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To give a Java Edition Minecraft server a memorable address, create an A record for a subdomain and, when the server uses a non-default port, add an SRV record named _minecraft._tcp.<subdomain>. The A record identifies the server’s public IP address; the SRV record tells Minecraft which port to use, so players can connect without appending a port number.

What a “custom Minecraft server IP” actually is

A custom address is a DNS hostname such as play.example.org that points to your server. It is not a replacement public IP address and does not change the IP assigned by your hosting provider or internet service. DNS simply gives players a name that resolves to that address.

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Java Edition has supported Minecraft SRV lookups since version 1.3.1. When a player enters a hostname, the client can look up _minecraft._tcp.<hostname> and obtain the port automatically. That is why a player can use play.example.org instead of play.example.org:25570 when the server is running on a custom port.

When you need an A record, an SRV record, or both

Server setup DNS records What players enter
Java server on the default port 25565 An A record is generally sufficient play.example.org
Java server on a custom port, such as 25570 An A record plus an SRV record play.example.org
Several SRV records using the same name Each record needs priority and weight values The client selects according to those values

The SRV target must be a hostname that has an A record. Do not put the raw IP address in the SRV target field. For example, you can point play.example.org to the IP address and use that same hostname as the SRV target, or create a separate host such as mc.example.org and target it from the SRV record.

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If your server listens on port 25565, adding an SRV record is optional for the usual Java connection. If it listens on another port and you want players to omit the port, use the SRV record.

What you need before opening cPanel

  • Access to the cPanel account that controls the domain’s DNS zone.
  • The server’s public IPv4 address, copied exactly from the server host or control panel.
  • The Minecraft listening port. The default Java port is 25565; use the actual configured port if it differs.
  • A hostname you want players to use, for example play.example.org.
  • Confirmation that the domain’s nameservers point to the DNS zone you are editing. If DNS is hosted elsewhere, a cPanel change will not publish to the internet.

cPanel interfaces vary by host and version. The names below match the common Zone Editor layout, but confirm the live labels and field order shown by your provider before saving a record.

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Step 1: Choose the hostname structure

Use a player-facing subdomain

For a domain named example.org, a practical player-facing name is play.example.org. The label play is only an example; mc, server or another short label works the same way.

Decide whether to use one host or two

The simplest arrangement uses one hostname for both records:

  • A record: play.example.org → your public IP address.
  • SRV target: play.example.org.

A two-host arrangement separates the technical endpoint from the name players type:

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  • A record: mc.example.org → your public IP address.
  • SRV record for play.example.org → target mc.example.org.

Either arrangement is valid. The important requirement is that the SRV target resolves through an A record and is written as a hostname, not an IP address.

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Step 2: Add the A record in cPanel Zone Editor

  1. Sign in to cPanel and open Zone Editor.
  2. Select the domain that should own the Minecraft address.
  3. Open the menu beside the domain and choose Add Record, then Add A Record (the exact wording can differ).
  4. In the Name field, enter the host label or full hostname accepted by your panel. For the example above, this may be play or play.example.org.
  5. Leave TTL at the panel’s default, commonly 14400 seconds, unless your DNS administrator has a specific value.
  6. Enter the server’s public IPv4 address in Record or Address.
  7. Save the record.

After saving, inspect the resulting row. cPanel may display the completed name with a trailing dot or append the domain automatically. That is normal. Check that the address is the server’s public IP, not a private address such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x.

Step 3: Add the Minecraft SRV record

  1. In Zone Editor, choose Add Record for the same domain.
  2. Select SRV as the record type.
  3. Enter the service name in the format _minecraft._tcp.<subdomain>. For play.example.org, the completed name is _minecraft._tcp.play.example.org. Some cPanel panels expect only _minecraft._tcp.play and append the domain automatically; use the format indicated by the panel’s examples.
  4. Set Priority to 0.
  5. Set Weight to 0 for a single record. If your host’s form supplies another default, such as 5, the weight has no selection effect while there is only one SRV record.
  6. Enter the Minecraft listening port, such as 25565 or 25570, in Port.
  7. Enter the A-record hostname in Target, such as play.example.org or mc.example.org. Do not enter the numeric IP address here.
  8. Save the record.
SRV field Example value Purpose
Name _minecraft._tcp.play.example.org Identifies Minecraft’s TCP service for the player-facing hostname
Priority 0 Lower values are preferred when multiple records share the name
Weight 0 Distributes selection among records with the same priority; it is immaterial for one record
Port 25565 or your configured port The TCP port on which the server accepts connections
Target play.example.org or mc.example.org A hostname with an A record; never a raw IP address

DNS providers format SRV names differently. If cPanel automatically adds example.org, entering the full domain can create a duplicated name. If it requires a fully qualified name, entering only the short label can create the wrong record. Read the saved record after submission and verify the complete name is exactly _minecraft._tcp.play.example.org (or your chosen hostname).

Step 4: Wait for DNS propagation and verify each record

DNS changes are cached according to their TTL. Some networks see a new record quickly, while others continue using an older answer until their cache expires. Keep the old endpoint available during this period if players already use it.

Check the A record

From a computer with DNS tools installed, run:

nslookup play.example.org

On systems with dig, use:

dig play.example.org A

The answer should contain the server’s public IP address. If it does not, confirm the domain’s authoritative nameservers and the A-record name in cPanel.

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Check the SRV record

nslookup -type=SRV _minecraft._tcp.play.example.org

Or:

dig _minecraft._tcp.play.example.org SRV

The response should show the configured priority, weight, port and target hostname. Querying the SRV name without the _minecraft._tcp prefix will not test the Minecraft record.

Test from Minecraft

  1. Open Minecraft Java Edition and select Multiplayer.
  2. Choose Add Server.
  3. Enter only play.example.org in the server-address field.
  4. Save and refresh the list.
  5. Check the displayed status and join the server.

A Minecraft status-checking service can also confirm whether the hostname, SRV port and server response agree, but a status result does not replace checking that the game server is listening on the intended interface and port.

Configure the server and network for the new address

Confirm the listening port

The SRV port must match the port configured by the server software. If the server uses 25570 but the SRV record says 25565, DNS will resolve successfully and players will still receive a connection failure.

Allow the port through the firewall

The host firewall, operating-system firewall and any upstream security group must allow inbound TCP traffic on the Minecraft port. DNS cannot open a blocked port. If the server is behind a home router, forward the chosen port to the machine running Minecraft and use the router’s public IP in the A record.

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Use a stable public endpoint

If the public IP changes, the A record becomes stale even though the SRV record remains correct. Update the A record whenever the address changes, or use an IP-management method supported by your network provider. Never point the SRV record directly at a changing numeric address; its target remains a hostname.

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Common failures and precise fixes

Symptom Likely cause Fix
The hostname does not resolve The A record was added in a zone that is not authoritative, or the name was entered incorrectly Check the domain’s nameservers, then query the exact hostname and review the saved cPanel name
The hostname resolves but Minecraft uses the wrong port The SRV name is malformed, or its port does not match the server Query _minecraft._tcp.<hostname>; correct the service, protocol, port or target
SRV lookup returns an IP-address target error The numeric IP was entered in the Target field Create or use an A-record hostname and place that hostname in Target
Players must still type the port The client cannot find the SRV record, or the server is not Java Edition Verify the Java client, exact SRV name and propagation; do not assume Bedrock follows the same lookup rules
DNS tools show the new value but players cannot join The Minecraft process, firewall or router is not accepting the advertised port Test the server locally, inspect listening sockets and firewall rules, then test from an external network
Only some players can connect Different resolvers still hold cached DNS data, or networks reach different public paths Allow time for TTL-based caching to expire and compare A/SRV answers from more than one network

Priority and weight when you have more than one server

Priority and weight matter when several SRV records use the same service name. A client prefers records with the lowest priority. Weight can then influence distribution among records sharing that priority. For a single Minecraft server, use priority 0 and a conventional weight of 0; there is no second endpoint for the client to choose.

Do not create several records merely to make one server easier to find. Multiple records are an availability or distribution design and require every target hostname, port and server to be maintained correctly.

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Java Edition and Bedrock Edition are not interchangeable here

The documented Minecraft SRV behavior described above applies to Java Edition. The supplied cPanel procedure does not establish equivalent Bedrock Edition rules, including how Bedrock handles an A record, a custom port or a proxy. If your community uses Bedrock, verify the connection method for the specific server software and client version before promising that players can omit the port.

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Using DNS outside cPanel

cPanel is only the editing interface. If your domain’s DNS is managed by a registrar or a separate DNS provider, create the same logical records in that provider’s zone editor:

  • An A record for the chosen hostname pointing to the public server IP.
  • An SRV record named _minecraft._tcp.<chosen-hostname>, with the correct priority, weight, port and hostname target.

The labels may be split into fields such as Service (_minecraft), Protocol (_tcp) and Name (play). What matters is the fully qualified record produced by the provider, not whether its form resembles cPanel.

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Safe changes and ongoing maintenance

  • Record the current A and SRV values before editing so you can restore a working configuration.
  • Change the SRV port whenever the Minecraft server port changes; changing only the application setting leaves DNS advertising the old port.
  • Keep the SRV target’s A record in the same working state. Deleting that A record breaks the SRV path even if the SRV row remains visible.
  • Use a short, memorable hostname for players and reserve technical hostnames for administration or testing.
  • After every DNS edit, query both records and perform a real Java connection from outside the server’s local network.

Final connection checklist

  1. The domain’s authoritative DNS is the zone edited in cPanel.
  2. The player-facing hostname has an A record containing the correct public IP.
  3. The SRV name is exactly _minecraft._tcp.<player-hostname>.
  4. The SRV target is a hostname with an A record, never a numeric IP.
  5. The SRV port equals the Minecraft server’s listening port.
  6. Priority and weight are set, normally to 0 and 0 for one server.
  7. The firewall, router and hosting security rules allow that TCP port.
  8. Java Edition can join using only the hostname after DNS caches refresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the server IP as the SRV target?

No. An SRV target must be a hostname. Point an A record at the server IP and use that hostname in the SRV Target field.

Do I need an SRV record if the server uses port 25565?

Usually not for Java Edition. An A record normally lets players connect on the default port; SRV is needed when you want to hide a non-default port.

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Why does cPanel show a different SRV name format?

Some panels expect a full name such as _minecraft._tcp.play.example.org, while others append the domain and expect only the relative portion. Verify the complete saved name after adding it.

Will this setup automatically work for Bedrock players?

Do not assume so. The documented SRV behavior here is for Java Edition, and Bedrock compatibility depends on the server and connection method.

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