Running a Minecraft server isn’t a simple task. There are two methods that you as a server owner have to weigh the benefits and downsides of. Tons of factors will come into play, such as price, variety, technical knowledge, performance, and more. Today’s blog will give an overview of options that are available to you from different services and even at home to ensure you make the best decision that will fit your needs. With that said, let’s get technical.
Hosting Your Own
Hosting a server in your own home. This won’t have any cost at all, at least in terms of money. Running a server on your personal computer using your own wifi-network is free, however, there are risks and downsides.
For one, you’re going to need to keep the device that the server runs on online for as long as you want to play on the server. This means that if you’re running the server on the computer you mainly use, you’ll need to leave it on overnight (this is assuming you want the server to be online when you aren’t playing.)
Secondly, security can be an issue if this server is public. The internet is not necessarily rainbows and sunshine, and trolls along with hackers are rampant. This server will use your personal IP, meaning that people who have it know your Wifi Address. This can be used by internet trolls to dox you and find your personal information, including your address.
Another issue is performance. You will need a computer capable of dedicating a certain amount of ram to the server, depending on how many individuals are planned to play on it. For example, to have a lag free experience for around four players, a minimum of 2GB of ram should be used. If the computer cannot afford to dedicate that many resources, there won’t be an enjoyable playing experience.
On top of this, you’ll have to have the technical know-how to create, operate, maintain, and update this server. This especially matters if your server is going to include plugins or mods.
Overall, this method has a lot of downsides, but it is the only truly free method with no strings attached. It all depends on your technical prowess and knowledge.
Server Hosting
Paying a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee for a hosted server in an area of your choosing. This method’s price will vary depending on the specifications, quality, and options of the service. Although, like with anything, you get what you pay for. Here at Apex Hosting, we offer many different plans and additions that fit any type of server for anyone’s needs. Whether it be a Vanilla Survival server for you and a group of friends or a large community-based minigames server with plugins galore, we got your back!
To start, security is already improved. Server hosting eliminates the threat of cyber attacks on your personal IP, as the server is hosted at a location separate from your home. This might not be important if you’re just playing with your friends, but most servers will benefit from more security.
Server Hosting services also usually come with an information network to assist you in running your server the way you would like. For example, here at Apex Hosting, we produce a multitude of tutorials and guides to assist you when working with plugins, mods, and the server itself. Most people do not have the technical literacy to learn all of those things themselves, so having resources in place is a big help. You won’t know you need it until it isn’t there!
On top of these reasons, Server Hosting usually comes with the extension of customer support. Most likely, depending on the server and additions you’ll use, technical issues and problems will arise. Customer support is established to assist you in any way possible, which means fixing bugs caused by conflicting mods, helping out with plugin knowledge, and overall giving you the information you need to succeed. Some hosting services such as our own even offer support 24/7, so you’ll never be left in the dark! What I wouldn’t give for my own personal assistant 🙁
Conclusion
To conclude, the two main options for running a minecraft server are quite distinct. You can house the server on your own personal computer, leaving the technical obligations and resource management to your own skills. On the other hand, you can pay for a much more polished, and feature-inclusive experience. In the end, the best decision comes down to what best fits your needs. If you’re a tech-wiz and have the resources available, try and run a server on your own. If you want peace of mind and ease of use, try server hosting.
If anything, you can find prices for Apex Hosting plans here, ready for any type of server you’ll need! Whatever it will be, your choice should be guided by your personal capabilities, and what you’re trying to do with the server, so best of luck!
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a Minecraft server isn’t a simple task. There are two methods that you as a server owner have to weigh the benefits and downsides of. Tons of factors will come into play, such as price, variety, technical knowledge, performance, and more. Today’s blog will give an overview of options that are available to you from different services and even at home to ensure you make the best decision that will fit your needs. With that said, let’s get technical.
Hosting a server in your own home. This won’t have any cost at all, at least in terms of money. Running a server on your personal computer using your own wifi-network is free, however, there are risks and downsides.
, quarterly, or annual fee for a hosted server in an area of your choosing. This method’s price will vary depending on the specifications, quality, and options of the service. Although, like with anything, you get what you pay for. Here at Apex Hosting, we offer many different plans and additions that fit any type of server for anyone’s needs. Whether it be a Vanilla Survival server for you and a group of friends or a large community-based minigames server with plugins galore, we got your back!