Urgently need to set up Minecraft server, need some specific help!

[kayjayel]

I've done a lot of searching and I think I'm suffering from information overload and confusion. DS apparently needs a server by 5pm today (partly my fault for agreeing). I have agreed, and decided the easiest thing is to rent a server package with his pocket money, and am trying to decide how. I would be amazingly grateful for advice and answers to the following:

1 - Are there any particularly good companies, or any to avoid? I want one where we can whitelist so he can just play with a few approved friends.
2 - what are the package things - e.g. vanilla Minecraft etc. bukkit?
3 - what does the amount of RAM mean - does it affect what they can do on the world, and is there a minimum you'd recommend

Is there some kind of course someone could run for naive parents?!

TIA!

Oh, and

4- If I rent a server, can he access it from multiple laptops, and does it bring a risk of viruses getting onto my system?

Thx

DS might know the answers to these, but I don't think he'll be home before 5pm. I'll try to remember to look at this thread later on though in case you are still looking for an answer after your preferred time.

Good luck!

I set my dd with a minecraft server through Veoserve. It costs 4 pounds per month. Their customer service is very good, they were very quick at responding to emails .
Ds server can cope with 1000 people playing at a time, although he has 15 at the max and is a closed server in that he can invite and ban people.

I have no idea about RAM but we are running it off a basic windows 7 tower and there isn't any lag.

Thanks for the replies!

And pinkthechaffinch thanks for the recommendation, I'll look up that one.

We haven't had any problems with viruses as yet! We've had it for three months now.

Owning a server seems to be a big status thing for 12 year olds, ds loves letting his friends know the rules of being on the server- no swearing is the main one!

The other day about six if them were playing hide and seek with each other on the server, lol. They chat to each other via Skype at the same time.

It's all beyond me! God knows what an anthropologist would make of it!

I quite love it and think that if I were young I would live there. Unfortunately I have to be a grown up which is very irritating. I have decided mods only on his laptop, and he can do a server thing on mine, after extensive googling. Still need to decide on who to buy if from, I'm quite indecisive! They all seem the same really, so may go for the cheaper ones! I hope DS is well behaved - he is only 8, and we've had the chat about trolling and griefing (with me hiding my shock he already knew all about this). Wish he learned proper school stuff so quickly!

Server done! I think I understand the bare minimum to get it working. DS will figure out the rest, I'm sure. Mods are proving a bit beyond me. Back to google... Thanks for the help.

Well done!

Glad you're sorted (DS went to friend's after school, still not back, so regret no advice from here).