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[Inveigh]

I'm planning on setting a server up for a public multiplayer game. I've got it working and a few of my friends have connected to it successfully and everything's swell. It's still private, and not being hosted 24/7 or anything, but I want to change this and hopefully get more players. The problem is mostly that I'm inexperienced with the whole thing, and I'm unsure if the way I'm thinking of going about it is entirely safe. The server is reached by using a link involving my IP address.

It comes down to this: is it a dumb idea to use my external IP address for a public server? And is it even worse if I give it out publicly?

I am not very knowledgeable about these things, and though the answer may be obvious and make me look stupid, any advice or helpful information would be appreciated. It will be my first time doing anything like this.

[nenjin]

There's always going to be some risk, of something, connecting to the rest of the internet. I think at worst, you're liable to be a target of DDoS attacks if a troll and/or script kiddy gets you in their sights, which will probably make your server lag to the point of becoming unreachable. I imagine there's worse that can be done with your IP address, but then again, every website you've ever visited or service you've used on the internet has recorded your IP in a log file somewhere.

Just remember the more widely you advertise your server, the more likely you are to get a troublemaker. Consider where you're posting your info.

One thing, off the top of my head, make sure Windows (if you're using Windows) cannot be remoted into. Probably not a concern for Windows 7 Home, but more expensive versions of windows does allow people to remote in to you, and that should be password protected (or just disabled.) Because if you're handing out the external IP of your computer, that's what people would use to connect to your Windows installation.

[Sensei]

It's probably more convenient to use no-ip, especially if your IP isn't static.

[Biag]

I imagine there's worse that can be done with your IP address

AFAIK, the worst thing someone can do with your IP address (excepting the remote desktop thing that nenjin mentioned) is find your physical location. When you're posting on a forum or something, that's not a huge issue, but when you're hosting a public server... I dunno, man, there's just a lot of irrational people on the web, and you probably don't want them to know how to find you.

Like sensei said, use no-ip, just to make sure nothing sketchy happens. Internet is srs business.

[miauw62]

I imagine there's worse that can be done with your IP address

AFAIK, the worst thing someone can do with your IP address (excepting the remote desktop thing that nenjin mentioned) is find your physical location. When you're posting on a forum or something, that's not a huge issue, but when you're hosting a public server... I dunno, man, there's just a lot of irrational people on the web, and you probably don't want them to know how to find you.

Like sensei said, use no-ip, just to make sure nothing sketchy happens. Internet is srs business.

somebody could find out IN WHAT COUNTRY YOU LIVE?
HOW HORRIFYING!

seriously though, you cant determine somebody's house adress from their IP adress. it's very broad (to the point where I, who lives in Flanders gets French ads very often)

[Silent_Thunder]

I imagine there's worse that can be done with your IP address

AFAIK, the worst thing someone can do with your IP address (excepting the remote desktop thing that nenjin mentioned) is find your physical location. When you're posting on a forum or something, that's not a huge issue, but when you're hosting a public server... I dunno, man, there's just a lot of irrational people on the web, and you probably don't want them to know how to find you.

Like sensei said, use no-ip, just to make sure nothing sketchy happens. Internet is srs business.

somebody could find out IN WHAT COUNTRY YOU LIVE?
HOW HORRIFYING!

seriously though, you cant determine somebody's house adress from their IP adress. it's very broad (to the point where I, who lives in Flanders gets French ads very often)

I'm always ID'd as living in a town that's over the County lines. I also seem to move to a new town every two weeks as well.

[Inveigh]

Thanks for the help everyone, it definitely alleviated the concerns I had. This is the first time I've ever heard of no-ip, so that is extremely helpful. I've already made an account and I'm going to test if I understood setting up a host correctly later tonight. Hopefully I did, haha.

[WealthyRadish]

Depends on the game, I'd say. There are some games where communities tend to develop around a server (something like Gmod or Minecraft) while for your standard public server (for a shooter or something) you'll likely have some regulars who like your settings and then the rest be transients. The first case is more likely to encounter drama of some sort or nearly random script kiddy nonsense, while for the latter you'll likely only have to deal with the occasional person using third party cheats.