Forge is a Minecraft Mod Loader which enables the use of mods on your Minecraft server. If you are looking to install a version of Forge that is not already provided in our jar drop down list, then you can opt to manually install it. Manual installation entails downloading the Forge server files and uploading them to your server via FTP. Once uploaded you will then need to tell the server what jar file it should be looking to use when starting the server.
Downloading
- Navigate to the Forge download site and select the version of Forge you want to run with. For all sub-versions you can select “Show All Downloads”, otherwise select the “Installer” option for either the latest build or recommended build.
- You may then be re-directed to an ad site where after a few seconds you can then continue with the download by clicking the skip button at the top right. The following download you receive will be an executable “.jar” file that will download all the required server files to a folder of your specification.
Installing Forge
- Run the installer, you will be given the option to install the Forge client or Forge server files, click the server option.
- Next we need to tell the installer where to save the server files. By default it will save it to the /.minecraft/ directory. Instead, you should change the location to either your desktop or an empty folder by clicking the “…” button and navigating to the respective directory on your computer.
- Once set, click OK and the installer will begin downloading the necessary server files to run a Forge server. In the end you should end up with two files, and a folder, under names similar to the following:
- minecraft_server.jar
- forge-x.x.x-xx.xx.x.xxxx-universal.jar
- /libraries
- Right click the forge-x.x.x-xx.xx.x.xxxx-universal.jar file, then click on rename. Rename this file to custom256.jar
Uploading Forge Files
- Access your server files via a third party FTP client such as Filezilla.
- Then navigate into the jar folder from your server’s home directory. If you have any files in this folder, go ahead and remove them now.
- Next, take the Forge server files we downloaded (the 2 files and one folder) and upload them into the jar folder.
Starting The Server
- Once uploaded we then need to tell the server what jar file to look for when starting the server. To do this we need to navigate back to the server details page and locate the “JAR File” field.
- Since we renamed the forge universal file earlier, type in “custom256.jar”, or select the Custom 256 configuration from the dropdown menu, above the text field.
- Once entered, click save and then you’re ready to start your server up with Forge.
- When starting the server up, always navigate to the server console to review its start-up process.
Finishing Up
If successful you will shortly see your server come online. If not then review the console for any errors. If you are unable to deduce an issue, feel free to contact support.
Once Forge has been properly installed, you can then begin to add mods to your server. When Forge is installed, a “mods” folder is created where all your server mods will be housed. Download your favorite mods and simply upload them into the “mods” folder located in your servers home directory. For additional information on how to install Forge mods, check out our Forge Mod Installation guide.
Please note that for some modpacks, it can take anywhere from 1 to 30 minutes to start, depending on the amount of mods and size of the world.