Unveiling Your Minecraft Server's IP Address: A Step-by-Step Guide
06/09/2023
Minecraft, the beloved sandbox game, is at its best when you can play with friends or join a community on a server. However, before you can connect with others, you'll need to know your Minecraft server's IP address. In this step-by-step guide, we'll walk you through the process of finding and revealing your Minecraft server's IP address so that you can invite friends to join your world or hop onto your favorite server.
Step 1: Launch Your Minecraft Server
To begin, ensure that your Minecraft server is up and running. If you haven't set up your own server and are looking for the IP address of a server you want to join, you can skip this step.
Step 2: Locate the Server IP in Server Properties
If you're hosting your own Minecraft server, you'll need to access the server properties file. This file contains crucial information about your server, including the IP address.
Navigate to the folder where your Minecraft server files are located. You should see a file named "server.properties." Use a text editor (like Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on macOS) to open this file.
Look for the line that says "server-ip=" in the server properties file. The IP address you need will follow the equals sign (=).
It should look something like this: "server-ip=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx" where "xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx" represents your server's IP address.
Step 3: Using Domain Names (Optional)
If you have a custom domain name associated with your Minecraft server, you can use it instead of the numerical IP address. This makes it easier for players to remember and connect to your server.
In the server properties file, you can set the "server-ip" value to your custom domain name (e.g., "server-ip=myserver.com"). However, this requires configuring your domain's DNS settings to point to your server's IP address.
Step 4: Share Your IP Address
Now that you have located your Minecraft server's IP address, you can share it with friends or use it to join other servers:
If you're inviting friends to join your server, simply provide them with the numerical IP address you found in the server properties file. They can enter this address in the "Direct Connect" or "Add Server" section of their Minecraft client.
If you're joining someone else's server, you'll need the IP address they provide. They should share this address with you, and you can enter it in your Minecraft client to connect.
Step 5: Verify Port Forwarding (If Hosting)
If you're hosting your own server and plan to allow others to connect, ensure that your router's port forwarding settings are correctly configured. Port forwarding enables external connections to reach your server. You'll need to forward the Minecraft server port (default is 25565) to your server's internal IP address.
Finding and sharing your Minecraft server's IP address is a crucial step in enjoying multiplayer gameplay with friends or exploring the vast variety of servers available. Whether you're creating your server or joining someone else's, knowing the IP address is the key to unlocking the multiplayer experience in the blocky world of Minecraft. So, follow these steps, share your IP address with your fellow players, and embark on exciting adventures together in the Minecraft universe.
