Beacon Hosting
Game Servers

How to Switch to Beacon Hosting from Another Host

Learn how to seamlessly migrate your game server or other hosting services to Beacon Hosting with our step-by-step guide.

ryanw
September 11, 2026
3 min read
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Beacon Hostingserver migrationgame server hostingswitch hostingserver transfermigration guide

How to Switch to Beacon Hosting from Another Host

This guide covers moving a game server (Minecraft Java, Bedrock, or another game listed on the store) onto Beacon. Order on the store, then manage the new machine from Your Servers. Discord bot hosting and CMS/web hosting are not what the current storefront sells.

Do not cancel the old host until you have a backup and the world loads on Beacon.

Step 1: Back up the old server

From your current host, download a full copy of:

  • The world (and plugin/mod data)
  • server.properties / config files (for reference — do not blindly reuse IP and port)
  • Plugin or mod folders
  • Any extra files you care about (resource packs, datapacks, scripts)

Keep the old server offline while you zip the world so files are not half-written.

Info

Java and Bedrock worlds are not interchangeable. A Java world will not run on a Bedrock plan, and the reverse is also true. Match the edition when you order.

Step 2: Order the Beacon server

  1. Open the store
  2. For Minecraft, pick Java or Bedrock
  3. Choose hardware tier, RAM, location, and billing cycle, then check out

/servers is Your Servers after login. It is not the shop.

After payment, sign in at www.beaconhosting.org/auth/login and open Your Servers.

Step 3: Install the same kind of software

On the new server, open Package Manager from the sidebar and install the jar or software you used before (Paper, Forge, Fabric, Bedrock, and so on), as close in version as you can.

Do this before you overwrite the world, so the server has a working runtime.

Step 4: Stop the server and upload files

From Console, stop the server so uploads are not overwritten on start.

Then copy files in either of these ways:

Files (panel)
Open Files, drag-and-drop folders or archives, then use Unarchive if you uploaded a zip/tar.

SFTP (paid servers)
Open Settings for the SFTP address, username (account:server-id), and token. SFTP is disabled on free trial servers — use Files instead.

Typical Minecraft layout after upload:

  • Java: world folder (including Nether/End data), plugins or mods, configs
  • Bedrock: the Bedrock world folder and permissions.json / allowlist.json if you use them

Warning

Leave Beacon’s allocated port alone. Copying the old host’s IP or server-port into server.properties will not match this machine. Connect using Network, not the old address.

Step 5: Start and test with the new address

  1. Start the server from Console
  2. Open Network and copy the primary IP and port
  3. Join with that address (Minecraft: ip:port)

Players can join this way with no DNS change. Migration is done once the world loads here.

Step 6: Custom domain (optional)

A domain is optional. Game servers do not need DNS to work.

If you want play.example.com instead of ip:port:

  1. Open Network
  2. Set a Domain Alias on the allocation
  3. Add the A and SRV records the panel shows at your DNS provider

A single A record pointed at the IP is often not enough. Minecraft usually needs the SRV record because the port is not 25565.

DNS only changes how people type the address. It does not move files.

If you get stuck

Open a ticket at www.beaconhosting.org/billing/tickets. Say which game/edition you are moving and whether the server starts.

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