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You can give a Minecraft server a memorable address such as mc.example.com without asking players to type a port number. In Namecheap, create an A record that points the subdomain to the server’s IP address, then create an SRV record that tells Minecraft which port to use. The domain must use Namecheap BasicDNS, FreeDNS or PremiumDNS nameservers.

This guide explains the current record values, the Namecheap interface details that can vary, how to verify the saved records, and what to do when the address does not work immediately.

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What a custom Minecraft address actually contains

A friendly address does not replace your server’s network endpoint; it gives clients a DNS name that resolves to it. Two DNS records perform different jobs:

Record Example value Purpose
A mc → 203.0.113.42 Maps the subdomain to the server’s IPv4 address. Enter only the address, never a port.
SRV _minecraft._tcp.mc.example.com → port 25565, target mc.example.com Publishes the Minecraft service, transport protocol and port. Use the port on which your server is actually listening.

The IP address in the table is an example documentation address. Replace it with your server’s public IP. The target in an SRV record must be a hostname, not an IP address. The A record supplies the address for that hostname; the SRV record supplies the port.

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These instructions are intended for Minecraft clients that perform the standard Minecraft SRV lookup, most notably Java Edition. Some Bedrock clients and consoles require a separately entered port and may not use the same discovery behavior.

Check the DNS prerequisites first

Use a Namecheap DNS service

Namecheap’s SRV records work only when the domain is using BasicDNS, FreeDNS or PremiumDNS nameservers. If the domain points to another DNS host, adding records in Namecheap’s Advanced DNS page will not change the live zone.

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  1. Sign in to Namecheap and open Domain List.
  2. Select Manage for the domain you want to use.
  3. Open the Nameservers section and identify the active service.
  4. Continue only if it is BasicDNS, FreeDNS or PremiumDNS. If another provider is authoritative, create both records at that provider instead, or switch nameservers and wait for that change to propagate.

Nameserver changes are separate from the records described below and can take substantially longer to appear. Do not troubleshoot an A or SRV record until you know which provider is authoritative.

Collect the values you will need

  • The subdomain players will type, such as mc or play.
  • The server’s public IP address, with no colon and no port suffix.
  • The server’s configured listening port. Copy it from the server configuration or hosting panel rather than assuming a value.
  • The full hostname that will be used as the SRV target, such as mc.example.com.

If your public IP changes, the A record becomes stale. A custom hostname does not provide dynamic-IP updating by itself.

Step 1: Add the A record

The A record creates the hostname that will point at your server. In Namecheap, open the domain’s Advanced DNS page and use Add New Record.

  1. Choose A Record.
  2. In Host, enter only the label, for example mc. Do not type the entire domain if Namecheap appends it automatically.
  3. In Value, enter the public IPv4 address, for example 203.0.113.42. Do not enter :25565, a URL, or a protocol prefix.
  4. Leave TTL at Automatic, or select 30 minutes when that option is exposed.
  5. Save the record.

After saving, the resulting name should read like mc.example.com. If the interface displays a trailing dot, that is normal DNS notation.

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IPv6 and other address types

An A record carries IPv4 only. If your server is reachable exclusively over IPv6, the corresponding DNS type is AAAA, but the SRV setup still needs a hostname target and the client must support IPv6 connectivity. Do not put an IPv6 address into an A record.

Step 2: Add the Minecraft SRV record

Return to Advanced DNS, select Add New Record, and choose SRV Record. Namecheap’s field labels and how they combine the service, protocol and host can vary. The saved record—not the appearance of one input box—is what matters.

Use these SRV values

Field Value Why it matters
Service _minecraft Identifies Minecraft traffic.
Protocol _tcp, or the interface’s equivalent combined value Matches Minecraft’s TCP service.
Priority 0 Use the highest preference for a single destination.
Weight 5 Retain the commonly used value for this single-server setup.
Port Your server’s actual listening port This is the port clients will be directed to.
Target The full hostname, such as mc.example.com SRV targets must be names, not numeric IP addresses.
TTL Automatic Lets Namecheap apply its default caching behavior.

The service and protocol are conventionally written with leading underscores. Do not omit them when the interface expects separate values.

Where should the subdomain go?

This is the part most likely to differ between Namecheap instructions and third-party screenshots. The DNS owner name that must ultimately exist is:

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_minecraft._tcp.mc.example.com

Some versions of the form place mc in a Name or Host field while Service is _minecraft and Protocol is _tcp. Other versions combine the fields differently and require the subdomain to be included with the protocol, displayed as something similar to _tcp.mc. A guide published in 2021 also described that arrangement, but an older interface report is not proof of the current layout.

Do not enter the subdomain twice. After saving, inspect the complete record. If the resulting owner is _minecraft._tcp.mc.example.com, the placement is correct. If it becomes _minecraft._tcp.example.com, the SRV record is for the root name rather than your mc subdomain. If it becomes _minecraft._tcp.mc.mc.example.com, remove the duplicated label.

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Do not put the IP in Target

Entering an IP address in the SRV Target field is a common mistake. The target should be the same hostname created by the A record, for example mc.example.com. DNS then resolves that target to the IP. This two-record arrangement is required because SRV targets are hostnames.

Verify the records before testing Minecraft

DNS control panels can show a record as saved before recursive DNS servers have received it. Query the public DNS view for the exact names.

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Check the A record

On Windows, run:

nslookup mc.example.com

On macOS or Linux, run:

dig mc.example.com A

The answer should contain the server’s public IP and no unexpected old address. If it does not, check the nameserver prerequisite and the A-record Host value.

Check the SRV record

Query the service name, including both underscores:

nslookup -type=SRV _minecraft._tcp.mc.example.com

or:

dig _minecraft._tcp.mc.example.com SRV

The response should show priority 0, weight 5, the port you entered, and a target such as mc.example.com. A successful SRV response does not prove that the game server is running or that its firewall allows the port; it proves only that DNS is publishing the destination.

Connect using the custom address

  1. Open Minecraft Java Edition’s multiplayer screen.
  2. Choose Add Server or Direct Connection.
  3. Enter mc.example.com without a port.
  4. Save or connect.

The client should resolve the SRV record, obtain the target hostname and port, then connect to the server. If you deliberately enter a port after the hostname, you are overriding the convenience provided by SRV and testing a different connection path.

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How long DNS propagation takes

New records can appear within minutes, but caches and nameserver changes make timing variable. Reports for this type of change range from roughly 1–5 minutes in favorable cases to as long as 24 hours in the worst case. Namecheap’s default TTL is commonly reported as 30 minutes, but a resolver may retain an older answer until its existing cache expires.

During propagation, two people can receive different answers. Test from more than one network, such as a home connection and a mobile hotspot, and query the exact A and SRV names. Do not repeatedly delete and recreate records; that makes it harder to tell whether the issue is a typo or an old cache.

Troubleshooting by symptom

The hostname cannot be found

  • Confirm the A-record Host is only mc (or your chosen label), not a misspelled full domain.
  • Confirm the domain’s active nameservers are Namecheap BasicDNS, FreeDNS or PremiumDNS.
  • Check that the A record has finished propagating and returns the expected IP.

Minecraft says the server is offline, but DNS resolves

  • Confirm the SRV owner is exactly _minecraft._tcp.mc.example.com.
  • Check that the SRV Port matches the server’s configured listening port.
  • Check that Target is mc.example.com, not an IP, and that the A record for that target is correct.
  • Verify the server process is running, bound to the public interface, and allowed through the host and network firewalls.

The record appears saved but the lookup is empty

Inspect the complete saved owner name. The subdomain may have been placed in the wrong field for that version of the Namecheap form. Correct the placement so the final owner is _minecraft._tcp.mc.example.com, then allow caches to expire.

Players still reach an old server

Compare the current A-record answer with the old server’s address. If the IP changed, update the A record and wait for cached answers to expire. The SRV record usually does not need changing unless the port or target hostname changed.

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The address works for some players but not others

This usually indicates propagation or resolver caching. Have affected players retry after the TTL window, test from another network, and compare A and SRV query results. If both records are correct everywhere but connections fail selectively, investigate firewalls, ISP filtering or the server’s network reachability rather than editing DNS.

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Running more than one Minecraft server

Each distinct hostname needs its own A record and its own SRV record. For example, you might use survival.example.com and creative.example.com, each mapped to the appropriate destination and port. Do not create several unrelated SRV records under one hostname unless you intentionally understand SRV priority and weight behavior; clients may select among them.

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For a single server with multiple friendly names, each name needs an address record. You can point several A-record hosts at the same IP, but each SRV record must still identify the correct service owner and port.

Using the root domain instead of a subdomain

A subdomain such as mc.example.com is usually clearer because the A record and SRV owner are easy to distinguish. If you want players to use the bare domain, the A record must be created at the zone apex (often represented by @), and the SRV owner must correspond to the bare-domain service name, such as _minecraft._tcp.example.com. Namecheap may display apex fields differently from subdomain fields. Verify the saved owner and query it before publishing the address to players.

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Changing or removing the custom address

Changing the server IP

Edit the A record’s Value and leave the SRV Target unchanged if the hostname and port remain the same. Wait for DNS caches to update before assuming the old server is still receiving traffic.

Changing the port

Edit only the SRV Port when the hostname and IP are unchanged. Confirm that the server is listening on the new port and that firewalls allow it.

Retiring the address

Remove the SRV record first if you want clients to stop receiving a Minecraft service announcement, then remove the A record when the hostname is no longer needed. Cached answers can persist until their TTL expires.

What DNS does not do

  • It does not open a firewall port, start the Minecraft process or configure port forwarding on a home router.
  • It does not hide the server’s IP address. Anyone resolving the A record can discover it.
  • It does not automatically follow a changing residential IP.
  • It does not make an unreachable private address publicly accessible.

Configure the server, router and firewall separately. DNS is only the naming layer that directs a client to an already reachable endpoint.

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Final pre-publish checklist

  • The domain uses Namecheap BasicDNS, FreeDNS or PremiumDNS nameservers.
  • The A record Host is your subdomain label and its Value is the public IP with no port.
  • The SRV service is _minecraft and protocol is _tcp.
  • Priority is 0, Weight is 5, TTL is Automatic, and Port is the server’s actual port.
  • The SRV Target is the full hostname created by the A record.
  • The saved SRV owner is exactly _minecraft._tcp.<your-subdomain>.<your-domain>.
  • A and SRV lookups return the expected values from outside your local network.
  • The server is running, reachable on that port and permitted through every relevant firewall.

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