So you want to play minecraft with your friends and get away from the riff-raff you can encounter on the public servers? Well the good news is starting your own private minecraft server is easy and doesn't require a lot of hardware.
Before you jump in and sign up for just any server, there a few things to consider.
VPS or Deidcated?
If you only have a a couple of friends to play with you can host minecraft in your closet or on your home computer, however it may lag from time to time. A VPS (virtual private server) is a low cost option for smaller games. If you have more than a few friends that will be playing at once, a dedicated server is the option for you. Dedicated servers are more costly but will reduce server lag and allow for larger games.
OS and Software Requirements
You can set up minecraft on Windows servers, or Linux. The important factor is java 6. You'll need a java enabled server. You can even set up a minecraft server on Mac OSX however configuration is a little more tricky. IF this is your first server consider going with a minecraft hosting provider like GGServers. This will save you the headache of installing and setting up the game on a non-minecraft specific host
Running your own server can be cheap and easy. You don't have to worry about strangers coming in and messing with your games. You can keep games private so you can play with your friends only. Happy building!
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