What are SMP servers in Minecraft and how to join them?

Minecraft SMP servers are becoming increasingly popular (Image via Mojang)

SMP Servers in Minecraft are becoming increasingly popular, primarily thanks to many YouTubers, like Dream with his DreamSMP server.

For those unfamiliar with SMP servers in Minecraft, this article will cover all the essential information, including precisely what Minecraft SMP servers are, how they can be joined, and the best ones to join.

What are Minecraft SMP servers?

SMP stands for Survival Multiplayer. SMP servers allow players to enjoy a Minecraft survival world together as a community. On SMP servers, players can explore the world, farm resources, and form towns together.

SMP servers have very few plugins and closely resemble Minecraft vanilla survival. SMP servers are entertaining to play on, with a tight-knit community feeling.

SMP Minecraft servers have become extremely popular in recent times. This is primarily because they have been featured by many popular YouTubers, such as Dream with his top-rated DreamSMP series.

How do you join a Minecraft SMP server?

Many of the most popular Minecraft SMP servers seen on YouTube, such as DreamSMP, are not accessible. This is for obvious reasons, such as to stop griefing and raiding.

There are, however, many popular public Minecraft SMP servers in which any Minecraft player can join. These servers can be joined just like any other Minecraft server.

Joining a Minecraft SMP server

Follow these simple steps to join any Minecraft SMP server:

Open Minecraft
Open the Minecraft Multiplayer menu
Press the "Add Server" button
Enter the name "SMP Server"
Enter the server IP Address: purpleore.com
Hit the "Done" Button
Join the server by double-clicking the listing

This Minecraft SMP server can be found at the top of a dedicated list of SMP servers here. Many others can also be found if this one is not suitable.

How to make your own Minecraft SMP server

Making a Minecraft SMP server is relatively simple and can be done with simple steps.

Step 1: Download the Minecraft server client

The first step to starting a Minecraft SMP server is to download the Minecraft server software from the Mojang website.

Also, ensure that the latest version of Java is installed, which can be found here.

Step 2: Create Batch File to run the server

A simple file now needs to be created to run the Minecraft server. This can be done by following the steps below:

Make a new folder with the Minecraft server jar downloaded in step 1 inside it
Right-click and create a new text file inside this folder
Name the new text file "Run"
Edit the text file and paste exactly this (replace server file name, of course): java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar {server file name} nogui
When saving the file, make sure to select the type "all files"
Save the file name to "Run.bat"

Step 3: Agree to the EULA

Players must agree to the Mojang EULA for the server to boot up. To do this, open the eula.txt file and change eula=false to eula=true

Step 3: Launch the server

The server can now be easily launched via double-clicking the Run.bat file created in step 2.

If everything has been done correctly, a window should appear, left open, or the server will shut down.

Step 4: Port Forward (Optional)

To allow other players who are not on the same internet connection as you to join, port forwarding must be done.

Port forwarding is slightly complex and can depend on what router is being used. However, a good video guide on how to do it can be found below: