How do I approach a problem with my server correctly

Short version: Whenever I start my Minecraft server, I become unable to connect to webpages. I´ve got no problems with connection with Teamspeak/Youtube Videos. I´ve already asked in the forums of my Minecraft Mod, but they weren´t able to help me. 

Long version: I wanted to setup a Minecraft server on a rig that I build for exactly this purpose. My main intention was to understand Linux better.

This is my build: http://de.pcpartpicker.com/p/LpMkWZ and my internet speed is 100M down and 10M up.

I´ve informed myself which operating system I should take, and went with Ubuntu Server. Since I´m not very experienced with Linux yet, I´ve also installed the Ubuntu desktop.

I´ve downloaded the jar-file and started the server and everything worked fine. Since a vanilla Minecraft server is pretty boring I´ve figured I could run a modded one. I´ve got myself the Horizons Server file from Feed-the-beast and that was also running just fine.

After a month of successful hosting I´ve decided to move on to a modpack that is based on Minecraft 1.7.1.0 and I went with FTB Resurrection. And this is the part where it becomes interesting: I´ve ran it for about 5 days no Problem but then suddenly my entire network started to become unable to connect to any webpages. Teamspeak would still work fine and also when I´ve checked my usage on my Frit.Box I was only using 20-30%.

Things that I have tried:

  • Reinstalling my server. I still had the Problem.
  • Deleting my World file. It would run fine for 1-5 minutes, then it would hang again
  • Starting the server on my Windows machine. I´ve also got my Problem there
  • Trying a different modpack, the problem would come back after 5 minutes
  • Looking at my traffic with Wireshark, I could see that it would keep trying to reach the ports 80 and 433 which are responsible for HTTP and HTTPs from research 

This tells me that there seems to be a problem with the network itself as soon as I try to send out data. The question is now: How do I continue from this point?

 

Nobody? Or is it to complicated? If there is any information missing, feel free to let me know.

Your entire network gets cut off? Do you have access to the firewall logs on your main router?

As I´ve stated above, if I have any connection still running (like Teamspeak or downloads), they continue to work just fine. 

I can check the firewall logs as soon as I am home.

Check the router settings generally and confirm against the ISP, defo check the routers firmware.

Make the network as simnple as possible. Disconnect anything you do not need for testing, I had an issue like this once and it was on of my EoP devices.

I run a MC server on Ubunut server edition no issues so you should be fine. Mine is a box and I use ESX and host the MC as a VM, This way you can get more from the hardware as MC is not very taxnig at all.

Ah I thought you meant that all devices behind the router gets diconnected, that's why I recommended checking the firewall logs (potential ddos). But i'm suspecting a DNS error somewhere... next time you get disconnected check if you can ping 8.8.8.8 & www.google.com

I am almost entirely sure that the problem should not be with the Ubuntu Server, but with Minecraft itself. If I just turn on my Ubuntu machine, everything runs fine. I´ve also just for testing installed and hosted mumble with no problems at all.

But if I try to host the Minecraft server on my Windows Machine I get the same problems as on my Ubuntu one. Since I didn´t change the standard settings of any of the mods and didn´t add any mods, I am confused what the problem could be.

Thanks for your suggestions, I will look into it.

Well, for one thing, I find your choice of CPU questionable. an i3 for regular gaming is so so. But when you run a server, an i3 ain't gonna cut it. If you wanted to stay low cost, you should have opted for an AMD APU Quad core. Running Linux with an AMD CPU really unlocks the AMD potential. It is my belief that Windows is unfairly Intel biased. Take for example the fact that Windows 7 and 8 had to be patched to work with FX processors correctly (or mostly correctly). Linux Kernel is NOT biased towards any hardware brand. It could very well be that your CPU is throttling hard especially since you have a FTB server running. FTB is a ton of mods that take up a ton of CPU time. 

Here is a more capable build that should not give you any troubles at all. It is simple to swap out your mobo and cpu. I would recommend an A10 APU if you wanted to do that. Or just swap out the Mobo, CPU and add the GPU. This build actually costs less than your original build and has overall better parts.

 

PCPartPicker part list: http://de.pcpartpicker.com/p/9ZyfCJ


Price breakdown by merchant: http://de.pcpartpicker.com/p/9ZyfCJ/by_merchant/

 

  • CPU: AMD Athlon X4 860K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor (€82.77 @ Amazon Deutschland) 
  • Motherboard: ASRock FM2A88M-HD+ Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard (€56.72 @ Home of Hardware DE) 
  • Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory (€73.89 @ Amazon Deutschland) 
  • Storage: Crucial M550 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (€64.99 @ Amazon Deutschland) 
  • Storage: Seagate 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (€130.99 @ Amazon Deutschland) 
  • Storage: Seagate 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (€130.99 @ Amazon Deutschland) 
  • Video Card: EVGA GeForce GT 610 1GB Video Card (€43.65 @ Amazon Deutschland) 
  • Case: Cooler Master Silencio 352 MicroATX Mini Tower Case (€51.15 @ Amazon Deutschland) 
  • Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply (€49.90 @ Caseking) 

Total: €685.05
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-04 02:20 CET+0100

I assume you screw up your firewall rules in ubuntu. (I don't know ubuntu, as its garbage) so I won't help you with exact commands etc... but you should take a look at it. You might be blocking your traffic.If you aren't blocking maybe run tracert, or try pinging those sites. Maybe no dns? or something screwwy going on.

Ubuntu is very close to Debian Sid. It still uses iptables. By default the usual ports are blocked. You have to actually install a firewall program to get a GUI firewall. If this was a RPM based Distro then I would look at the firewall and the AppArmour.

 

I run a minecraft server when I am at work. I just make sure I have a static IP setup on my router for my MAC address. I don't even touch the firewall rules under Linux. 

new whizzy debian is crap as well. RIP Debian... Long live RHL.

Debian Wheezy is just fine. Don't try to do RHEL crap on it. Besides, if you are willing to shell out the big bucks to get RHEL, then why are you using Debian?

red hat has free distro's too... its called centos (no support from them though) Debian has too many problems and I believe identity crisis is seen in ?gnome 3?... it wants to be android. Shame on all who use it... its a same fail windows 8 had.

First off, Gnome 3 does not try to be Android. Secondly, Red Hat has 2 distros outside RHEL. Fedora and CentOS. But you stated RHEL which implies the use of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Not CentOS or Fedora. Debian does not have an identity crisis. Ubuntu has an Identity crisis since it takes Debian Sid code and tries to lure in Windows and Mac users. Debian is the same it has always been.....The grandaddy of most Linux Distros. Most distros stem from either Debian, Red Hat, Gentoo, Slackware, or Arch. To say that Debian has an Identity crisis is ludicris. Debian has always used Gnome (at least once it had a GUI). So for you to say that Debian is wrong for using Gnome 3 is childish. Gnome 3 is sleek and clean. It is excellent for workflow management. The only thing that could be anything close to Android is the applications menu which you can change to the Gnome 2-ish style. Everything else is no where close to Android. And by that nature, Unity is trying to be Android. Or E17. Or damn near any other DE that has anything close to an Android menu system. Then we have the "Mac" clones aka Elementary OS or XFCE since they have Docks for applications at the bottom of the screen. And the Windows clones aka KDE/lxde/etc. Why don't you just come out and say it, you hate any DE that exists in Linux except maybe i3. You would rather run everything in CLI. Hell even Fedora 21 defaults to the "dreaded" Gnome 3. 

CLi is everything that man needs. Thats my perspective.
 
I feel debian did wrong going with gnome 3. Gnome 3 (as is now) should never see light outside of ubuntu. Its garbage. If you like the looks thats ok. I don't.
Debian lost big % in my eyes.  Debian currently is the same as Ubuntu. You can count RHEL distro's as centos (its the same thing but without support = free) I never liked feodra... tho slack has special place in my heart.
 
linux is going wrong way in my opinion. (I'm not trying to sway your opinion, just stating my own) If you like mobile like platforms enjoy ... you'll soon pay for software that was meant to be free. (shakes)