How to Use a Custom Domain for Your Game Server

With your own domain, players join your game server with a name like play.yourdomain.com instead of an IP address. Is your domain registered at HostValues? Then the Link to server tab sets the record for you. Is it at another provider? Then you add the records yourself.

Domain at HostValues: link it automatically

Open your domain in the HostValues dashboard and choose the Link to server tab. Pick your game server and a subdomain, for example play, and confirm. We then set an A record that points to the IP address of your server.

An SRV record is not possible yet with a domain from us. If your Minecraft Java server runs on port 25565, players only type play.yourdomain.com. On another port they add the port, such as play.yourdomain.com:25571. For other games, players enter the name and the port, just like with the IP address.

No domain yet? Check whether your name is available with the domain checker.

Domain elsewhere: add the records yourself

Is your domain at another provider, or do you prefer to do it yourself? Follow these three steps.

1. Step 1: find the IP address and port. Open your server in the game panel. At the top you see the address players use now, for example 203.0.113.24:25571. The number after the colon is the port.
2. Step 2: add the DNS records. In the DNS management of your domain, add an A record:
   • Name: play
   • Type: A
   • Value: the IP address from step 1, for example 203.0.113.24
   For Minecraft Java on a port other than 25565, also add an SRV record, so players only type the name:
   • Name: _minecraft._tcp.play
   • Type: SRV
   • Priority 0, weight 5, port 25571 (the port of your server)
   • Target: play.yourdomain.com
   Many DNS panels add your domain to the name automatically: then enter play, not play.yourdomain.com.
3. Step 3: test the connection. Start Minecraft Java, choose Multiplayer and Add Server, and enter only play.yourdomain.com as the server address, without a port. If your server shows up, your domain works. If not, run nslookup -type=SRV _minecraft._tcp.play.yourdomain.com in a command prompt: you should see the port and play.yourdomain.com.

New records often work within minutes; in rare cases it takes up to 24 hours.

Minecraft Bedrock

Bedrock does not use SRV records. The A record does work: players enter play.yourdomain.com as the server address and the port separately, for example 19132. The Link to server tab works for a Bedrock server too.

Prefer a free address?

For Minecraft Java you can create a free address such as yourserver.trick-game.net in the game panel, under Subdomain. That subdomain works with an SRV record, so Java players do not type a port. A domain of your own is shorter and registered in your name.

Using Cloudflare?

Set the A record to DNS only (the grey cloud). The orange cloud is a proxy for websites; with it, players cannot reach your game server.