An IP address like 185.228.81.34:25567 is hard to remember and looks unprofessional. A domain like play.myserver.com is recognizable, easy to share, and gives your server a proper identity. Connecting a domain takes five minutes and a domain costs a few euros per year.
How it works
Minecraft supports SRV records. An SRV record tells the Minecraft client: "when someone connects to play.myserver.com, send them to this IP on this port." The player types only the domain; the client resolves the rest behind the scenes. No port number needed in the server list.
Step 1: register a domain
Buy a domain from any registrar. At HostValues you can register .com, .nl, .eu and other extensions directly. If you already own a domain elsewhere, that works too. You just need access to its DNS settings.
Step 2: set up DNS records
You need two DNS records:
- A record: points the subdomain to your server's IP address.
Type: A | Name:play(ormc, or whatever you prefer) | Value:your.server.ip| TTL: 3600 - SRV record: tells the Minecraft client which port to use.
Type: SRV | Name:_minecraft._tcp.play| Priority: 0 | Weight: 5 | Port:25565(or your actual port) | Target:play.myserver.com| TTL: 3600
The SRV record is necessary when your server does not run on the default port 25565. If your server does run on 25565, the A record alone is enough and players can connect with just the subdomain.
Step 3: test the connection
DNS changes can take up to 24 hours to propagate, but usually work within an hour. Test by entering your domain in the Minecraft client under "Server Address". Leave out the port; the SRV record handles that.
If it does not work immediately, wait an hour and try again. You can check whether your DNS records have propagated using a tool like dnschecker.org.
Subdomain or root domain?
Use a subdomain (play.myserver.com, mc.myserver.com) rather than the bare root domain (myserver.com). Keep the root domain for your website. A subdomain also gives you flexibility: play for the main server, creative for a creative server, hub for a network proxy.
Multiple servers on one domain
You can point multiple subdomain to different servers or ports. Each subdomain gets its own A record and SRV record:
survival.myserver.compointing to port 25565creative.myserver.compointing to port 25566hub.myserver.compointing to your Velocity proxy
Players type the subdomain they want, and each one connects to the right server automatically.
Cloudflare and Minecraft
If you use Cloudflare for DNS, make sure the A record for your Minecraft subdomain has the orange cloud turned off (DNS only, gray cloud). Cloudflare's proxy does not support Minecraft traffic on non-HTTP ports. Proxying it will break the connection. This is the most common cause of "can't connect" issues when using Cloudflare.
Troubleshooting DNS issues
If your domain does not work after setting up the records:
- Wait for propagation. New DNS records can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours to propagate globally. Most resolve within an hour.
- Check the SRV record format. The name must be exactly
_minecraft._tcp.play(replace "play" with your subdomain). A typo here silently breaks the record. - Verify the A record resolves. Run
nslookup play.myserver.comordig play.myserver.comin a terminal. It should return your server IP. - Check the port. The port in the SRV record must match the port your server actually listens on. If your server uses 25567, the SRV record must say 25567.
- Confirm the server is online. A domain pointing to a server that is stopped or crashed still results in a connection error.
Can I use a free domain?
Free domains (like .tk or .ml) are often associated with spam and may be blocked by some networks. A .com or .nl domain costs less than 10 euros per year and looks far more trustworthy to players.
Does the domain work for Bedrock players?
Bedrock Edition does not support SRV records. Bedrock players must enter the IP address and port manually. This is a limitation of Bedrock, not your server. If you use Geyser, Bedrock players connect to the Geyser port (19132 by default) using the server IP directly. There is currently no way to give Bedrock players a clean domain-only experience without a proxy on the default port.
Can I point a domain to a server on a game hosting plan?
Yes. You do not need a VPS. Any server with a known IP and port can have a domain pointed at it. Create the A and SRV records as described above, using the IP and port shown in your game panel. The server does not need to be on port 25565; the SRV record handles the port redirection transparently.
How long does DNS propagation take?
It varies. Most DNS changes propagate within 30 minutes to an hour. In rare cases, it can take up to 24 hours. If you just created the records and it does not work yet, wait an hour and try again before troubleshooting further. You can monitor propagation progress at dnschecker.org by entering your subdomain.
You can register domains directly at HostValues. DNS settings are managed through the client panel.
