So you’ve followed our guide on ordering a Minecraft server and you’re keen to play on your new Minecraft server. But how do you get started?
# Logging into the Control Panel
Once you've successfully paid for your order, check your registered email inbox for the email containing your Minecraft server details and Shockbyte panel login information.
Your Shockbyte Control Panel will provide you with access to all controls of your server, including starting and stopping it, configuration, and world settings. You’ll need to sign in here before connecting to your server.
# Starting Your Server for the First Time
Once you’ve signed into your control panel, the first screen you will see is your server setup page.
Before starting your server, you’ll need to select a server type and setup your server. We recommend using PaperMC, as it is one of the most optimized Minecraft server types available. You can read more about our available server types here.
Once you have setup your server, press Start to start the server and generate the necessary files. Your server may take a few minutes to fully start for the first time, but don’t worry, this is completely normal.
# Connecting to Your Server
To connect to your server, you’ll need your Server Address. You can find this address on your control panel.
Once you’ve found your server address, you can follow our guides to connect for the first time:
# Adding Yourself as an Operator
As the owner, it is important that you have full control over your Minecraft world. This can be done by adding yourself as an operator.
An operator (op) is someone who has access to commands that are used to manage the server. Controls given to operators include access to moderation commands, changing the server difficulty, whitelisting, and more. You can view a list of operator commands here.
You can op a player by typing op [username] in the console.
# Configuring your Server Settings
When you first start up the server, there may be some settings that you wish to change to suit your needs. This can all be done in your control panel.
Important
When configuring your server, you may want to enable whitelist to prevent unwanted players from griefing your server!
To find your server settings, go to the Config Files in the top menu of your server. Before making any changes, ensure that your server is stopped.
You can find our guide on changing your server settings here.
To learn more about Minecraft server hosting, you can browse our library of Knowledgebase articles here.
