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How to Play RLCraft Multiplayer With Friends

Learn how to play RLCraft with friends: install matching 1.12.2 files, choose LAN or a persistent server, configure the official server pack and fix common connection errors.
Length11 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Yes, RLCraft supports multiplayer. Install the same RLCraft release, Minecraft Java Edition and Forge 1.12.2 setup on every computer. Use Open to LAN for friends on the same home network. For internet play or a world that should remain available when the original host logs off, run the matching RLCraft server pack on a self-hosted or managed dedicated server.

RLCraft 2.9.x is built for Minecraft 1.12.2 and uses Forge 14.23.5.2860 or newer. The official project recommends allocating 3–4 GB of memory to each client; the launcher’s default 1 GB allocation is not enough. The server must use the same modpack release and configuration as the players, including the required Forge build.

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What every player needs before joining

Multiplayer only works reliably when the software stack matches. Have each person complete these checks before troubleshooting network settings.

A legitimate Java Edition installation

Every participant needs a licensed Minecraft Java installation and a launcher that can start modded 1.12.2 profiles. Bedrock Edition cannot join a Java RLCraft server.

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The identical RLCraft release

Choose one RLCraft release and use it everywhere. Do not let one player install a newer client while the server and the rest of the group remain on an older build. For the commonly used 2.9.x line, the official files target Minecraft 1.12.2.

The matching Forge build

RLCraft 2.9 is distributed with and requires Forge 2860. The wiki identifies that build as Forge 14.23.5.2860. A different 1.12.2 Forge build can produce startup failures, missing registries or a client that is rejected during login.

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The same mods and configuration

Do not add shaders, performance mods, replacement jars or configuration edits until everyone can connect to an untouched installation. A server and client can fail with a missing-mod, registry-mismatch or incompatible-mod error when their mods or config folders differ.

Enough client memory

The official RLCraft guidance says the default 1 GB allocation is not enough and recommends 3–4 GB for the client. This is an allocation for Minecraft, not a requirement to install that much physical RAM in the computer. Leave sufficient memory for the operating system and other applications; allocating nearly all physical RAM can make the computer less responsive.

Install the same RLCraft profile on every computer

CurseForge’s project page describes its launcher workflow as the easiest installation path: link your Minecraft game, browse modpacks, find RLCraft, install it and click Play.

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  1. Install or open the CurseForge launcher and connect it to your Minecraft Java installation.
  2. Open Browse or Browse Modpacks, search for RLCraft, and select the official project entry.
  3. Install the exact release your group has chosen. Record the release number so nobody later updates independently.
  4. Open the installed profile once. Let Forge and the pack finish their first-run setup, then close the game.
  5. In the profile’s settings, assign 3–4 GB of RAM to each client, provided the computer has enough total memory.
  6. Launch the profile again and create a test single-player world. If one computer crashes while another starts normally, fix that local installation before attempting multiplayer.

Keep a clean copy of the working profile. If someone experiments with a mod or configuration file, they can restore the known-good copy instead of forcing the whole group to diagnose a changed pack.

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Choose the right multiplayer method

Method Setup effort Must the host stay online? Internet reachability Control and responsibility Recurring cost
Open to LAN Very low Yes; the host must keep the world open Same local network only Simple, with little server administration No separate server fee
Self-hosted dedicated server Moderate to high The server process must keep running, but the host need not be inside the world Local network or internet after network configuration Full control of files, backups, whitelist and settings; you handle maintenance Usually no hosting fee, but you provide the computer, electricity and internet
Managed hosting Low to moderate No personal computer needs to remain in the game Public address supplied by the provider Control panel and provider support; verify exact pack and version support Monthly price varies; current prices were not established here

Method 1: Open an RLCraft world to LAN

LAN is the fastest option for a household or a group using the same router. It is a play session, not a persistent server: the world disappears from the multiplayer list when the host closes the world or exits the game.

  1. Have every player launch the identical RLCraft profile and confirm that each can reach the title screen.
  2. The host creates a new single-player world or loads an existing one.
  3. Pause the game and select Open to LAN.
  4. Choose the desired game mode and permissions, then select Start LAN World. Minecraft displays a port in the chat or status message.
  5. Friends on the same local network open Multiplayer. The advertised LAN world should appear automatically; select it and choose Join Server.

If the world does not appear, confirm that all computers are actually on the same network rather than one using a guest Wi-Fi network, mobile hotspot or isolated VLAN. A firewall can also block Java’s local discovery traffic. Allow the Java/Minecraft process through the operating system firewall on private networks, then restart the LAN world.

LAN does not provide a dependable way for friends outside the home to connect. Do not publish a temporary LAN port as if it were a dedicated public server; use the dedicated-server options for internet groups.

Method 2: Self-host a persistent RLCraft server

Self-hosting gives the group a persistent world, direct access to backups and configuration files, and no monthly server rental. It also makes the owner responsible for Java, storage, firewall and router settings, updates and recovery.

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Download the matching server pack

  1. Open the RLCraft project’s files on CurseForge and download the server pack that exactly matches the client release. The project lists RLCraft Server Pack 1.12.2 – Release v2.9.3.zip for that release.
  2. Create a dedicated, empty server directory. Avoid mixing files from another Minecraft server or an earlier RLCraft attempt.
  3. Extract the server pack into that directory without changing its folder structure.

Install the documented Java and Forge combination

The documented 2.9.3 setup uses Java 8 and a compatible Forge 1.12.2 server. Install Java 8 where the server will run, then install or launch the Forge server supplied for the pack. Newer Java versions can cause legacy 1.12.2 mods to fail even when the game client appears to work.

Run the server once and accept the EULA

  1. Start the Forge server from the server directory using the supplied launch script or the Forge server jar.
  2. Wait for the first startup to stop or report that the EULA must be accepted.
  3. Open eula.txt, change eula=false to eula=true only after reading Mojang’s EULA, save the file, and start the server again.
  4. Wait until the console reports that the server is ready before attempting a connection.

Set the command-block option before generating the world

Open server.properties and set:

enable-command-block=true

The official RLCraft project warns that leaving this disabled can prevent some structures from generating correctly and can result in missing villagers. Make this change before creating a fresh world. If a world was already generated with the wrong setting, changing the property does not repair terrain that has already been created; test important structures in a backup or consider starting a new world.

Configure the address and access

  1. Keep the server’s listening port at the value shown in server.properties, unless you have a specific reason to change it.
  2. For players on the same home network, provide the server computer’s local IP address and port if the server does not appear automatically.
  3. For internet players, configure the router to forward the server port to the server computer’s local IP address, allow the Java server through the host firewall, and give friends the public address plus port.
  4. Reserve a stable local IP for the server computer so a router restart does not send the port-forwarding rule to the wrong device.
  5. Test from outside the home network, such as a friend’s connection or a phone hotspot. A test from inside the same network can succeed even when internet routing is broken.

Some internet providers use carrier-grade NAT, which prevents inbound port forwarding. If the port is correctly configured but outside players still cannot reach it, ask the provider whether inbound connections are supported or use a managed host instead. Never disable the router firewall broadly just to make a server connect.

Pre-generate terrain and establish backups

RLCraft creates heavy load when players explore new chunks. The server guide identifies world pre-generation as part of its recommended setup. Generate a practical play area before inviting everyone, then monitor CPU, memory and storage use while the group explores.

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Stop the server cleanly before copying the world directory. Keep several dated backups on a different disk or computer. A backup made while files are actively changing can be incomplete, so use the server’s stop command or a hosting panel’s shutdown control first.

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Method 3: Use managed hosting

A managed Minecraft host can run the RLCraft server pack and provide a control panel, public address, automated backups and a machine that stays online without using a friend’s home computer. It is the simplest persistent internet option when nobody wants to maintain Java and router settings.

Verify compatibility before paying

  • Ask whether the service supports the exact RLCraft release, Minecraft 1.12.2 and the required Forge build.
  • Confirm that you may upload or select the official RLCraft server pack rather than being limited to a different modpack version.
  • Check available memory, storage, backup retention, player limits and server locations.
  • Confirm that the plan allows the Java version required by the documented 2.9.3 setup.
  • Read the cancellation and world-download policy so you can recover the save if you leave.

There is no universal server-RAM number for RLCraft. Required capacity changes with player count, view distance, loaded chunks, exploration speed, entities and world generation. Treat a provider’s advertised slot count as a commercial limit, not a performance guarantee, and watch server tick time after the group starts playing.

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How friends connect to the dedicated server

  1. Start the server and wait for its console to state that it is ready.
  2. Give each friend the address and port in the form hostname:port. If the provider uses the default port, the port may be omitted; otherwise include it exactly.
  3. Every friend launches the saved RLCraft profile, chooses Multiplayer, selects Add Server, enters a recognizable name and pastes the address.
  4. Players join only after the server is fully started. A connection attempt during mod loading can time out or produce misleading errors.
  5. Use a whitelist for a private group. Add names from the server console or the hosting panel, then test each account once.

The server address is not the same thing as a player’s Minecraft username. Share the public hostname or IP and port, never a local-only address such as 192.168.x.x with an internet friend.

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Memory, performance and world-management planning

Client allocation

Set each client to 3–4 GB as recommended by the official project. If the computer has only a small amount of physical memory, start at the lower end and close browsers and recording software. More allocation does not automatically improve performance; excessive Java heap size can increase garbage-collection pauses.

Server workload

Server demand depends on simultaneous players, render and simulation distances, chunk loading, entity counts and whether players are opening unexplored terrain. There is no authoritative universal maximum player count for RLCraft. Measure the specific hardware and configuration instead of promising a fixed number.

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Exploration spikes

Pre-generating terrain reduces the first-exploration spikes that occur when the server creates chunks while players are moving quickly in different directions. Keep the pre-generated area large enough for the group’s normal play, and expand it during a maintenance window rather than while everyone is online.

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Updates and mod changes

Back up the world, server files and configuration before changing the pack. Update the server and every client as one operation. A client that updates itself through a launcher while the server remains on the previous release will usually fail with a version or registry mismatch.

Troubleshooting: why a friend cannot join

The server is missing from the LAN list

  • Check that both computers are on the same non-isolated local network.
  • Reopen the world with Open to LAN; the advertised port changes each session.
  • Allow Java through the private-network firewall.
  • If discovery still fails, use Direct Connect with the host’s local IP and the port shown when the LAN world opened.

Missing-mod or registry-mismatch error

  • Compare the RLCraft release number and Forge version on every machine.
  • Confirm that the launcher started the RLCraft profile rather than vanilla Minecraft or another Forge instance.
  • Compare the complete mods and config folders with the server’s copies.
  • Remove unofficial additions and test with a clean profile.

Connection refused or timed out

  • Check that the server process is running and has reached its ready message.
  • Verify the address and port, including punctuation and any non-default port.
  • On a self-hosted server, inspect the console for the listening port and check both the host firewall and router forwarding rule.
  • Test from outside the home network to distinguish an internet-routing problem from a local configuration problem.
  • Check for carrier-grade NAT or a changing public IP if forwarding appears correct but outside connections fail.

Players join, then disconnect or lag badly

  • Watch server tick time, CPU, memory and disk usage while several players explore.
  • Reduce view or simulation distance and stop simultaneous long-distance exploration.
  • Pre-generate additional terrain during a maintenance window.
  • Check that the server is using the Java version documented for the RLCraft release.
  • Do not assume adding RAM alone fixes a CPU, storage or network bottleneck.

Structures or villagers are missing

Open server.properties and verify enable-command-block=true. The RLCraft project specifically warns that disabling command blocks can affect structure generation and villagers. Make a backup before changing settings or regenerating a world.

The world vanished when the host logged off

That is expected for LAN. The host must remain in the world for LAN players to stay connected. Move the save to a dedicated self-hosted server or managed host when the group needs a world that remains available independently of one player’s game session.

Public servers and community information

The official RLCraft project directs players to its official Discord for public-server information and updates. Server addresses, rules, player counts and uptime change frequently, so verify those details in the current community listing before joining. Public servers may use different add-ons or rules even when they advertise the same RLCraft release; read their connection instructions and never replace your private group’s working profile without a backup.

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A practical setup checklist

  • All players own Minecraft Java Edition and can launch a clean RLCraft profile.
  • Every client and the server use the same RLCraft release, Minecraft 1.12.2 and Forge 14.23.5.2860 or the release’s documented equivalent.
  • Each client has 3–4 GB allocated when the computer can support it.
  • The group has chosen LAN, self-hosting or managed hosting based on whether internet access and persistence are required.
  • A self-hosted server uses the matching official server pack, Java 8 for the documented 2.9.3 setup and enable-command-block=true.
  • The server has been started fully, tested by at least one player, and backed up before regular play.
  • Everyone knows the correct address and port, and a whitelist is enabled for a private group.

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