Minecraft Server - Getting Started Guide
Your server comes with Crafty Controller - a web panel where you create and manage Minecraft servers. Java Edition and Bedrock Edition are both supported. You will go from zero to playing with friends in about 5 minutes.
Step 1 - Open the Crafty Panel
Your server's IP address and root password are shown on the Server Details page in your client panel. Open your browser and go to:
https://your.server.ip:8443Your browser will show a security warning - this is expected because Crafty uses a self-signed certificate. Click Advanced and proceed to the site.
Log in with username admin and your server root password. You should see the Crafty dashboard - an empty canvas ready for your first server.
If you placed the server behind a VyOS router on a private network, set up port forwarding for ports 22 (SSH), 8443 (Crafty panel), 25565 (Minecraft Java) and 19132/UDP (Minecraft Bedrock). Players need to be able to reach the Minecraft ports from the internet.
Step 2 - Create Your Minecraft Server
Click "Create New Server" in the Crafty dashboard. You will be asked to pick a server type:
| Type | Best for |
|---|---|
| Paper | Most players. Fast, stable, supports thousands of plugins. Start here if unsure. |
| Vanilla | Pure Minecraft experience with no modifications at all. |
| Forge / Fabric | Playing with mods (new blocks, mechanics, dimensions). All players need the same mods installed. |
| Bedrock | Friends on mobile, console or Windows 10/11. Uses port 19132/UDP instead of 25565. |
Pick your Minecraft version, give the server a name, and click "Build Server". Crafty will download everything and start the server automatically. First launch takes a few minutes.
Step 3 - Connect and Play
Wait until the server shows a green status in Crafty, then open Minecraft:
Java Edition
Multiplayer → Add Server → enter your server IP → Join. No port needed (25565 is the default).
Bedrock Edition (mobile, console, Windows 10/11)
Play → Servers → Add Server → enter your server IP and port 19132.
Running Your Server
Everything Through the Panel
You do not need SSH or command line for day-to-day management. The Crafty panel at https://your.server.ip:8443 covers everything:
- Dashboard - start, stop, restart your server, see who is online, monitor CPU and RAM
- Terminal - run server commands (like
/whitelist add Player) and see live logs - Files - edit server.properties, upload plugins, browse world files
- Backups - create manual backups or schedule automatic ones
- Schedules - auto-restart the server every night, run backup before restart, broadcast messages to players
- Config - change how much RAM the server gets (JVM memory)
Common Settings
Go to Files tab, open server.properties, change what you need, save and restart:
| What you want | Setting |
|---|---|
| Change server name in the list | motd=My Server |
| Limit player count | max-players=10 |
| Switch to creative mode | gamemode=creative |
| Make it easier / harder | difficulty=easy (peaceful / easy / normal / hard) |
| Only let approved players join | white-list=true, then add players via Terminal: /whitelist add Name |
| Reduce lag | view-distance=6 (default 10, lower = less lag) |
| Disable PvP | pvp=false |
Adding Plugins and Mods
Go to Files tab in Crafty, navigate to the right folder, upload the .jar file and restart:
- Paper / Spigot server → upload to
plugins/folder - Forge / Fabric server → upload to
mods/folder
Where to find plugins and mods:
- Hangar - official Paper plugin repository
- Modrinth - plugins and mods
- SpigotMC - plugins
- CurseForge - mods for Forge and Fabric
Multiple Servers on One Machine
Crafty can run several Minecraft servers at once - for example a survival server and a creative server, or Java + Bedrock side by side. Each one needs its own port (25565, 25566, etc.).
Keep at least 1 GB free for the OS and Crafty itself. On a 4 GB server you can give about 3 GB total to Minecraft servers. If you add servers on non-default ports, open them in the firewall via SSH: ufw allow <port>/tcp
If Your Server Is Lagging
Most lag comes from two things: not enough RAM or too much world being loaded at once. Here is what to try, in order:
- Lower view distance. Open
server.propertiesin the Files tab and setview-distance=6andsimulation-distance=4. This is the single most effective change. - Check RAM allocation. Go to Crafty Config tab and make sure you are not giving the server more RAM than your server has. Recommended:
2 GB server 1 GB for server 1-5 players 4 GB server 2-3 GB for server 5-15 players 8 GB server 5-6 GB for server 15-30 players 16 GB server 10-12 GB for server 30+ players - Pre-generate the world. Lag spikes often happen when players explore new areas. Install the Chunky plugin and pre-generate a 5000-block radius - after that, exploration is smooth.
- Upgrade your server. If you have 10+ players and are still lagging after the steps above, you need more CPU and RAM.
Post-Installation
Fail2Ban - Brute-Force Protection
Your server comes with Fail2Ban pre-configured to protect SSH from brute-force attacks.
| Rule | Max Attempts | Ban Duration |
|---|---|---|
| SSH | 5 failed logins | 10 minutes |
Useful commands:
# Check banned IPs
fail2ban-client status sshd
# Unban an IP
fail2ban-client set sshd unbanip 1.2.3.4If you accidentally lock yourself out, connect via VNC console in your client panel and unban your IP.
Service Management
You do not need SSH for normal use, but it is available for advanced tasks:
ssh root@your.server.ip
# Crafty service
systemctl status crafty
systemctl restart crafty
journalctl -u crafty -fJava Versions
Two Java versions are pre-installed. Crafty picks the right one automatically, but if you need an older Minecraft version you can switch in server settings:
- OpenJDK 21 - Minecraft 1.20.5 and newer (path:
/usr/lib/jvm/java-21-openjdk-amd64) - OpenJDK 17 - Minecraft 1.17 through 1.20.4 (path:
/usr/lib/jvm/java-17-openjdk-amd64)
Software Included
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Ubuntu | 24.04 LTS |
| Crafty Controller | 4 |
| Java | OpenJDK 17 + OpenJDK 21 |
| Firewall | UFW (ports 22, 8443, 25565, 19132) |
| Fail2Ban | SSH brute-force protection |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Crafty panel not loading | Use https:// (not http). Accept the certificate warning. After first boot, wait 1-2 minutes for Crafty to start. |
| Can't connect to Minecraft | Make sure the server shows green in Crafty. The first world generation takes 1-3 minutes - try again after waiting. On a private network, check that port forwarding is configured on your VyOS router. |
| Lag and TPS drops | See the "If Your Server Is Lagging" section above. |
| OutOfMemoryError in console | Your server needs more RAM than it has. Either increase server RAM or lower max-players and view-distance. Check the memory table above. |
| "Failed to verify username" | The server requires a legitimate Minecraft account (online-mode=true). This is the default and recommended setting. |
| Players can't join on a custom port | Open the port in the firewall: connect via SSH and run ufw allow <port>/tcp |
| Plugin not working after upload | Open the Terminal tab in Crafty and look for red error messages. Most common cause: the plugin version does not match your server version. |
| Forgot Crafty password | The admin password is the same as your server root password, shown in your client panel. If you changed it and forgot, use the VNC console to reset it via SSH. |