official GeyserMC website.
  2. Download the latest floodgate-spigot.jar from the same website.

Once downloaded, upload both .jar files into your Java server's /plugins folder and restart the server once to generate their config files.

Configure the Geyser Port

This is the most important step. You need to tell Geyser which of your server's ports it should use for Bedrock players.

  1. Find your new port: In the control panel, go to the "Network" tab. You will see a list of all IP addresses and ports assigned to your server. Your main Java port will be marked as "Primary". The extra one you acquired is for Geyser. Copy the 4- or 5-digit number of this **secondary port**.
  2. Edit the Geyser config: Go to the File Manager and open /plugins/Geyser-Spigot/config.yml.
  3. Change the port number: Near the top of the file, find the bedrock: section. Change the default port number to the new port you just copied from the Network tab.
    4. # The IP address should be 0.0.0.0
address: 0.0.0.0
# Change this to the new port you created!
port: 19132
  4. Verify the auth-type: A little further down, make sure the auth-type is set to floodgate.
    5. # This should be set to floodgate
auth-type: floodgate
  5. Save the file and restart your server one last time.

How Players Should Connect

Your setup is complete! Here is how your players can join:

  • Java Players: Connect using your server's original IP and primary port (e.g., node.kingsnetwork.uk:25565).
  • Bedrock Players: Connect using your server's IP, but with the new Geyser port you just configured (e.g., node.kingsnetwork.uk with port 19132).

Common Geyser Issues & FAQ

Running into problems? Here are some of the most common issues users face when setting up GeyserMC.

"My Bedrock friend can't connect!"

This is almost always a port configuration issue. Double-check these things:

  • Did you get an extra server allocation (port) for Geyser?
  • Did you copy the correct port number from the "Network" tab?
  • Did you paste that port number into the `port:` section of Geyser's `config.yml`?
  • Did you restart the server after saving the config file?

"Bedrock player usernames look weird (they start with a `*` or `.`)"

This is normal! Because Bedrock players don't have Java accounts, the Floodgate plugin creates a temporary, unique username for them. By default, it adds a prefix to their name so you can tell them apart. You can change this prefix in the Floodgate config file at /plugins/floodgate/config.yml.

"My anti-cheat plugin is kicking Bedrock players."

Bedrock players move and interact with the world slightly differently than Java players. Some anti-cheat plugins designed for Java can mistake these differences for cheating (especially with movement). You may need to check your anti-cheat's configuration file for a "Geyser" or "Bedrock" compatibility option, or contact the anti-cheat's developer for support.

Proxies & Networks: Connecting Your Servers

As your community grows, you might want to have more than one server. For example, a main "Hub" server, a "Survival" server, and a "Creative" server. A proxy is the tool that lets you link them all together.

What is a Proxy (like Velocity)?

A proxy server is like a smart gatekeeper. Players connect to the proxy's single address, and the proxy directs them to the correct backend server. It allows players to switch between your servers with a simple command (like /server survival) without ever having to disconnect and re-enter a new IP address.

Important: A proxy is NOT a playable server itself. It has no world and you cannot build in it. Its only job is to route players to your other servers.

Configuring a Velocity Proxy

This guide will walk you through setting up Velocity, a modern and high-performance proxy.

Prepare Your Servers

Before you even create the proxy, you need at least two "backend" servers ready. These are the regular PaperMC servers that players will actually play on (e.g., your hub and survival servers). Once they are set up, stop them both for now.

Deploy a New "Velocity" Server

Go to the dashboard and create a new server. In the "Server Type" selection, choose Velocity. Once it's deployed, go to its control panel.

Configure `velocity.toml`

In the Velocity server's File Manager, you will find a file named velocity.toml. This is the main configuration file. Open it and make these key changes:

Add Your Backend Servers

Find the [servers] section. You need to list your backend servers here. The name (like `hub` or `survival`) can be anything you want. The address must be 127.0.0.1:PORT, using the specific port of each backend server.

[servers]
# The server players will join first. You can list more than one here.
try = [ "hub" ]

# Your list of servers.
hub = "127.0.0.1:25566"
survival = "127.0.0.1:25567"
creative = "127.0.0.1:25568"

Configure Player Forwarding

This is a crucial security step. It ensures that players' unique information (like their UUID and skin) is passed correctly to the backend servers. Find the [advanced] section and change the forwarding mode to "modern".

# In the [advanced] section
player-info-forwarding-mode = "modern"

After you save this file, start and stop the Velocity server once. This will generate a secret key file you'll need in the next step.

Linking Your Backend Servers to Velocity

Now you need to configure your PaperMC servers to accept connections from your Velocity proxy. You must do this for every single backend server.

Copy the Forwarding Secret

Go back to your Velocity server's File Manager. You will now see a file named forwarding.secret. Open it and copy the long, random string of characters inside.

Configure PaperMC

Now go to the control panel for one of your backend PaperMC servers (e.g., your hub server). Open its File Manager and find the config folder.

Inside, open the paper-global.yml file. Find the proxies section and enable Velocity forwarding. Paste the secret key you copied from Velocity.

proxies:
  velocity:
    enabled: true
    online-mode: true
    secret: "PASTE_YOUR_SECRET_KEY_HERE"

Save the file. Now, repeat this exact step for all your other backend servers (survival, creative, etc.).

Start Everything Up!

You're ready to launch! Start all of your backend servers first. Once they are fully online, start your Velocity proxy server.

Players should now connect using the Velocity server's IP and port only. They will be sent to the "hub" server, and can switch to other servers using the /server <name> command.