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To host an RLCraft Dregora server, download the pack’s server pack, install Forge 1.12.2, run it with Java 8, accept the EULA, configure server.properties, and forward TCP port 25565 to the host computer. Every player must install the identical Dregora version. The most important download rule is stated on the pack listing: “Download and use the Server Pack not the Client pack!”
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What you need before installing
This procedure is for a self-hosted Java Edition server running RLCraft Dregora on Minecraft 1.12.2 with Forge. It covers server installation and networking, not the client-side installation process or a guide to the modpack’s in-game content.
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- A computer that can stay online while people play, with enough free storage for the server pack, generated world, logs and backups.
- Permission to install software, create files and change firewall rules on that computer.
- Access to your router’s administration page if players will connect from outside your home network.
- The exact Dregora release your group intends to use.
- A Java 8 installation. Guides for the RLCraft 1.12.2 base report that newer Java versions can trigger Forge’s
InvocationTargetExceptionat startup.
Do not begin by downloading a normal client installation and trying to turn it into a server. The server pack contains the server-specific files and instructions. Read its SERVER README OR DIE.txt before changing anything.
Choose and verify the Dregora version
Dregora file information is inconsistent across listings, so verify the release immediately before downloading. One CurseForge listing snippet identifies v1.1.2b, dated December 2, 2025, with a matching server pack. Search results also show a Dregora server-pack file marked v1.0.6b. A setup guide mentions 2.9.3, which may describe the underlying RLCraft pack rather than Dregora itself.
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Open the pack’s current Files tab, identify the Dregora version your friends will use, and download the server pack for that same release. Do not mix a newer client with an older server. Minecraft may fail to connect, report missing mods, or produce a different world when versions do not match.
- Record the exact Dregora release number and publication date shown on the Files tab.
- Download the server-pack archive belonging to that release, not a similarly named client archive.
- Keep the archive until the server has started successfully; it is useful for restoring missing files.
- Send the same release number to every player before they install their clients.
Install Java 8 and make the server use it
Minecraft 1.12.2 and Forge 1.12.2 are commonly run with Java 8 for this pack. The important detail is not merely having Java 8 installed: the start script must point to the Java 8 executable. If the computer chooses a newer Java first, Forge can stop with an InvocationTargetException.
Windows
Install a 64-bit Java 8 runtime or development kit, then locate java.exe. A typical location is under C:Program FilesJava, but the folder name depends on the distribution and update. Open Command Prompt and test the executable directly:
"C:Program FilesJava<your-java-8-folder>binjava.exe" -versionThe output should identify version 8. If java -version without a full path reports a newer release, that does not matter as long as the server’s batch file uses the explicit Java 8 path.
Linux or macOS
Install a Java 8 package appropriate to the operating system, then find its executable with the system’s Java tools. Test the selected path:
/path/to/java8/bin/java -versionUse that full path in the start script rather than relying on whichever java command appears first in the shell’s PATH.
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Create a clean server folder
- Create a new folder dedicated to this server, such as
RLCraft-Dregora-Server. Avoid placing it inside a client’s mod or launcher directory. - Extract the downloaded server pack into that folder.
- Read
SERVER README OR DIE.txtand follow any release-specific instructions before installing Forge. - Keep the folder path simple and writable. Paths containing unusual symbols or restrictive cloud-sync locations can complicate scripts and file permissions.
- Do not delete configuration, libraries, mods or scripts supplied by the server pack unless its README explicitly tells you to.
The server pack is the authoritative starting point for that release. If it includes a start script, inspect it for the intended memory and Java settings instead of replacing it immediately.
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Install Forge 1.12.2 as a server
The RLCraft setup guidance recommends Forge 1.12.2-14.23.5.2860 or newer within the 1.12.2 line. Use a Forge installer that matches Minecraft 1.12.2; a Forge installer for another Minecraft version will not produce a compatible server.
- Download the Forge 1.12.2 installer corresponding to the version required by the pack instructions.
- Run the installer.
- Select Install server, not the client option.
- Choose the dedicated server folder you created for the extracted pack.
- Allow the installer to download or create the required Forge libraries.
- When installation finishes, identify the generated Forge server jar.
- Rename the generated server jar to
forge.jarif the pack’s script expects that filename.
Do not rename a jar blindly if the server README specifies another name. The start command, file name and actual jar must agree. If Forge reports that a library is missing, rerun the installer with internet access and verify that you selected the server folder rather than a temporary directory.
Write the start script
A guide for the RLCraft base provides this example:
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"C:Program FilesJava<your-java-8-folder>binjava.exe" -Xms4G -Xmx6G -jar forge.jar nogui
pauseOn Linux or macOS, save an executable file named start.sh:
#!/bin/sh
/path/to/java8/bin/java -Xms4G -Xmx6G -jar forge.jar noguiMake it executable on Linux or macOS with chmod +x start.sh, then run it from the server folder. The -Xms4G value is the initial heap and -Xmx6G is the maximum heap in this supplied example. Treat those values as a starting configuration, not a guarantee for every machine or player count. Leave operating-system memory available for Forge, file caching and other services; increase or decrease the values only after observing actual performance and the machine’s available RAM.
The nogui option starts the server without the graphical console, which is useful on a dedicated machine. Keep the terminal or Command Prompt window open while the server runs unless you use a separate service manager.
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Run the server once and accept the EULA
- Start the batch or shell script from the server folder.
- Let Forge create its libraries, configuration files and world files.
- When startup stops and an EULA message appears, close the process.
- Open
eula.txtand changeeula=falsetoeula=trueonly after reading and accepting Mojang’s EULA. - Start the script again.
On a successful first run, the console eventually reports that the server is ready for commands. The first world creation can take considerably longer than later starts because terrain and mod data are being generated. Do not terminate the process repeatedly while it is writing files.
Configure server.properties
Stop the server cleanly by entering stop in the console before editing configuration. Open server.properties in a plain-text editor. The default Java server port is 25565; the corresponding setting is:
server-port=25565You may choose another unused port, but then the router rule, firewall rule and address given to players must all use the same number. If you leave the default, players on the internet will normally connect using your public address with port 25565.
The RLCraft guidance also recommends:
enable-command-block=trueThis setting is intended to allow structures and villager spawns to generate correctly in the pack. Save the file, then restart the server so the change is loaded.
Useful settings to check
| Setting | Recommended action for this setup | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
server-port |
Leave at 25565 unless you have a conflict |
It is the default Minecraft Java port and must match networking rules. |
enable-command-block |
Set to true |
The RLCraft guidance associates it with correct structure and villager generation. |
server-ip |
Usually leave blank | Binding to an incorrect local address can prevent the server from listening. |
motd |
Customize if desired | Displays a description in the multiplayer list; it does not affect compatibility. |
Open the port on the computer and router
Players on the same home network can usually connect through the host computer’s private IPv4 address without router port forwarding. Players outside the network need a router rule that forwards the Minecraft port to the host computer.
Find the host’s private address
- On Windows, run
ipconfigand note the IPv4 address of the active network adapter. - On Linux, use the network settings or
ip addrto identify the LAN address. - On macOS, inspect the active network interface in Network settings.
Reserve that address in the router’s DHCP settings or configure a static address. Otherwise, the host may receive a different private address later and the forwarding rule will point to the wrong computer.
Create the router forwarding rule
- Sign in to the router’s administration interface.
- Open the section named Port Forwarding, NAT, Virtual Server or a similar label.
- Create a rule for TCP port
25565(and UDP only if your router requires a combined rule). - Set the destination to the host computer’s reserved private IPv4 address.
- Save or apply the rule, then restart the router only if its interface requests it.
Router menus differ by manufacturer and firmware, so the labels and screenshots in one guide may not match yours. If your internet provider uses carrier-grade NAT, inbound forwarding may not work even when the router rule is correct; in that case, ask the provider whether you have a publicly reachable IPv4 address or use a hosted server instead.
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Allow the server through the firewall
When the operating system asks whether Java may communicate on private networks, allow it for the network profile used by the host. If you create a manual rule, allow inbound TCP 25565 for the Java process or server port. Keep the rule limited to the required port rather than disabling the firewall entirely.
Test from outside the home network, for example with a friend connecting through the public address or with a port-checking service. Testing from inside the same LAN can give a false result on routers that do not support NAT loopback.
Give players the correct connection details
Players on the same LAN should use the host’s private address, such as 192.168.x.x:25565. Remote players should use your public address and the forwarded port. If the port is 25565, Minecraft often allows the address without typing the port; including :25565 makes the intended port explicit.
Every player must install the same Dregora release, Minecraft 1.12.2, Forge-compatible client files and matching mod configuration. A player using the wrong release may see a mod-list mismatch, missing registry entries, a failed handshake or a disconnect during login. Agree on the version before anyone creates a long-term character or base.
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- The server pack, not the client pack, is installed.
- The server README has been read and its release-specific instructions followed.
- Forge is installed for Minecraft 1.12.2 at the recommended 14.23.5.2860-or-newer level.
- The script explicitly calls Java 8.
eula.txtcontainseula=trueafter acceptance.enable-command-block=trueis present.server-port=25565matches the router and firewall rules.- The host computer’s private address is reserved.
- The selected Dregora version matches every player’s client.
- A backup location exists before the first major exploration session.
Troubleshooting common failures
Forge stops with InvocationTargetException
Check the Java version used by the script, not only the version shown by a system-wide command. Replace a generic java command with the full path to a Java 8 executable. Confirm that the Forge jar is for Minecraft 1.12.2 and that the script’s jar name matches the file in the folder.
The server says the EULA has not been accepted
Stop the process, open eula.txt in the actual server directory, and change the value to eula=true. If a second EULA file appears elsewhere, you may have started the script from the wrong working directory.
Players get a mod mismatch or missing-mod error
Compare the exact Dregora release, Forge version and installed mod files on the server and client. Re-download the matching server pack and have affected players reinstall the corresponding client profile. Do not copy random mods from a different release into a live world.
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Local players can connect, but remote players cannot
Verify that the server is listening on 25565, the host firewall allows Java, the router forwards the port to the current private address and the remote player is using the public address. Test from a different internet connection. If the public address changes, update the address you give players. Carrier-grade NAT can prevent inbound connections regardless of local settings.
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Confirm that enable-command-block=true is saved and that the server was restarted after editing it. Check that the Dregora server pack is installed rather than a client archive and that the world was generated with the intended release.
The server stops during world generation
Read the final console error before restarting. Check available RAM, disk space, Java selection and the latest.log file. Avoid deleting the world until you have copied it for investigation. A fresh test world can distinguish a configuration problem from corruption in one existing save.
Backups, updates and safe maintenance
Back up before changes
Stop the server with the stop command, wait for the save to complete, then copy the world folder and important configuration files to storage outside the live server directory. A backup made while region files are being written may be incomplete.
Update deliberately
- Write down the current Dregora, Forge and Java versions.
- Read the new server pack’s README.
- Make a complete backup of the world and configuration.
- Install the new pack in a separate test folder rather than overwriting the working server.
- Test startup and player login with a copy of the world.
- Only then schedule the live update and tell players which client version to install.
Never assume that a file labeled “latest” is compatible with the version your group is already using. Recheck the CurseForge Files tab at every update because the available Dregora labels have appeared inconsistently.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesDregora RL is not the Dregora server pack
Dregora RL is a separate overworld-generator mod designed to work with RLCraft. Its newest listed file is DregoraRL-3.9.2.jar for Minecraft 1.12.2 and Forge, dated October 3, 2026. That jar is not a replacement for the Dregora modpack’s server files. Installing it does not eliminate the need for the correct server pack, Forge installation, Java version or matching client setup. Add it only when the specific pack instructions require it and when the file matches the release being played.
Self-hosting versus a hosted server
A managed host can provide a one-click Dregora installation for Minecraft 1.12.2 with Forge. This removes most Java, Forge and router configuration, but it introduces a recurring fee and may use the provider’s selected pack version. Self-hosting gives you direct control over files, versions, backups, hardware and operating-system settings.
| Consideration | Self-hosted computer | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | No hosting subscription, but you supply hardware, electricity and internet service. | Recurring charge; hardware and bandwidth are supplied by the provider. |
| Technical work | You install Java 8, Forge, the server pack, firewall rules and port forwarding. | The provider usually handles Java, Forge and public networking through a control panel. |
| Version control | You choose the exact server-pack release and can retain older files for rollback. | Installation tools may offer only the provider’s available Dregora versions. |
| Hardware and performance | You control CPU, memory allocation, storage and operating-system tuning. | Resources depend on the selected plan and the provider’s node. |
| Uptime | The server is available only while your computer, network and power remain online. | Designed for continuous availability, subject to the provider’s maintenance and outages. |
| Privacy and administration | World files and logs stay on equipment you manage. | Files are stored on a third-party service and managed through its tools. |
Choose self-hosting when you want maximum control and are comfortable troubleshooting Java, Forge and networking. Choose hosting when reliable public access matters more than local control and a recurring cost is acceptable. In either case, verify the exact Dregora version before creating the world.
Practical launch sequence
For a clean installation, follow this order: verify the release on the Files tab; download the server pack; read its README; install Java 8; install Forge 1.12.2; rename the Forge jar to forge.jar when required by the script; create the Java 8 start script; run once; accept the EULA; set enable-command-block=true; confirm port 25565; configure the firewall and router; then test a local and a remote connection. This order isolates version, Java, Forge, configuration and networking errors instead of mixing them together.
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