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Guides

Step-by-step walkthroughs for self-hosting a Minecraft server, using Coalstack throughout.

Getting your server running

9 min read · Beginner

How to Make a Minecraft Server (2026)

A complete walkthrough for running your own Minecraft server on a PC you already own - picking a platform, allocating RAM, letting friends connect, and keeping it alive.

Read guide →8 min read · Beginner

How to Set Up a Fabric Minecraft Server on Windows

A beginner-friendly walkthrough for hosting your own Fabric server on your PC: what Fabric is, how to create a server, install mods, and keep it running safely.

Read guide →10 min read · Intermediate

How to Set Up a Modded Minecraft Server (Forge & NeoForge) on Windows

A full walkthrough for hosting your own modded Minecraft server on your own PC - picking a mod loader, creating the server, installing mods, and keeping it backed up.

Read guide →

Connecting players and managing remotely

8 min read · Intermediate

How to Set Up a Custom Domain with Dynamic DNS

Give your players a domain name instead of an IP address, and keep it pointed at your server even when your home IP changes. Covers both DuckDNS (free) and Cloudflare (your own domain).

Read guide →7 min read · Intermediate

How to Set Up Port Forwarding for Your Minecraft Server

Your server runs fine on your own PC, but friends outside your home network cannot connect. Here is how to forward the right port so they can join, using Coalstack's uPnP tool or a manual router setup.

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Troubleshooting

8 min read · Intermediate

Fixing a Server That Won't Start After Installing Mods

You installed a few mods, hit Start, and the server immediately crashes. Here is how to figure out which mod is the problem and get the server running again.

Read guide →5 min read · Beginner

Fixing Java Version Mismatches

Your server says 'A JNI error has occurred' or 'class file has wrong version' and refuses to start. Here is how to match the right Java version to your server and fix it for good.

Read guide →4 min read · Beginner

Fixing 'Port Already in Use' Errors

Your server refuses to start and the log says the port is already in use. Here is how to find what is using it, free it up, and prevent it from happening again.

Read guide →

Still stuck?

If a guide didn't get you over the line, we're happy to help directly.

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Coalstack now runs on Linux (experimental). Get the build →