Introduction

Back in 2013 I wanted to create a Minecraft server for my friends to enjoy. Little did I know that this project would launch me into Java, IP addressing, port forwarding, public IPv4 addresses, and DNS.

Vanilla Minecraft

Setting up a Minecraft server on my MacBookPro made me understand the inner workings of Minecraft servers and learn the necessary commands and configurations, and allocate the right amount of RAM. After a bit of time I was able to create a vanilla Minecraft server that turned out to be fairly straightforward.

LogMeIn Hamachi: Networking Breakthrough

The real challenge was allowing friends to join my server from outside my network. While I managed to get my brother on board(On the same network), my friends were left out. That’s when I stumbled upon LogMeIn Hamachi. Back in 2013, I didn’t fully understand how it worked, but it was really helpful. My friends could log in to my network via LogMeIn Hamachi and connect to the server. I didn’t really know how it worked back then, but I did end up figuring out that LogMeIn Hamachi basically just allows you to host a VPN without coding or networking expereince.

Bukkit Minecraft

After a few months on this server, I noticed other servers hosting various plugins that my server couldn’t support. That’s when I made the switch from a vanilla Minecraft server to a Bukkit server. Bukkit opened up a whole new world of possibilities, allowing me to experiment with various Java-based plugins.

IP Addressing, Port Forwarding, Public IPv4 Addresses, DNS Configuration

This transition also pushed me deeper into the realm of networking for my server. I wanted my friends to connect without relying on LogMeIn Hamachi. It was a little annoying to try and provide IT support to all my friends trying to use LogMeIn. This led me to explore concepts like IP addressing, port forwarding, public IPv4 addresses, and DNS.

I had to find my computer’s IP address and understand how it played a crucial role in connecting players to my server.

Accessing my router’s interface, opening the right port for Minecraft, and configuring port forwarding became essential steps in the process.

Understanding the significance of public IPv4 addresses and how they affect the server’s accessibility was a key part of my networking education.

To ensure that my friends could always find my server, I set up a DNS service to track changes in my public IPv4 address while still directing users to the correct destination.

Conclusion

All of this may have happened a long time ago, but the memories of those days still are very memorable. It was my first encounter with router interfaces, IP addresses, and DNS configurations, and each step of the process felt like a significant achievement. Looking back, it’s incredible to see how much I learned through the simple act of creating a Minecraft server. It was a project that not only fueled my passion for computers but also laid the foundation for my understanding of networking.