The EnduranceNodes blog
The Logbook
Opinions, comparisons and lessons from running a Minecraft host. Written by the person who answers your tickets, with real numbers and the downsides included.
- 12
- articles
- 64
- minutes of reading
Start your server
From the first launch to a community worth keeping.
Getting started
How to make a Minecraft server (and start your own SMP), step by step
Three ways to run one, the one we'd pick for an SMP with friends, and the twenty minutes that take you from nothing to everyone online.
Community
How to run a private Minecraft SMP that lasts (and grow its community)
Most SMPs don't die from lag. They die from drama, griefing and an owner who burned out. Here's how to avoid all three.
Make it run smooth
Memory, processors and what actually causes lag.
Performance
How much RAM does a Minecraft server need? A guide by players and mods
The honest answer is “less than you think, unless you run mods”. Real numbers, where they come from, and when the processor matters more than memory.
Hardware
Ryzen 7 9700X for Minecraft: why the processor matters more than the RAM
Minecraft is a single-threaded game in a multi-core costume. What that means for the hardware behind your server, and the questions to ask any host.
Pick your software
Paper, Vanilla, mods and plugins, without breaking anything.
Server software
Paper vs Vanilla (and Purpur, Fabric, Forge): which Minecraft server software to run
Nine names, two families and one question: do you want plugins, mods, or nothing at all? Here's how we'd choose.
Plugins
How to install plugins on a Minecraft server (Paper) without breaking it
Installing a plugin takes a minute. Choosing it well, configuring it and keeping thirty of them from fighting each other is the part worth reading.
Mods and crossplay
Modpacks, and Java and Bedrock players on one server.
Crossplay
Java and Bedrock on one Minecraft server: crossplay with Geyser, explained
Your friends on Xbox and your friends on PC want the same world. It works, it's free, and it has a few rough edges worth knowing before you promise it to anyone.
Modded servers
How to run a modded Minecraft server: Forge, Fabric and modpacks without the crashes
A modpack isn't Minecraft with extras. It's a different workload with its own rules, and most first-day crashes come from breaking one of them.
Move it and protect it
Changing hosts, and keeping attacks out.
Migration
How to migrate a Minecraft server to another host without losing anything
Moving a server is mostly copying files, plus three or four details that decide whether your world arrives whole. Or let someone do it for you, for free.
Security
DDoS protection for Minecraft: what an attack is and how to keep your server safe
Every popular server gets attacked eventually. Most attacks are stopped before you notice; the ones that aren't are often a different problem with the same symptoms.
Choose a host
What cheap really costs, and an honest look at us.
Choosing a host
Cheap Minecraft hosting: how to pick one that doesn't end up costing you more
A low price is easy to print. What to check so a cheap plan stays cheap: the processor, the price per gigabyte, where the server lives and what happens if you leave.
An honest look
Is EnduranceNodes worth it? The good, the bad, and who it's not for
This isn't a review: we're the company. It's what we'd tell a friend asking whether to host with us, including the parts that might send them somewhere else.