Help CenterWe support hundreds of modpacks with our one-click modpack installer. However, occasionally, you will run into a modpack that we don't support via the modpack installer. If that is the case for the modpack you want to install, that's where this guide comes in.
We are going to cover everything you need to know about installing an unsupported modpack on your Minecraft server.
⚠️ Warning: Generally, there is a reason that a modpack isn't supported by the installer. There is no guarantee that the modpack you want to install will work on your server. We do encourage you to try a supported modpack before installing a custom modpack that isn't in the installer.
Step 1: Clearing Your Server Files
Before installing a new modpack, it’s important to to stop the server and remove any existing files, game versions, or modpacks to avoid potential conflicts.
🛑Wait: We recommend creating a backup before proceeding. You can follow this guide to learn how. The following steps will delete your current world/setup.
1. Head to the console tab and press Stop to ensure the server is offline. Then go to the Modpacks and Versions tab to see if a modpack is currently installed.
- If a modpack is installed, click the Uninstall button in the top right corner, follow the on-screen prompts to confirm uninstalling the current modpack, and wait for the modpack to uninstall.
- If no modpack is installed, go to the Version Manager tab. If a game version is listed, click Uninstall next to it, and wait for the version to uninstall.
2. Open your File Manager, select all visible files, click Delete at the bottom, and follow the on-screen prompt.
3. Once everything has been cleared, return to the Modpacks and Versions tab.
Step 2: Downloading the Modpack Server Files
👋Note: Not all modpacks have a server pack. If yours does not, skip this step and head to the next.
When setting up a Minecraft server for a modpack, it is important to use the correct version of the modpack files. Most modpacks come with two versions, one intended for the Minecraft client, and another specifically designed for servers. The version made for servers is typically called a Server Pack.
You can usually find the server pack on the same page where the modpack itself is available, whether you are browsing through a web browser or using an app such as CurseForge. We are going to be using CurseForge for this guide
To check if the modpack you want to use includes a server pack, follow these steps:
1. Open the Minecraft section on CurseForge using your web browser.
2. Scroll down and click on the Modpacks category.
3. In the search bar, type the name of the modpack you want to use and press Enter. For this example, we will use the BMC4 modpack.
4. On the modpack page, go to the Files tab.
5. Click on the most recent version of the modpack to open it.
6. Scroll down slightly until you see the Additional Files section.
7. Locate the server pack in the list. Click the three dots to the right of the file, then choose Download File.
Step 3: Install The Mod Loader on Your Server
The first step of getting a custom modpack on your server is setting up the correct version of Forge, NeoForge, or Fabric on your server. This is the mod loader that actually allows the mods to work on a server.
Find the Forge/NeoForge/Fabric Version
We are going to be using CurseForge for this guide. It will work with other non-CurseForge modpacks, but some changes may be needed. We are also assuming that the modpack is already installed in the CurseForge App. This is required to join the server later on.
1. Open the CurseForge app.
2. Navigate to the My Modpacks tab.
3. Right-Click the modpack you want to play (Install the modpack if you haven't already.)
4. Click the View Profile option that appears when you right-click.
- You will now see a game version number and mod loader type/number. Make note of these as you will need them later.
Install Forge/NeoForge/Fabric on Your Server
Now that you know if your modpack is running Forge, NeoForge, or Fabric and the Minecraft version the modpack is using, we need to install the correct version of the mod loader you are using on your server.
🔗 We have dedicated guides on getting Forge , NeoForge and Fabric on your server if you want something more in-depth. We also recommend backing up your server before adding a custom modpack.
1. Navigate to your server on the game control panel, and select your server.
2. Select the Modpacks & Versions tab in the menu bar.
3. Select Version Manager below the menu bar.
4. In the Minecraft Version Selector drop-down, select Forge, NeoForge or Fabric depending on the mod loader that was shown on the modpack in CurseForge.
5. Locate the game version that the modpack uses and click on Install on the Forge/NeoForge/Fabric version that the modpack uses.
6. Click the Install button again on the confirmation pop-up that appears.
7. The Forge/NeoForge/Fabric version will then be installed on the server.
8. Finally, navigate back to the Console tab and start your server by clicking the Start button.
9. Turn the server offline after it has started at least once.
10. Head to the File Manager in the menu bar, find and delete the following folders:
- config
- defaultConfig
- mods
Step 4: Setting Up an FTP Client to Upload the Files
You will need download an FTP Client. For this, we recommend getting FileZilla. It is completely free and very commonly used to connect to servers via SFTP.
Step 4: Finding Your SFTP Login Info
Once you have your FTP client, we can get the login details. These can be found in the SimpleGameHosting control panel.
1. Be sure the server is offline. Then click SFTP in the menu bar.
- This will show you your server address and username for SFTP. We will use these in the next step.
Step 5: Accessing Your Server via SFTP
The easiest way to connect is by using the Quickconnect feature in FileZilla.
1. Open FileZilla and enter the following using your SFTP details:
- Host: (your server address from your SFTP details page)
- Username:
- Password: (same as your control panel password)
💡Note: Leave the port section blank, it'll auto fill once you connect.
2. Confirm the information you entered is correct and then press the Quickconnect button to the right to connect.
- If a popup appears mentioning an "Unknown host key," that's normal and just click OK to continue.
3. Once connected, you’ll see all your server's files and folders. What you see will depend on how your server is set up. For example:
- Servers using plugins will have a
pluginsfolder. - Servers with mods will have a
modsfolder. - Worlds and other folders will also vary depending on your configuration.
Step 6: Uploading The Mods to Your Server
Now that you have the mod loader setup on your server, we can move on to adding the mods and mod config files to your server. For this, we will be using SFTP, but first, we need to locate the files on your computer that we will be adding to the server.
Accessing The Mods & Config Folders on Your Computer
🛑Wait: If you’ve already downloaded the server pack from Step 1, you can skip the following instructions and proceed directly to the SFTP section.
First things first, we need to access the mods and config files on your computer.
1. Navigate to the My Modpacks tab in the CurseForge App.
2. Right-click on the modpack you want to add your server.
3. Click the Open Folder button to open the folder that houses all of the files for the modpack.
4. In this folder, you will find various files and folder. Every modpack is different, and you most likely won't have all the folders and files we mention here. Generally, though, we recommend moving the config, defaultconfigs, and mods folders to the server in the next step.
Setting Up SFTP to Upload the Files
Now that you have located the files and folders you need to move to the server, leave the folder open. We now need to access your server using SFTP in order to easily upload all of these files and folders.
👋 Need more help? Check out our dedicated SFTP guide if you have any questions or issues.
Uploading The Mods & Config Files to The Server
Finally, we can upload the folders we mentioned earlier to the server.
1. Just drag-and-drop the folders from the folder we opened previously into the server side of the FTP client.
⚠️Warning: Your mods must be placed inside the mods folder on your server. Simply dragging the mod files into the file manager will not work. Make sure to upload the entire mods folder from your computer to the client.
- Once you start the upload, the files will begin transferring. Since this could involve hundreds or even thousands of files, the process may take some time depending on your internet speed. You can track the progress using the green bar at the bottom left of the FileZilla client, which shows the percentage of files uploaded.
Step 7: Joining Your Server
Now that you have the mods and config files uploaded, you will need to restart your server if you haven't already. After that, launch the modpack you installed on the server via CurseForge.
👋Heads Up: You and anyone who joins you server must play the modpack via the modpack launcher in order to join the server. Here is a complete guide on installing the CurseForge App and downloading the modpack you want.
1. Once Minecraft is open with the modpack installed, click on Multiplayer.
2. Then, add the server. The server address can be found in the top right of the Console tab of the control panel. Click this to copy it and paste it in the Server Address bar in Minecraft.
After the server is added, double-click the server to join it. If you have any issues, you can find resolutions to potential issues below!
Resolving Potential Issues
It is very common to run into issues when adding a custom modpack to your server. Here, we will go over potential issues and how to fix them on your server. It is possible that the modpack you are trying to install doesn't support servers at all. In those cases, another modpack will need to be used.
Server Isn't Starting
If your server doesn’t start after adding the files, there are a few common reasons why this might happen:
Your Server Doesn't Have Enough RAM: Most modpacks require at least 6GB of RAM to run smoothly. If your server doesn’t have enough memory, it may fail to start. We have a complete guide on adding more RAM to server if you want to upgrade.
There Is A Mod That Isn't Server Compatible: A mod in your pack may not be compatible with servers. This could be because it is a client-only mod, the wrong version, or it uses a different mod loader than your server. To find out what is causing the issue, check your crash reports.
Go to the File Manager and open the crash-reports folder. These reports can be hard to understand, but you should look for the names of specific mods in the "Stacktrace" section.
From there, you will need to go through a process of removing, fixing, or updating mods to resolve the problem. If you need help reading crash reports, check out our step-by-step support guides.
- How To Find Crash Reports on Your Minecraft Server
- How To Read Server Crash Reports On Your Minecraft Server
The Mod Loader Version is Incorrect: Another reason the server isn't starting could be due the mod loader version installed earlier is for the wrong Minecraft version. If this is the case, you will need to reinstall Forge, NeoForge, or Fabric.
💡Tip: Keep in mind though that if you have the wrong Forge version installed for the mods, you will need to re-add the mods after installing the correct version.
You Cannot Join The server
The most common reason that you cannot join a modded server is that all of the mods aren't installed locally. Mods must be locally and on the server. Typically this is done by downloading the modpack via CurseForge and launching the modpack through that and joining the server.
It could also be that a mod isn't compatible with servers and is preventing connection. Generally, this is a trial-and-error process of removing individual mods from the server until you find the mod that is causing issues.
The Server Is Randomly Crashing
Random crashes while playing are often caused by the server running out of RAM. Most modpacks need at least 6 gigabytes of RAM to run smoothly. If your server does not have enough memory, this could be the reason for the crashes. If you are looking to upgrade, we have a complete guide on adding more RAM to server if you want to upgrade.
There is an "Out of Memory" Error on Startup
If this generates a crash report, it is due to a mod not working on the server. You can access crash reports in the File Manager tab in the control panel. There, you will have a crash-reports folder. Opening this will show you any crash reports that are currently available for your server.
If no crash report generates, the issue due to running out of RAM on your server. Here is a a complete guide on adding more RAM to server if you want to upgrade.
If you need help, don't hesitate to reach out to our support team by submitting a Support Ticket or contacting us directly via LiveChat!