Sharing a raw IP address with your Minecraft server players works, but it’s not exactly memorable. A custom domain name fixes that; instead of rattling off a string of numbers, you give players something clean like play.yourserver.com to type into the multiplayer screen. The setup involves pointing your domain’s DNS records toward your server’s public IP, and if you’re running on a custom port, creating an SRV record so the Minecraft client knows exactly where to connect. This guide walks through the full process, including how to configure both A records and SRV records correctly.
Note: You Need A Domain First!
Whether you’re hosting using Physgun or on a VPS, the first thing you need is a domain. You can purchase a web domain from any provider. Physgun offers domains in our web hosting plans, which can be used for your Minecraft server!
Adding A Domain Name On A Minecraft Server
How To Find Your Minecraft Server’s Public IP Address
To point your domain correctly, you need your server’s IP address. Depending on how you’re hosting your server, the way of doing this is different, but here are the three main methods:
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If you’re a Physgun client, you can easily check your server’s IP address in the top left corner of your panel.
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If you’re running a Windows dedicated server, open your command console and type “ipconfig” in the command line. You should see your IPv4 address. This is usually the IP address your server should use.
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If you’re running a Linux VPS, you can run the “curl ifconfig.me” command in your terminal to find your public-facing IP address.
This IP address is the one your A Record will point to.
How To Create an A Record for Your Domain
These next few sections will be very vague, since they heavily depend on your domain provider. We recommend you take the steps listed below and try to incorporate that knowledge into your specific domain provider as best as possible.
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Log in to your domain provider.
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Locate and open the DNS Settings Page.
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Click the “Add New Record” button or similar.
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Set the record type to A.
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Set the name/hostname to something like “play” or “mc”. This will be your subdomain. This appears as a prefix on your domain. For example, if you set your name to “mc”, your domain may look like: “mc.physgun.net”.
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Define your server’s IP Address. Do not include the port just yet.
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Keep your TTL as “Auto” or “Default”.
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Save your A Record.
How To Create an SRV Record for Your Minecraft Server
Next, you’ll need to set up an SRV Record. Minecraft uses SRV record pointing to define your server port.
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Create another Record on your domain provider’s page.
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Set the record type to SRV.
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Set the Name field to “_minecraft._tcp.” followed by your subdomain name. If we use the example above, it would be “_minecraft._tcp.mc”.
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Set the priority and weight to 0.
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Keep your TTL as “Auto” or “Default” once again.
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Set the Port option to your server port.
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Lastly, set the target field to your full domain. Continuing with our example, it would be “mc.physgun.net”.
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Save your SRV Record.
How To Connect To Your Minecraft Server Using a Domain Name
Now your domain should be fully set up! To connect using your custom domain:
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Open the Minecraft Launcher and run Minecraft.
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In the main menu, select Multiplayer.
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Click Add Server.
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Enter your domain in the Server Address box.
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Click Done.
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Join the server!
How Long Do DNS Records Take To Propagate
DNS changes aren’t always instant. An A record could take a few minutes to a few hours, while SRV records can take up to 24 hours in some cases. During this propagation time, some players may find that they’re able to join, while others won’t. Just give it a little bit of time, and things will be working smoothly.
Conclusion
Adding a domain name to your Minecraft server makes it easier for players to connect and gives your server a more professional feel. Whether you’re using Physgun or a VPS, the core process is the same: point your A record to your server and use an SRV record if needed.
Once everything is set up, you’ll never have to share a long IP address again. Just a clean, simple domain.
