How to get a domain name for your server
What is DNS
Skip to Step 1 if you already know about dynamic DNS.
DNS just means "Domain Name System". A domain name is a label that's easy for people to read or remember, which computers can use to look up an internet address (IP address).
For example, the domain "wiki.minetest.net" tells your computer to go to 89.188.9.43
If you're running a game server from your home, your internet address is likely to change over time, so having a domain name means you can give that out to friends/players and it won't change, even as your IP Address changes. A domain name can also direct people's Web browsers to your webpage, if you have one.
If your server is for public use you can configure its minetest.conf file so it automatically registers itself on the server list at minetest.net[1], this will keep the list informed of your IP current address and website, and having a custom domain name for your sever becomes cosmetic.
A domain that points to an address that may change is called "Dynamic DNS", and is what the rest of this page covers.
Step 1: choose a domain
Just like "wiki.minetest.net", your domain will have 3 parts seperated with dots. You'll get to name the left-most part, and the rest you select from an available list. We'll use FreeDNS because they have thousands of free domains to choose from.
The full list you can choose from is here
If we type "minetest" into the search box for that list, we get:
In the status column, it shows that one of these domains is "public" and the other is "private". You can use either, the difference is that if a domain is marked as "private" then the owner of the domain is given the ability to delete your subdomain - that should only be a problem if if they deem your subdomain offensive, or slanderous[2].
You don't have to use a domain containing "minetest", there are plenty of other domains available, e.g. openblocks.com, but our example Minetest server will be called "Secret Valley" so we will register secretvalley.minetest.land
Clicking on the minetest.land link takes us here
Step 2: Create an account
If you aren't already logged in to FreeDNS, it'll ask you to log in.
Click "Setup an account here" and choose the free option.
Step 3: Registering your subdomain
References
- ↑ See step 5 of Allowing external players to connect for how to configure minetest.conf to automatically register on the public server list.
- ↑ https://freedns.afraid.org/queue/explanation.php