How to Host a Minecraft Server on a Raspberry Pi

Hey Dev, are you a Minecraft enthusiast looking to host your own server but don’t want to spend too much on expensive hardware? You’re in the right place! In this article, we’ll guide you step-by-step on how to host a Minecraft server on a Raspberry Pi, a small and affordable computer.

What is a Raspberry Pi?

A Raspberry Pi is a small, credit-card sized computer that can be used for a variety of projects. It’s popular among hobbyists, educators, and tinkerers. You can think of it as a miniature computer that runs on a Linux-based operating system.

One of the advantages of the Raspberry Pi is its affordability, as it costs only a fraction of a regular desktop computer. Despite its small size and low cost, the Raspberry Pi can perform many computing tasks.

What You’ll Need to Get Started

Before we get started with the actual steps, let’s go over the things you’ll need to host a Minecraft server on a Raspberry Pi:

Item	Description
Raspberry Pi	A Raspberry Pi 4 with at least 2GB of RAM
MicroSD Card	A 16GB or higher MicroSD card
Power Supply	A 5V power supply with at least 3A output
Ethernet Cable	An Ethernet cable to connect your Raspberry Pi to your router
Keyboard and Mouse	A USB keyboard and mouse to control your Raspberry Pi
Monitor	A monitor with HDMI input to connect to your Raspberry Pi

Got everything you need? Let’s move on to the next step.

Step 1: Setting up the Raspberry Pi

The first thing you’ll need to do is set up your Raspberry Pi. Follow these steps:

Installing the Operating System on Your Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi needs an operating system to run. We recommend using Raspberry Pi OS, which is based on Linux. Here are the steps:

1. Download Raspberry Pi Imager here: https://www.raspberrypi.org/software/
2. Insert your MicroSD card into your computer’s card reader
3. Open Raspberry Pi Imager and select the Raspberry Pi OS image you downloaded
4. Select your MicroSD card as the target location and click ‘Write’
5. Once the process is completed, insert the MicroSD card into your Raspberry Pi

Booting Up Your Raspberry Pi

Now that you have installed the operating system, it’s time to boot up your Raspberry Pi:

1. Connect your Raspberry Pi to your monitor, keyboard, and mouse
2. Connect the power supply to your Raspberry Pi
3. Once the Raspberry Pi is powered on, it will automatically boot up Raspberry Pi OS

Congratulations, you have successfully set up your Raspberry Pi! Let’s move on to the next step.

Step 2: Installing Java

Minecraft requires Java to run, so the next step is to install Java on your Raspberry Pi:

1. Open the terminal by clicking on the ‘Terminal’ icon on the Raspberry Pi desktop
2. Type the following command and hit Enter:
   sudo apt-get update
3. Once the updates have finished, type the following command and hit Enter:
   sudo apt-get install default-jdk
4. Wait for the installation process to finish (it may take several minutes depending on your internet speed)
5. Verify that Java is installed by typing the following command and hitting Enter:
   java -version
6. If Java is installed correctly, you should see information about the installed version of Java

Great job! You have now installed Java on your Raspberry Pi. Let’s move on to the next step.

Step 3: Port Forwarding

Before we can start hosting our Minecraft server, we need to set up port forwarding on our router. This allows incoming traffic to reach our Raspberry Pi, which is necessary for other players to be able to connect to our server.

What is Port Forwarding?

Port forwarding is the process of forwarding a network port from one network node to another. In other words, it allows traffic from the internet to reach your Raspberry Pi. We need to forward port 25565, which is the default port used by Minecraft servers.

The process of setting up port forwarding depends on your router model, so we can’t provide step-by-step instructions here. However, we recommend visiting portforward.com, which provides detailed instructions for many router models.

It’s important to note that port forwarding can be a security risk, as it exposes your Raspberry Pi to the internet. Make sure to follow best practices for securing your server, such as using strong passwords and keeping your operating system and software up-to-date.

Step 4: Downloading and Installing the Minecraft Server Software

Now that we have set up our Raspberry Pi and prepared our router for port forwarding, it’s time to download and install the Minecraft server software.

Downloading the Minecraft Server Software

You can download the Minecraft server software from the official Minecraft website. Follow these steps:

1. Go to https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/download/server/
2. Download the server software for the Java Edition of Minecraft
3. Save the downloaded file to a location on your Raspberry Pi that is easy to access (such as the ‘Downloads’ folder)

Installing the Minecraft Server Software

Now that we have downloaded the server software, it’s time to install it:

1. Open the terminal by clicking on the ‘Terminal’ icon on the Raspberry Pi desktop
2. Navigate to the folder where you saved the server software by typing the following command and hitting Enter:
   cd /path/to/folder
3. Replace ‘/path/to/folder’ with the actual path to the folder where you saved the file
4. Once you are in the correct folder, type the following command and hit Enter:
   java -jar minecraft_server.jar nogui
5. The server software will start up and create necessary files and folders

Congratulations, you have now installed the Minecraft server software on your Raspberry Pi! Let’s move on to the next step.

Step 5: Configuring Your Minecraft Server

Now that we have installed the Minecraft server software, it’s time to configure it. This includes setting up server properties, creating user accounts, and more.

Setting Up Server Properties

Server properties are settings that determine how your Minecraft server behaves. Here are some of the most important server properties:

Property	Description
server-ip	The IP address of your Raspberry Pi (make sure to set it to your local IP address)
server-port	The port number used by your Minecraft server (default is 25565)
max-players	The maximum number of players that can be connected to your server at the same time
online-mode	Whether or not players need to have a valid Minecraft account to join your server

You can edit server properties in the ‘server.properties’ file, which is located in the same folder where you installed the Minecraft server software. Open the file with a text editor and modify the properties as needed.

Creating User Accounts

You can create user accounts for your Minecraft server by editing the ‘ops.json’ file, which is also located in the same folder as the server software. Add one or more usernames to the ‘name’ field, like this:

{"uuid": "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000", "name": "username", "level": 4, "bypassesPlayerLimit": false}

Replace ‘username’ with the actual username you want to add. You can add multiple usernames by separating them with a comma (except for the last one).

Step 6: Starting Your Minecraft Server

You have now configured your Minecraft server, so it’s time to start it up:

1. Open the terminal by clicking on the ‘Terminal’ icon on the Raspberry Pi desktop
2. Navigate to the folder where you installed the Minecraft server software by typing the following command and hitting Enter:
   cd /path/to/folder
3. Replace ‘/path/to/folder’ with the actual path to the folder where you installed the server software
4. Once you are in the correct folder, type the following command and hit Enter:
   java -jar minecraft_server.jar nogui
5. The server software will start up and display a console window

If everything is set up correctly, other players should now be able to connect to your Minecraft server using your Raspberry Pi’s IP address and the port number you specified in the server properties. Congratulations, you have successfully hosted a Minecraft server on a Raspberry Pi!

FAQ

What version of Minecraft does this guide work with?

This guide should work with most versions of Minecraft, as the setup process is similar for all versions.

Can I use a Raspberry Pi 3 instead of a Raspberry Pi 4?

Yes, you can use a Raspberry Pi 3 instead of a Raspberry Pi 4. However, we recommend using a Raspberry Pi 4 with at least 2GB of RAM for better performance.

Can I use Wi-Fi instead of an Ethernet cable?

Yes, you can use Wi-Fi instead of an Ethernet cable. However, Wi-Fi may not be as reliable as a wired connection, so we recommend using an Ethernet cable if possible.

Do I need to open any other ports besides 25565?

No, you don’t need to open any other ports besides 25565. This is the default port used by Minecraft servers.

Can I run other software on my Raspberry Pi while hosting a Minecraft server?

Yes, you can run other software on your Raspberry Pi while hosting a Minecraft server. However, keep in mind that hosting a Minecraft server can be resource-intensive, so running other software may affect performance.