Documentation

Lantern is a desktop application designed to make creating, configuring and managing Minecraft Java Edition servers simple.

Your Minecraft server runs directly on your own computer, meaning your worlds and server files remain stored on your own hardware.

Lantern also manages the internet-facing side of your server, allowing players to connect using the custom server address you create.

Download Lantern from the Download page and follow the installation instructions for your operating system.

Lantern currently focuses on Windows support.

Open Lantern and select Create Server. You can choose your Minecraft version, server type, memory allocation and other basic settings.

During setup, you will also create a server address that players can use to connect to your server.

Lantern will create and organise the required server files for you.

Select a server from Lantern and use the Start button to launch it.

When you are finished, use the Stop button rather than closing the server process manually. This allows Minecraft to save the world properly before shutting down.

When you create a server in Lantern, you also create a custom server address that can be used to connect to it.

Your Minecraft server runs directly on your own computer, while Lantern manages the internet-facing connection through its server infrastructure.

You can use the server address created through Lantern in Minecraft's Multiplayer menu to connect to your server.

To let friends join, give them the server address you created when setting up your Lantern server.

Lantern handles the internet-facing side of the connection through its VPS infrastructure, while the actual Minecraft server continues running on your own computer.

Your computer must be switched on, connected to the internet and running the Minecraft server for players to be able to join.

The amount of memory your server needs depends on Minecraft version, player count, plugins, mods and world activity.

More RAM is not automatically better. Give the server enough memory for its workload while leaving enough available for Windows and other applications.

Minecraft server performance depends heavily on CPU performance. A faster processor can improve tick stability, world generation and performance when several players are online.

The number of players your server can comfortably support depends mainly on the hardware and internet connection of the computer running the Minecraft server.

Each connected player adds additional work for the server, including chunk loading, entities, world simulation and network traffic.

Lantern's VPS handles the internet-facing connection and server address, but the Minecraft server itself still runs on your own hardware. Your computer therefore remains the main factor affecting server performance.

View distance controls how many chunks around each player the server sends and maintains.

Reducing it can significantly improve performance on lower-powered hardware or larger servers.

Simulation distance determines how far away from players the server actively processes entities, redstone, crops and other game mechanics.

Lowering simulation distance can reduce the amount of work your computer needs to perform, particularly on servers with several players.

Vanilla provides the standard Minecraft server experience.

Paper includes performance improvements and additional configuration options, making it a useful choice for many multiplayer servers.

Lower view distance, avoid unnecessarily large memory allocations and keep player counts appropriate for your hardware.

Paper may also provide better performance than a standard Vanilla server in many situations.

Lantern account registration is currently under development.

Once account services are available, you will be able to sign in using the account section in the top-right of the Lantern website.

Password recovery functionality will become available alongside the full Lantern account system.

Account details will eventually be manageable from your Lantern account page.

A Lantern account is separate from your Microsoft or Minecraft account.

Lantern does not replace your Minecraft account and creating a Lantern account does not provide ownership of Minecraft.

Check that the selected Minecraft version has been installed correctly and that Lantern can locate a compatible Java installation.

First confirm that your Minecraft server is running and that the computer hosting it has an active internet connection.

You should also confirm that your Lantern server address is correct and that Lantern's connection to the server is active.

A timeout means Minecraft was unable to successfully establish a connection to the server.

Check that the server is currently running, your computer has an internet connection and you are using the correct Lantern server address.

This can occur when the connection reaches the host but the Minecraft server is not currently accepting connections.

Check that the server has completely finished starting before attempting to connect again.

Lantern attempts to detect Java automatically. If detection fails, you may need to install a compatible Java version or select its location manually.

Different Minecraft versions require different Java versions. Using an incompatible version can prevent the server from starting.

Your server may require more allocated memory, or your computer may not have enough available memory for the current configuration.

You can adjust the minimum and maximum RAM allocated to your server through Lantern's server settings.

Another application or Minecraft server may already be using the configured local server port.

Stop the conflicting application or configure the server to use another available port.

Windows Firewall may prevent Lantern or the Minecraft server from making the connections required for your server to operate correctly.

Allow the appropriate application through Windows Firewall rather than disabling your firewall completely.

The Minecraft server itself is hosted on your own computer. Your computer performs the actual work of running the Minecraft world, players, entities, plugins and other server processes.

Lantern manages the internet-facing side of the connection through its infrastructure and provides the custom server address that players use to connect.

Yes. Because the Minecraft server runs on your own computer, it needs to remain powered on and connected to the internet while players are using the server.

The Minecraft server and the connection required by Lantern must remain active for players to connect.

Closing or stopping the components responsible for running your server will make it unavailable to players.

Lantern is designed for Minecraft Java Edition servers.

Lantern is designed to support importing and running existing Minecraft worlds.

Lantern is designed to manage multiple Minecraft server profiles.

The number of servers you can run simultaneously will depend on the available resources of the computer hosting them.

Lantern is designed to manage the internet-facing connection to your server through its own infrastructure.

Players connect using the server address created through Lantern rather than directly connecting to your home network.

Your Minecraft server files are stored locally on the computer running Lantern.

This includes your worlds, server configuration, plugins, mods, logs and other server data.

The exact default Lantern server folder is still being finalised and will be documented here before release.

Use of Lantern and its online services will be subject to Lantern's Terms of Service.

The complete Terms of Service are currently being prepared and will be published before Lantern's public release.

Lantern's Privacy Policy will explain what information Lantern collects, why it is collected, how it is used and how long it is retained.

The complete Privacy Policy will be published before account registration and other online services become publicly available.

Lantern's online infrastructure must not be used for unlawful activity, abuse, attacks on other systems or other activity that could harm Lantern, its infrastructure or other users.

A complete Acceptable Use Policy will be published before Lantern's online services become publicly available.

Lantern is an independent project and is not an official Minecraft product.

Lantern is not approved by, associated with or endorsed by Mojang Studios or Microsoft.

Minecraft and related names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Minecraft servers created through Lantern run on hardware controlled by the user.

The user's computer is responsible for running the Minecraft server itself, including the world, players, entities, plugins, mods and other server processes.

Users remain responsible for the content, configuration and administration of servers they operate using Lantern.

Lantern provides infrastructure that can manage the internet-facing connection between a user-hosted Minecraft server and players connecting to it.

Players can connect using the server address created through Lantern while the Minecraft server itself continues to run on the user's own hardware.

Availability of Lantern's network services cannot be guaranteed at all times. Maintenance, technical problems or circumstances outside Lantern's control may temporarily affect connectivity.

Lantern accounts will be used to access features and services associated with the Lantern platform.

Information about what account data is stored, how it is protected and how users can request changes or deletion will be provided in Lantern's Privacy Policy.

A Lantern account is separate from a Microsoft or Minecraft account.

Some Lantern services or features may require a paid subscription in the future.

Pricing, billing periods, cancellation rights, renewals and any applicable refund terms will be clearly presented before a user purchases a subscription.

Lantern's original software, website, branding and associated materials are protected by applicable intellectual property laws.

Third-party software, trademarks and other materials remain the property of their respective owners.

Running a Minecraft server involves files and data stored on the user's own computer. Users should maintain appropriate backups of important worlds and server files.

Lantern's complete Terms of Service will contain the formal provisions governing liability and use of the service.

Lantern will provide a process for reporting suspected abuse of its network infrastructure or other violations of its policies.

[bedylsebub@gmail.com]

Questions relating to Lantern's legal policies, privacy or services can be directed to: