Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesSome links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Updated 10 October 2026
Mindustry is an open-source automation and tower defense game written in Java, and its multiplayer runs on servers that anyone can set up. The current release, v8 Build 160.7, landed on GitHub on 8 October 2026, and every release ships a separate server file alongside the game. This guide walks through hosting one: getting the server running, opening the port, configuring it and keeping troublemakers out. Every step follows the game’s official wiki and the project’s own GitHub pages.
Two ways to host a Mindustry game
The first way needs no setup at all. The game has a built-in local server that you start with the Host Multiplayer Game button, and friends on the same network find it automatically in their server list. The wiki is clear about its limits: it exists only while your game stays open, it shuts down the moment you close the game, and it draws on your own device’s resources, so it suits sessions between a few players at home.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchThe second way is a dedicated server. This is a headless version of the game with no graphics, run as its own program and controlled by typing commands into a terminal. Because it does nothing but serve the game, it can support more than two or three players, it can stay online around the clock, and it gives the administrator a long list of commands plus support for mods. Players connect to it through Join Game by entering its IP address and port, and once added it stays in their server list with a live status check.
Before you begin: a machine, Java and one file
The wiki highly recommends a dedicated machine running Linux or Windows. That can be a spare computer at home, a virtual machine rented from a cloud company or a game server you rent. You also need Java installed. The wiki simply says to install it, while the project’s README asks for JDK 17 when you compile the game from source, so a current Java release is the sensible choice if you are installing it fresh.
Popular on Amazon
- Strategy Game: Qwirkle is the perfect game to hone player's tactical maneuvers, strategical planning, and forward thinking. This family game features a massive amount of choices, including 3 tiles each of 36 possible color-symbol combinations
- Easy to learn: An engaging game with easy to follow rules, Qwirkle is great for younger players while still challenging them mentally. Simply build lines by matching tiles based on either color or shape, and score points as you go
- Games that teach: Qwirkle is playable from early ages up, allowing young children and older individuals alike to develop and hone their spacial recognition, planning, and problem solving skills. Plan, win, and learn simultaneously
- Family favorite: Qwirkle is a fantastic game for families, as it can involve a wide range of ages, from children to adults. It only takes a few moments to explain, so new players, like extended family or your child's friends, can jump right in
- Award winning: This game has won multiple awards including the Major Fun Award, National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval, Parents' Choice Gold Award, and more. Includes 108 wooden Qwirkle tiles, 1 drawstring bag, and 1 rule book
The server itself is one file. Each release on the Anuken/Mindustry GitHub page lists it as server-release.jar, about 19.5 MB in Build 160.7, and the same file is also offered on itch.io. On Windows the file may appear simply as server-release, because the system hides the extension.
Step 1: Start the server
Make a new folder for the server, ideally one created just for it, and move the jar file into it. Open a terminal (Command Prompt on Windows), use cd to move into that folder, and run java -jar server-release.jar. When the server finishes loading, type help to see every console command. If the terminal answers with a message like “Unable to access file”, you are almost always in the wrong folder, so check the path and try again.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Step 2: Host a map
A running server does not accept players until it hosts a map. Type host followed by a map name and, optionally, a game mode; with nothing after it, the server chooses a random map in survival mode. The maps command lists what is available, showing your custom maps by default, while maps all or maps default widens the list. To control what comes next, nextmap sets the map that loads after a game over, and shuffle chooses between no rotation, all maps, custom maps only or the built-in ones.
Also popular on Amazon
- INGENIOUS CARD GAME: Experience the ingenious and highly addictive card game that's making waves everywhere. The Mind offers simple rules but a challenging test of your mental synchronization.
- ASCENDING ORDER CHALLENGE: Work together with your friends to play cards in ascending order, but here's the catch – no speaking or communication allowed. Can you beat the Mind's tricky levels.
- UNIQUE NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION: Discover the art of non-verbal communication as you read each other's cues, invent silent languages with knowing glances, and synchronize your minds to conquer the game's challenges.
- WORLDWIDE BEST-SELLER: Join the worldwide community of players who have fallen in love with The Mind. This social card game is perfect for game nights, gatherings, and bonding with friends.
- HIGH PLAYER INTERACTION: The Mind is all about player interaction and cooperation. It's a fantastic addition to your game night, encouraging teamwork and fun social dynamics.
Step 3: Open port 6567
Mindustry uses port 6567 for both TCP and UDP. On Windows, the built-in firewall usually blocks it, so add an inbound rule that allows both protocols on that port. Until you also forward the port on your router, only devices on your own network can reach the server. Find the make and model printed on the router, look up its port forwarding guide, forward 6567 for TCP and UDP, and confirm the result with an open-port checker such as You Get Signal.
Friends outside your home connect with your public IP address, which a quick search for “what is my IP” reveals. The wiki adds a strong warning here: that address is tied to your household, so never post it publicly unless you understand the risk. For a public community it suggests putting a domain name in front of the server, or moving the server to a virtual machine from a hosting company instead.
Step 4: Configure the server
Settings are changed from the console with config, followed by a setting name and value. A few are worth setting on day one:
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Also popular on Amazon
- Mind the Gap, Now with New Gen Alpha Questions: Bridge the age gap as a team or go head-to-head in the trivia game that relies on knowledge from every generation, from Boomers to Alphas, to win
- Trivia Game for All Ages: Roll to move across spaces within the color-coded generations to answer 2,000 trivia questions about TV/Film, Pop Culture, Music, & Headlines or complete a fun Challenge
- Endless Playability: Play with questions from all 5 gens or choose your favorites with the customizable game board & add new topics with expansion packs, including Challenges & Sports, sold separately
- Family Game Night: Keep the fun going with more Spin Master Games to add to your family’s board game shelf: Hedbanz, Beat the Parents, Family Feud, Jumanji, Wicked: The Game, Mind the Gap & more
- Holiday Gifts: For stocking stuffers & gift ideas, we have holiday gifting covered with gifts for kids, gifts for her, gifts for men, gifts for 8 year old girls, gifts for 6 year old boys & more
- name and desc: the server’s title and the short line under it, which can run to 100 characters.
- motd: a message shown to every player who joins.
- autosave, autosaveAmount and autosaveSpacing: turn on periodic saving, decide how many saves to keep before old ones are replaced, and set the gap between them in seconds.
- autoPause: freezes the match whenever the server is empty, so it waits for the first player to return.
- enableVotekick and antiSpam: let players vote out a disruptive player and kick spammers automatically.
- startCommands: a comma-separated list of commands that runs every time the server starts, handy for hosting a map automatically.
- autoUpdate: makes the server update itself and exit whenever a new bleeding-edge build arrives.
To cap the crowd, the playerlimit command takes a number, or off to remove the cap. The rules command adds, removes or lists global rules that apply on every map, and pause on or pause off freezes the match whenever you need a break.
Step 5: Admins, bans and the whitelist
Give trusted players admin rights with admin add followed by their name or ID, and check the current list with admins. For trouble, kick removes someone by name, ban works by player ID, name or IP address, bans lists everyone who is banned, and unban lifts a ban by IP or ID. Pardon lets a votekicked player back in early. Broader filters exist too: subnet-ban rejects every address that starts with a given string, name-ban blocks names that match a pattern, and dos-ban adds or removes a DOS ban on an address.
For a private group, turn the whitelist setting on, then enter whitelist add with each friend’s ID. The players command shows who is online with their details, and info looks up the names and addresses a player has used before.
Also popular on Amazon
- Shifting Maze Adventure: Immerse yourself in the thrilling, ever-changing Labyrinth. This captivating family board game offers a unique strategic experience as you navigate dynamic pathways to discover hidden treasures. Challenging fun for everyone.
- Strategic Gameplay & Treasure Hunt: Navigate the shifting labyrinth to find treasures and block your opponents. Plan your route carefully and build critical thinking, cause and effect, planning, and recognition skills to outsmart your rivals.
- Easy To Learn, Tactical Family Fun: Simple rules ensure everyone can join the fun. Strategic gameplay fosters critical thinking skills for boys, girls, and adults in this captivating labyrinth board game that encourages friendly competition.
- Endless Replayability: The ever-changing labyrinth provides hours of engaging fun as the maze is rearranged with every turn. A fresh and exciting challenge every time you play makes this a great addition to your collection of Ravensburger games.
- Great for 2-4 Players: Includes Game Board, 34 Maze Cards, 24 Treasure Cards, and 4 Playing Pieces for hours of engaging fun and strategic competition. Playing times run between 20-30 minutes while each game round presents new challenges.
Saves, waves and recovery
The save command writes the current game to a numbered slot, load brings a slot back, and saves lists everything stored in the save directory. If something goes wrong between manual saves, loadautosave restores the most recent automatic save. Two commands help when testing a setup: runwave triggers the next enemy wave immediately, and gameover ends the current match so the next map loads.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Renting a Mindustry server instead
If you would rather not keep a machine running at home or deal with port forwarding, Godlike.Host’s Mindustry page listed three plans on 10 October 2026, with 10, 20 and 30 slots and up to 4 GB of memory on the largest. The same page offered a 10-slot trial server with 1 GB of memory that lapses unless you extend it within three hours, with a reduced set of panel tools and a single location. Paid plans come with a control panel that covers mods, plugins, start-up settings and which game version runs, SFTP access to the files, an editor whose share links show one config file to a helper with no file access granted, a firewall you control for allowing or blocking addresses, a Discord bot for running the server from chat, and room for several separate or linked servers. Backups are included, up to three per day, and the page names Ryzen processors and SSD drives, with servers in 10 data center locations.
Limit: paid plans stop at 30 slots, so a large public server with a higher player cap needs another setup; the trial server sits in one location and runs out after three hours unless extended; and the backup allowance stops at three per day.
Also popular on Amazon
- Engaging Strategic Gameplay: Mind MGMT: The Psychic Espionage Game offers a unique blend of strategy, deduction, and hidden movement. One player controls Mind MGMT, while others play as rogue agents trying to thwart their plans
- Award-Winning Design: Recognized for its innovative gameplay and captivating theme, Mind MGMT has earned numerous accolades, including the 2021 Board Game Quest Awards Most Innovative Game Winner. A must-have for board game enthusiasts
- Immersive Storyline: Dive into a world of psychic espionage where you must outsmart an enigmatic organization bent on global domination. Use your wits and psychic abilities to uncover secrets and foil Mind MGMT's nefarious schemes
- Perfect for Game Nights: Designed for 2-5 players, this game is ideal for family gatherings and game nights with friends. Suitable for ages 14 and up, it promises hours of intense, cooperative fun as you work together to save the world
- Premium Components: Featuring beautifully illustrated game boards, dry-erase mental notes, and detailed cards, Mind MGMT delivers a premium gaming experience. The stunning artwork and presentation enhance the overall immersion
FAQ
Can I host a Mindustry server from my phone?
You can start the game’s built-in local server from the Host Multiplayer Game button, but by the wiki’s description it lasts only as long as the game stays open and is meant for a few players on the same network. A server that stays online needs the dedicated server on a Linux or Windows machine with Java, or a rented one.
Which port does a Mindustry server use?
Port 6567, for both TCP and UDP. You can change it with the port setting, but players then need to enter the new port when they connect.
Who can use admin commands on my server?
Anyone you promote from the server console: type admin add followed by the player’s name or ID. Admin remove takes the rights away again.
Will the game keep running when nobody is online?
Only if you let it. Set autoPause to true and the server pauses itself whenever the last player leaves.
Does the server need the full game installed?
No. The dedicated server is the single server-release.jar file plus Java, and it runs without the game client.
