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How to Use a Custom Domain for Your Minecraft Server (SRV Record Guide)

By FreeGameHost Team  •  Updated April 2026  •  8 min read

Your FreeGameHost server comes with an address that looks something like abc123.freegamehost.xyz:25692. It works perfectly, but if you want players to connect using something like play.yourdomain.com instead, this guide shows you exactly how to do it.

Using a custom domain for your Minecraft server makes your server look professional, is much easier to share, and works with any domain you already own. The setup uses a SRV DNS record — a special record type that tells Minecraft clients exactly where to connect. It takes about 10 minutes to set up and costs nothing beyond your domain registration fee.

Contents

  1. Before you start
  2. Step 1 — Find your server address and port
  3. How SRV records work
  4. Step 2 — Set up DNS (Cloudflare)
  5. Step 2 — Set up DNS (Namecheap)
  6. Step 2 — Set up DNS (GoDaddy)
  7. Step 3 — Test your domain
  8. Troubleshooting
  9. FAQ

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Before you start

You'll need:

You do not need a VPS, a static IP, or any server-side configuration changes. Everything is done entirely through your domain registrar's DNS panel.

Don't have a domain yet? Domains typically cost £8–12/year. Namecheap and Cloudflare Registrar are the most affordable options. Cloudflare is particularly good because it offers free DNS management with very fast propagation times.

Step 1 — Find your server address and port

Before touching DNS, you need your FreeGameHost server's address and port number. These are two separate pieces of information.

1.1
Log in to your control panel

Go to panel.freegamehost.xyz and open your Minecraft server.

1.2
Find your server address

On the server overview page, look for the connection address. It will look like: abc123.freegamehost.xyz:25692. The part before the colon is your hostname. The number after the colon is your port.

1.3
Write them down

Keep these handy — you'll need both values when creating your DNS records. For example: hostname = abc123.freegamehost.xyz, port = 25692.

Important: Your FreeGameHost port is almost never 25565 (Minecraft's default). Always use the exact port shown in your control panel — using the wrong port is the most common reason custom domains don't work.

How SRV records work (quick explanation)

Normally, when you type play.yourdomain.com into Minecraft, it assumes port 25565. But your FreeGameHost server runs on a different port. A SRV record solves this by telling Minecraft: "when connecting to play.yourdomain.com, actually connect to abc123.freegamehost.xyz on port 25692."

You'll create two DNS records in total:

Together, these let players type mc.yourdomain.com (no port number needed) and connect to your server automatically.

Step 2 — Set up DNS on Cloudflare

Cloudflare Namecheap GoDaddy

Cloudflare is the recommended option — DNS changes propagate in under 5 minutes and the interface is clean.

2.1
Open DNS settings

Log in to dash.cloudflare.com, select your domain, and click DNS → Records.

2.2
Add a CNAME record

Click Add record and fill in these values:

FieldValue
TypeCNAME
Namemc (or any subdomain you want, e.g. play, server)
Targetabc123.freegamehost.xyz (your actual FreeGameHost hostname)
Proxy statusDNS only (grey cloud — NOT orange/proxied)
TTLAuto
Cloudflare users: Make sure the proxy toggle is set to DNS only (grey cloud icon). If it's set to Proxied (orange cloud), Minecraft connections will be blocked. Cloudflare's proxy only works for HTTP/HTTPS traffic, not game server TCP connections.
2.3
Add a SRV record

Click Add record again and fill in these values:

FieldValue
TypeSRV
Name_minecraft._tcp.mc (replace mc with your chosen subdomain)
Priority0
Weight5
Port25692 (your actual FreeGameHost port)
Targetmc.yourdomain.com (the CNAME you just created)
TTLAuto

Click Save. With Cloudflare, these records typically go live within 1–5 minutes.

Step 2 — Set up DNS on Namecheap

2.1
Open Advanced DNS

Log in to namecheap.com, go to Domain List, click Manage next to your domain, then open the Advanced DNS tab.

2.2
Add a CNAME record

Click Add New Record, select CNAME, and fill in:

FieldValue
TypeCNAME Record
Hostmc (just the subdomain, not the full domain)
Valueabc123.freegamehost.xyz (your FreeGameHost hostname)
TTLAutomatic
2.3
Add a SRV record

Click Add New Record, select SRV, and fill in:

FieldValue
TypeSRV Record
Service_minecraft
Protocol_tcp
Priority0
Weight5
Port25692 (your actual port)
Targetmc.yourdomain.com.
TTLAutomatic

Click the green checkmark to save. Namecheap DNS typically propagates within 30 minutes to a few hours.

Step 2 — Set up DNS on GoDaddy

2.1
Open DNS Management

Log in to godaddy.com, go to My Products, find your domain, and click DNS.

2.2
Add a CNAME record

Click Add, select CNAME, and enter:

FieldValue
TypeCNAME
Namemc
Valueabc123.freegamehost.xyz
TTL1 Hour
2.3
Add a SRV record

Click Add, select SRV, and enter:

FieldValue
TypeSRV
Name_minecraft._tcp.mc
Priority0
Weight5
Port25692
Targetmc.yourdomain.com.
TTL1 Hour

Save both records. GoDaddy propagation typically takes 1–6 hours.

Step 3 — Test your custom domain

Once your DNS records are saved, you can check whether they've propagated and then test in Minecraft.

3.1
Check DNS propagation

Go to mcsrvstat.us and enter your custom domain (e.g. mc.yourdomain.com). If it returns your server's player count and MOTD, your DNS is live and working.

3.2
Connect in Minecraft

Open Minecraft, go to Multiplayer → Add Server. Enter your custom domain — mc.yourdomain.com — with no port number. Click Done, then Join Server.

Pro tip: You can also use mcsrvstat.us or dnschecker.org to see how far your DNS record has propagated globally before testing in Minecraft. If some regions show the record and others don't, just wait a little longer.

Troubleshooting common issues

The domain doesn't connect — "Connection refused" or timeout

This almost always means one of three things: your DNS hasn't propagated yet (wait longer), you used the wrong port in your SRV record, or the Cloudflare proxy is turned on (set it to DNS only / grey cloud).

It connects but I have to type the port manually (mc.yourdomain.com:25692)

Your CNAME record is working but your SRV record is not. Double-check the SRV record name is exactly _minecraft._tcp.mc (replace mc with your subdomain) and the target ends with a full stop / period on registrars that require it.

Namecheap says my SRV record is invalid

Make sure the Target field ends with a trailing period — enter mc.yourdomain.com. not mc.yourdomain.com. Some registrars require this; others add it automatically.

The domain worked before but stopped working

Your FreeGameHost server address or port may have changed. Go back to your control panel, check your current server address and port, and update your CNAME and SRV records if they've changed.

I want to use the root domain (yourdomain.com) not a subdomain

Using your root domain directly (without a subdomain like mc) is not recommended for Minecraft. SRV records require a subdomain to work correctly. Using mc.yourdomain.com or play.yourdomain.com is the standard approach.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to change anything on my FreeGameHost server to use a custom domain?
No. Everything is handled entirely through your domain's DNS settings. You don't need to change anything in your FreeGameHost control panel or on the server itself. Players can still connect using the original FreeGameHost address — the custom domain is just an additional way to connect.
Can I use a custom domain for Minecraft Bedrock Edition?
SRV records are only supported by Minecraft Java Edition. Bedrock Edition does not support SRV DNS records — players connecting on Bedrock will need to enter the server address and port number manually. You can still create a CNAME record so the address is cleaner, but they'll still need to type the port separately.
What subdomain should I use?
Common choices are mc, play, server, or minecraft. Any subdomain works — pick whatever sounds best with your domain name. For example: play.coolcraft.gg or mc.myfriendgroup.com.
How long does it take for DNS to propagate?
Cloudflare: 1–5 minutes. Namecheap: 30 minutes to 2 hours. GoDaddy: 1–6 hours. In some rare cases, full global propagation can take up to 48 hours, but this is uncommon with modern registrars.
Will the custom domain stop working if my server address changes?
Yes. If your FreeGameHost server address or port changes, you'll need to update your CNAME and SRV records to match the new values. Log back into your control panel to get the new address, then update both DNS records accordingly.
Can I use a free domain for my Minecraft server?
Services like Freenom historically offered free domains (.tk, .ml, etc.) but they have become unreliable and are no longer recommended. A paid domain from Namecheap or Cloudflare Registrar costs around £8–12 per year and is far more dependable.

Your server, your domain

That's everything you need to point a custom domain to your FreeGameHost Minecraft server. Two DNS records, 10 minutes of setup, and players can connect using a clean address you own. If anything goes wrong, the troubleshooting section above covers the most common issues — and you can always ask in the FreeGameHost Discord for help.

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