Server Establishment For Noobs! (Hamachi)
Hey guys, Ateam55 here again, but this time with a basic tutorial on how to set up and run a Minecraft Server using Bukkit. Both myself and fellow members of the GSMS Team have been asked this question many times, so I thought I would do a tutorial of some sort, just to guide you all through the process. (Any questions, please, feel free to come and chat to me on the server!)
Install a VPN Client - This is ESSENTIAL for home hosting, as the IP Address for most routers changes every now and again. Two good programs are LogMeIn Hamachi (https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi/) and Remobo (http://www.remobo.com/). Both give your PC an IP address on a private network that is only shared with people that you give the passkey too, making it not only easier to host a server, but also safer (As all connections are ENCRYPTED). If you need help with setting up these programs, have a look on the internet. Hamachi tends to be more popular and more stable, although Remobo is Open Source. Your call, but whichever one you use, all of your users must also use. In this case, I am going to use LogMeIn Hamachi.
Start up your VPN Client - In Hamachi, press the big "Power On" button. It will take a few moments to connect, but as soon as it has, you should have an IP appear (See the Image below)). This is YOUR IP, and you will need it later. It will start with a 5., and will then have a series of numbers following it.
Select "Network" from the top bar, followed by "Create A New Network". This will open up another menu, which will allow you to name your Private Network, and give it a password. THIS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR A PRIVATE SERVER. As soon as you have done this, the Network will appear in the Hamachi interface. All you have to do then is give out the Network Name and Password to anyone you want to join it, and get them to go to "Network", followed by "Join An Existing Network". Simply enter the details here, and they will be added to the group. Onwards!
Now for the tricky bit - Actually setting up the Bukkit Server. Now, I have made a Server Launcher that, by default, assigns 1GB of RAM to the server, which is enough for about 20 people. However, this does depend on the number of Plugins you use, but let's ignore that for now. Create a new folder on your PC called "Minecraft Server", and place the following file in it: http://db.tt/yR88vAAp
This file, called "Server Launcher.bat" contains the code needed to actually start up the server each time, and looks for a file called "craftbukkit.jar". We need this file, so go to the Bukkit Download Page (http://dl.bukkit.org/) and click on the green "Craftbukkit - Recommended Build" button. Download this file, and move it to the "Minecraft Server" folder.
Now, the name of the file will be different to the one that the file I made is looking for, so you need to change the name of the Craftbukkit file you just downloaded (For me, it was craftbukkit-1.2.5-R1.0) to just craftbukkit. This can be done using the Windows Rename tool, just like any other file!
Click on the "Server Launcher" file, and if all goes according to plan, a Command Promt should open, and start launching the server! This is where all of the real magic happens, and you can control the server from here! You can connect to this server using "localhost" as your IP, and friends can use your Hamachi address, provided they have Hamachi (Note - If the IP does not work, add :25565 to the end of it). When you first start up the server, don't be worried if a few errors appear - This is merely the server looking for files which do not yet exist, but will be made by the server instead. When you want to STOP the server, just type "stop" into the console, and press enter. This will fully and safely close the server.
Enjoy! And any questions, please ask!