Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE) is a mobile version of the popular game, and with millions of players worldwide, there is always a demand for private servers where friends can play and interact together in a controlled environment. In this article, we will guide you step-by-step on how to set up your very own Minecraft PE server.

1. Choose Your Server Hosting Service

There are various options available when it comes to choosing a server hosting service, including pocketmine, NukkitX, and BDS. For this tutorial, we will use PocketMine-MP due to its support of various platforms and customization potential.

2. Download PocketMine-MP

Visit the official PocketMine-MP website (https://www.pocketmine.net/) and download the latest release tailored specifically for your operating system. Once downloaded, extract the contents of the ZIP file to a dedicated folder.

3. Installation Process

For Windows users:

– Navigate to the newly extracted folder and click on the ‘start.cmd’ file to initiate the setup process.

– You might have to allow access through your firewall as prompted.

For macOS users:

– Open ‘Terminal’ (command line) and navigate to the extracted folder.

– Type ‘./start.sh’ and press enter to initiate the setup process.

For Linux users:

– Open a terminal window and navigate to the extracted folder.

– Type ‘./start.sh’ and press enter.

The first time running PocketMine-MP may take several minutes as it sets up configurations, customizations and establishes network connections.

4. OP Yourself in-game

To have administrator rights on your Minecraft PE server, you need to ‘OP’ yourself. During the setup process in the console or terminal window, type ‘op <your-minecraft-username>’ without quotes. This action authorizes you as an admin on your server.

5. Port Forwarding

To allow other people to connect to your server, you must set up port forwarding on your home network. Access your router’s admin interface and forward the TCP/UDP port 19132 (default port for Minecraft PE) to your computer’s local IP address where you are hosting the server.

6. Share Your Server Address

Now that all technical matters are sorted, share your external IP address with friends who wish to join your server. Your external IP address can be found by a simple search on Google, “What is my IP?”

7. Connecting to Your Server

After sharing your IP address with friends, use the same external IP to connect yourself using the Minecraft PE app. Navigate to ‘Play’ > ‘Servers,’ click ‘Add Server,’ fill in details like name, IP address, and port (19132), then click ‘Save.’

That’s it! Your very own Minecraft PE server is now up and running. You can further customize the server settings in PocketMine-MP by modifying the configurations files—such as server.properties—to add plugins, manage players, change game mode, and more!
Create your virtual world and share a unique experience together with friends on your custom Minecraft PE server. Happy building!