The more people playing, the more fun it can be, but in order to have multiple people playing these games with you, you either need to have a LAN party and a server at your house, or you need a dedicated server – with that you can play with your friends no matter where they are, as long as they have their computer and an internet connection.

 These rental servers seem like a good course of action, as you don’t have to take care of any of the technical elements yourself. But, sometimes remote hosting for gaming can be sort of a headache. Sometimes the server software will be outdated, or there will be lag issues during gameplay.

 If you’re looking to get the most from your online gaming experience, then setting up your own dedicated server is often the way to go.

 Setting up a dedicated server can get a bit technical, but the freedom of having your own online gaming environment can be quite tempting for some gamers.

 The steps for setting up your dedicated gaming server will be different based upon the actual game you want to play. We offer a few tips for getting your server setup for two of the most popular online multiplayer games, WOW and Minecraft.

 Before we jump into creating your very own server it’s important to note that you shouldn’t charge people to play on your server environment. This will only get you into legal trouble. Create a private gaming server for passion, not profit.

 World of Warcraft is played by millions of gamers around the globe. By utilizing the power of a private server you can emulate the experience of playing online while customizing certain elements for your own enjoyment.

 Before you set up your World of Warcraft server and start customizing you need to have some basic tools. For starters, you’ll need to install a tool called AC Web Ultimate Repack. For the steps below we utilized this one .

 Next you’ll need to collect your current map data. You can get this from your existing WOW account. You need to currently have access to the game to make the private server work.

 Open up the WOW folder and locate the file titled ‘maps’. Now you’ll need to go to ‘C:/AC Web Ultimate Repack/ Tools/Map Extractor enUS’ and copy the ‘maps’ folder and the ‘ad.exe’ to the folder. Then, run the ‘ad.exe’ program.

 Next, navigate to the file called ‘ascent-realms.conf’, and locate the portion that starts with ‘

 Now go back to the WOW directory and find the file called ‘realm list.wtf’. Delete the contents of the file and replace it with ‘set realm list 120.0.1’.

 You can then start your server by running ‘Control Panel.exe’ within your ‘SC Web Ultimate Repack’ directory. Once that runs, click on the first three buttons that appear and your server will be live, and you’ll be ready to game.

 Running a Minecraft server is much easier than a WOW server, so if the tutorial above overwhelmed you, then give the Minecraft server a try. The steps below are for those who are running Windows machines.

 The first thing you’ll need to do is ensure your machine is setup to host a personal server. For starters you’ll need enough RAM. The common requirement is 1GB of RAM for every four to five players you’re going to host on your server.

 To test your machine you can use the tool called CanIHostaMinecraftServer.com. This will tell you how many players your current system can support.

 You’ll need to have the latest version of Java installed for your server to work properly. Navigate to this page and install the latest version if need be.

 Next, you’ll need to download the server file from this website. Once you download the file it’s a good idea to create a folder on your site where you’ll store all of the necessary server files.

 Now all you have to do is open the .jar file you downloaded and the program will install all of the necessary files for you.

 The final step you’ll need to do is locate a file called ‘eula.txt’, and change the value ‘eula=false’ to ‘eula=true’, then save the file.

 Now your server is ready to rock. For a full list of Minecraft customization tweaks you can check out the guide here.

 Since the earliest days of PC gaming, the private or dedicated game server has been one of the top perks of PC gaming over other platforms. Instead of having to rely on potentially spotty multiplayer service from the developer or publisher, setting up your own dedicated server for compatible games allows you a level of stability, customizability, and control you might not always get with external servers.

 Whether you’re looking to play titles like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive*, ARK: Survival Evolved*, and Team Fortress 2*, or more lighthearted experiences like Minecraft*, running your own gaming server is a great way to have more control over where you and your friends play. Plus, you can still host your own TeamSpeak*, Mumble*, or other VoIP services on your private server, all within the parameters you define.

 Public multiplayer uses either client servers or peer-to-peer (P2P) hosting, both of which have shortcomings. Client servers are run by the main host (usually the game publisher or console manufacturer), which manages connections from many individual players. This server configuration works for most people, but there are disadvantages, such as a lack of customizability.

 P2P hosting is another popular choice for modern multiplayer gaming. P2P allows one player to dynamically act as a host that facilitates the connections of other players. With this setup, you’re reliant on the connection of whoever gets chosen as host, so a poor host connection means a poor experience for everyone.

 But with a dedicated gaming server for compatible games, you can play your favorite multiplayer games with fewer limits on performance and stability. You can experience the game the way you want, with less lag, and fewer dropped connections.

 One thing to keep in mind is that, unless you have high upload and download speeds, users connecting to your server over the internet may experience connectivity issues and lag. (You don't have to worry about this if you're setting up a local area network (LAN) that is only being used by friends on the same network.)

 A dedicated server is also a great way to get extra mileage out of an old PC. Using a separate PC for your gaming server frees up resources on your system, and helps ensure greater stability for both your gaming PC and your server.

 Here are some dedicated server hardware requirements that will help ensure you can host the latest games. These specs should be a decent baseline for most 32-player multiplayer games, but you may need even more power for games with 64 or more players. Keep in mind: The more players on your server, the greater the strain on your hardware.

 Solid State Drive (SSD) it's best not to run a server on a mechanical hard drive – the constant read-write actions and slower speeds could cause problems

 Many of the most commonly played PC games use Steam* for their multiplayer architecture, which offers a convenient and centralized way to set up a dedicated gaming server.

 Before you start, you’ll need to check out the Dedicated Servers list in the Steam* developer wiki to make sure that the game you’re looking to host is supported. (Don’t worry, almost all of the big non-Valve* games, like Killing Floor 2*, the Arma* series, Rust*, ARK*, and DayZ*, are on that list.) In the wiki above, you’ll also find helpful links to step-by-step setup instructions for some of the most popular titles.

 The wiki will also let you know whether you can set up a dedicated server for your game using the Steam* Client, or with SteamCMD*, a command-line-only version of Steam* that you can download for free.

 If you want to enable connections via the internet, you’ll likely need to make changes to your network/router setup. This Steam* help article has comprehensive instructions on how to configure your router or home network, as optimal settings will vary depending on your particular setup.

 For people who are comfortable working with the command line interface, SteamCMD* allows you to install and set up your dedicated server without having to install the full Steam* client on your server. To use SteamCMD*, you’ll need to know the Steam* App ID number of your game.