Your looking for alpha server software. This can be found in the same place you download the client for singleplayer.

Type localhost for an ip instead, (assuming its the same comp)

in server properties if i type this :
#Minecraft server properties
#Mon Oct 11 11:43:53 CEST 2010
online-mode=true
monsters=true
server-ip=
server-port=25565
max-players=24
level-name=world

then i get  this:
[INFO] Starting minecraft server version 0.2.1
[INFO] Loading properties
[INFO] Starting Minecraft server on *:25565
[INFO] Preparing level "world"
[INFO] Preparing start region
[INFO] Done! For help, type "help" or "?"

But no one can log in.
if i type in ip adress like this:
#Minecraft server properties
#Mon Oct 11 11:43:53 CEST 2010
online-mode=true
monsters=true
server-ip=XX.XXX.XXX.XXX
server-port=25565
max-players=24
level-name=world

then i get this warning:
[INFO] Starting minecraft server version 0.2.1
[INFO] Loading properties
[INFO] Starting Minecraft server on XX.XXX.XXX.XXX:25565
[WARNING] **** FAILED TO BIND TO PORT!
[WARNING] The exception was: java.net.BindException: Cannot assign requested address: JVM_Bind
[WARNING] Perhaps a server is already running on that port?


so my big Q is how do i fiks it?

does eny of u know how to fix this. and can give me some easy instruksjons on how to fixs it.
have done port forward and tryed to turn off firewall. but no difrens to outcome.

[INFO] Starting minecraft server version 0.2.1
[INFO] Loading properties
[INFO] Starting Minecraft server on 81.166.246.114:25565
[WARNING] **** FAILED TO BIND TO PORT!
[WARNING] The exception was: java.net.BindException: Cannot assign requested address: JVM_Bind
[WARNING] Perhaps a server is already running on that port?

Hi, im from Sweden :)

I have just started my first server on minecraft and it was a bit tricky at start.

But I have the "server-ip=" blank and that works fine. This is still Alpha version, so it isn't even a Beta, and there is alot of bugs and thats not weird at all at start.

You must open the port 25565 or what port you type in properties on your router. And that can be tricky too if your not good at it.

Here are some helpfull server information.

                 http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Server.properties

Hope this lines help you all a bit. =) have fun and GL

Ok everyone. If you're on a network (and it sounds like you are), you have to set a static IP for the computer that's running the server. Otherwise, everytime you restart the computer, the network IP will change and the port forward rules on the router will be pointing to nothing or some other machine.

Here is a list of guides showing how to set a static IP, just choose the one that refers to you: http://portforward.com/networking/staticip.htm

google hamachi.
Then download it and start a network.
Have your friend join, and then, HE PLAYS WITH YOU ON MINECRAFT!
PM me if it worked.

localhost is the ip YOU use when you want to connect to your own server. For others to connect, you have to use your IPv4 address (aka your external ip)

To find your external ip, open up the Start menu and type in the search bar "cmd" (without the quotes), then the command prompt will open. Type "ipconfig" (again, without quotes) and it will come up with a list of random numbers. These are your ip's that are linked to your modem. Look through the ip's until you find one that says:

IPv4 adress: X.XXX.XXX.XX (The X's are where your numbers should be, and they should be in that format)

For the IP in your server.properties file, leave it blank. The server software will automatically add your external ip to it.

I'm not sure if this is the right way to do it because it's been a while since I ran my server (And it was a working one, my friends could join it)

Hope this helped in some way.

Dont put an ip in you config should look something like this