How I started a Minecraft server with $170 and Ebay
Hey guys, it's been a while since I've posted on Triteens. Today I am back with another story about how I built my new Minecraft server using only a $170 computer. I will show you how I used eBay to get the best deal on this well-kept computer. Read along and take some notes!
The Search
To understand how I managed to get this computer, we must first look at the search. I knew exactly what I needed: A decent CPU, RAM, and a good SSD. For people with a tight budget, using eBay is often the quickest method to find sweet deals. I looked for quite some time, coming across several servers which did not fit my needs. I then decided to look into consumer electronics. I narrowed my search by searching for computers without operating systems. I knew that by using Ubuntu, there was no need to have an operating system on any computer I bought and it saved me money.
The Find
After around 2-3 hours of searching nonstop, and pages of research and articles, I finally found a PC with 256GB SSD, 16GB RAM, and with an Intel Core i7-9700. This computer was the perfect starter for a Minecraft server. I could install Ubuntu and fire up a new server with exactly all the requirements and performance. Now for those of you reading, eBay has a "bidding" feature which means you could opt to bid for lower prices on the item you are trying to buy. Remember though, if someone bids higher than you on the offer or buys it now, then you will lose the item. If you have more time on your hands I recommend bidding on a lower price to see if you win the bid. If this isn't you then choosing "Buy Now" like me would be the better option as it allows you to skip the bidding process.
The Setup
First off, I tested the server using Fabric and a trains mod I had. Seeing it's good performance, I wiped the fabric installation. After that, I installed velocity and two paper servers. Next, I built a small lobby server that would hold players for maintenance and other purposes. Then I built a survival server where the main gameplay would take place. By now the excitement of starting something new was setting in! The most difficult process of this was setting up a working punishment system on Velocity due it being new. Running a 1.21 server a few days after its release also meant a lot of plugin incompatibility and issues.
After a few tweaks and configuring server files for a few days, I setup everything I needed to build my Minecraft server. I registered a domain, set up TCPShield, and got straight to testing the new server with friends! I continued testing and tweaking as necessary for the next few days. During this time, somehow I already had to ban 3 different hackers.
The Release
Finally, I released EnchantedMC (Now SkilletMC) which took 3 days to test. I posted some ads on listing websites and hoped to get some players!
Conclusion
This server is a prime example of how one man's trash is another man's treasure. It was from a recycling center's posting which was offering cheaper prices than usual. This is why I recommend eBay for resources like computers if you are on a budget. It might take more searching, but you can save a lot of money!
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