How to Set Up a Custom Domain for Your Minecraft Server

Replace your numeric Minecraft server IP with a custom domain like play.yourserver.com using A and SRV DNS records.

A custom domain like play.yourserver.com is easier to share, looks more professional, and lets you change hosting providers later without your players needing a new IP. You set it up with two DNS records: an A record (maps domain → IP) and optionally an SRV record (lets you hide a non-default port).

Most-asked question: Do I need an SRV record? Only if your server uses a port other than 25565. With the default port, an A record alone is enough.

What You Need

A domain you own (Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy, Porkbun, etc.)
Your server's IP address and port from the Network tab in the XGamingServer Panel
Access to your domain's DNS management page

Set Up the Domain

Get your server IP and port

In the panel, click Network in the sidebar. Note:

IP address (e.g., 123.45.67.89)
Port (e.g., 25565 — but it might be different)

Log in to your registrar's DNS page

Go to your domain registrar (where you bought the domain) and find the DNS or DNS Management section.

Create an A record

Add a new record with these settings:

Field	Value
Type	A
Name / Host	`play` (or whatever subdomain you want — `mc`, `server`, `@` for root domain)
Value / Target	Your server's numeric IP from step 1
TTL	Auto, or `3600` (1 hour)
Proxy (Cloudflare only)	DNS only (grey cloud) — never proxied

Cloudflare warning: If you use Cloudflare DNS, the record must be set to DNS only (grey cloud). Cloudflare's HTTP proxy (orange cloud) cannot tunnel Minecraft traffic. Players will get connection errors if it's proxied.

(Optional) Create an SRV record for non-default ports

Skip this step if your port is 25565. If your port is anything else and you want players to connect without typing the port, add:

Field	Value
Type	SRV
Name / Host	`_minecraft._tcp.play`
Service	`_minecraft`
Protocol	`_tcp`
Priority	`0`
Weight	`5`
Port	Your actual server port
Target	`play.yourserver.com` (the A record you created)
TTL	Auto, or `3600`

Now players can connect with just play.yourserver.com — no port needed.

Wait for DNS propagation

DNS changes can take 15 minutes to 48 hours to propagate worldwide. Most providers update in 5–30 minutes.

Test propagation with:

nslookup play.yourserver.com

The IP returned should match your panel's Network IP.

Test in Minecraft

Open Minecraft → Multiplayer → Add Server, and enter play.yourserver.com. The server should appear with full ping.

A Record vs SRV Record

Use case	Records you need
Default port 25565	A record only
Non-default port, players type the port	A record only
Non-default port, hide it from players	A record + SRV record
Multiple servers behind one domain	A record + multiple SRV records

Cloudflare-Specific Setup

Cloudflare is the most common gotcha. The required settings:

Setting	Value
Record type	A
Proxy status	DNS only (grey cloud)
TTL	Auto

If you see the orange cloud icon, click it to toggle to grey. Otherwise the connection silently fails.

For SRV records on Cloudflare, use Cloudflare's split SRV form (Service, Protocol, Name fields are separate — don't combine them into one).

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Cloudflare orange cloud (proxied)	Toggle to grey cloud (DNS only)
A record points to old IP	Update value to current panel IP
SRV record's Target doesn't match the A record	They must match exactly
Forgot to wait for propagation	Wait 15–30 minutes minimum
Used `https://` or `www.` in the value	Just the IP — no protocol prefix
Players still type the port	They cached the old address — clear server list
Used wrong subdomain in SRV Name	Must be `_minecraft._tcp.<your_subdomain>`

Verify with Online Tools

https://dnschecker.org — see propagation across the world
https://mcsrvstat.us — checks both A and SRV records and pings the server

How to Set Up a Custom Domain for Your Minecraft Server

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