Setting Up a World of Warcraft Server [Step-by-Step Guide]
If you’re a World of Warcraft player, then you’ve probably wondered what it would be like to play on your own server. World of Warcraft is an incredibly popular roleplaying game that’s enjoyed by millions of gamers around the globe. Private servers can emulate the experience of an online game, but they allow you to change certain aspects of the gameplay for your own enjoyment. Below we’re going to show you how you can create a private WOW server that you can play on. Let’s get to it! What is a Private Server? At the core a private server refers to any server that’s privately owned. Most private servers will allow you to play a version of the game that’s different than those commonly played on the official metimes you just really want to play an older version of the game, or include certain character or gameplay modifications, or even include custom items in regular gameplay. A private server allows you to create a custom-tailored gaming experience specifically tailored to your ivate servers can also allow you to play games that aren’t offered in your region of the world, or even play discontinued versions of the game. These kinds of servers are very widespread. Keep in mind that creating a private WOW server is in a legal grey area, and you should by no means charge for the server, or include to Setup a WOW Private ServerThe steps below will help you install your very own private World of Warcraft server. However, before you jump in you’ll need to install a program called AC Web Ultimate Repack. You can choose the repack that works best for you. You’ll also want to install the Microsoft Framework 2. 0 Service Pack, which you can install from this you have those installed we can move forward with setting up your very own server. Special thanks to Instructables for the configuration help. 1. Map DataYou’ll need to collect the Map Data from your existing WOW install. If you don’t have the game downloaded to your computer, then you’ll need to do this now. You can access the download from your existing WOW up the WOW folder and locate the file titled ‘maps’. Now you’ll need to go to ‘C:/AC Web Ultimate Repack/ Tools/Map Extractor enUS’ and copy the ‘maps’ folder and the ‘’ to the folder. Then, run the ‘’ program. 2. Logon Database Configuration Now you’ll need to find the file called ‘’, open it, and find the area that begins with, ‘LogonDatabase Hostname=’, make sure you change the information, so it looks like the text below:LogonDatabase Hostname = “127. 0. 1”
Username = “root”
Password = “ascent”
Name = “logon”
Port = “3306”
Type = “1”3. Configure Ascent RealmsNavigate to the file called ‘’, and locate the portion that starts with ‘
Is It Illegal to Play World of Warcraft on a Private Server? – MakeUseOf
World of Warcraft may not be experiencing the titanic growth of its early days, but over the last 5 years, on average the number of players has continued to grow. Despite this growth, many players have flocked to private servers as a way of changing the fundamental World of Warcraft experience.
If you’ve considered using a private server, you might be curious about the legality and longevity of such servers. What are the chances that Blizzard will seek out your favorite server and shut it down? If they do, will you be liable?
Disclaimer: None of the information in this article is legal advice. Join private WoW servers at your own risk. MUO accepts no responsibility for your actions.
What Are Private Servers?
Technically, the term private server describes any server that is privately owned. That’s it. However, in World of Warcraft, private servers are those that emulate the gameplay experience of online games. Server emulator is another term that’s often used interchangeably to describe the same thing.
Why would anyone play on a private server? After all, wouldn’t official servers offer the most enjoyable and worthwhile experience, especially because professionals run them and they have the largest populations? Theoretically, yes, but it isn’t always that simple.
Private servers are free. Well, they are most of the time. Down below we’ll see an example of a private server that employed a microtransaction model that backfired on the owners. But if we ignore those exceptions, the most appealing aspect of private servers is the ability to play subscription games for free and we all know how popular free-to-play MMORPGs are.
Private servers are different. Most private servers implement unique gameplay rules that deviate from official servers. For example, experience rates might be 100x faster OR new characters might start at maximum level. Other differences can include custom items, special mobs, or unique in-game events.
Private servers are convenient. They let you play games you might not normally be able to play. For example, if a developer does not offer a particular game in your region, private servers could fill that void. Similarly, if a game dev discontinues a game and takes all official versions down, private servers allow fans to keep playing.
We’re not saying that these reasons are appropriate and we’re not saying that these reasons justify the act of playing on a private server. These are simply explanations for why private servers are so popular.
Private Servers Are Incredibly Popular
The history of private servers is almost as old as the history of World of Warcraft itself. Back in the early days, someone going by the name Skull got their hands on an alpha version of the WOW client before Blizzard debuted the game officially. Thanks to their sharing-is-caring attitude, the game ended up in the hands of pretty much anyone who wanted it.
With some reverse engineering by an MMO bot programmer called Lax, they cracked the game wide open. At that point, many people started working on different emulated versions of the game. Once they produced cracked server software, the private server scene took off.
There’s a lot more detail to the history of World of Warcraft private servers, but this brief snippet should give you an idea of how they came to be. Suffice to say, these private servers enjoyed an incredible amount of success. To this day, there are 100s of different private servers available online, each with its own special rules and changes to alter the base version of the game.
Image Credit: Top100Arena
We have listed some of the more popular servers and their modifications below to give you an idea of the breadth and variety of these servers:
Project Ascension: Project Ascension is an illegal World of Warcraft private server that removes classes from the game, allowing players to choose any spells and abilities that they want. The USP of this server is the ability to create any character you wish, rather than relying on archetypes.
WoW Circle: Claiming to be the biggest World of Warcraft private server host with over 45, 000 players logged in at once on average, WoW Circle is an enormous group of different servers. These servers feature various options of different expansion pack compatibility, as well as 1x, 5x, and 100x, experience point boosts.
VanillaGaming: One of the oldest vanilla servers, VanillaGaming offers players the chance to experience World of Warcraft on a private server with no additional content or gameplay changes from newer updates. While World of Warcraft Classic has superseded this service in some ways, this server is still immensely popular with an incredibly active Discord community.
These are just a handful of the hundreds of World of Warcraft private servers currently available online.
Threats of Lawsuit: The Bottom Line
Which brings us back to the original question: are these private servers legal? It’s a valid question that strikes reluctance into many players’ hearts, particularly since there have been a few emulator-related lawsuits over the past decade.
One of the biggest examples of legal action against a server was the case against Scapegaming in 2010, which saw the company sued for $85 million in damages. Part of the reason for the colossal figure was the $1. 5 million in “donations” that the company received from players of their private server.
It’s not just limited to lawsuits. Even if your chosen private server doesn’t make money, Blizzard has targeted servers with a cease and desist purely for existing. Nostalrius was one of the biggest vanilla WoW servers, and Blizzard took it down in April 2016, resulting in much fan outcry.
Whether it’s a for-profit private server or not, if a server becomes big enough, Blizzard will take notice and have it shut down. Most private servers rely on cracked or patched versions of the base game, and so are susceptible to copyright infringement suits.
So, are private servers illegal? Well, there’s no easy answer.
If the server is profiting, it is certainly illegal.
If the server is running stolen or leaked software, it is certainly illegal.
If the server is distributing client files, it is certainly illegal.
Even if you can find a server that doesn’t break any of these rules, which is tricky already, you’re still not in the clear. Large companies have powerful legal teams, and chances are that if they want a server taken down, they can have it done.
Are Private Servers Illegal for Players?
The big question is how liable are players who use private servers? This is a troublesome question to answer. If you acquire your server software legitimately from Blizzard, you have to agree to their EULA conditions, which include that you won’t modify the software at all.
While breaking the EULA is unlikely to result in legal action being taken against you, due in part to the difficulty of enforcing it, there are other ramifications. If you currently play World of Warcraft, Blizzard may permanently ban your account, losing any of your progress in the game, though as far as we know they’ve sued no one for playing with a private server.
All-in-all, private servers occupy a legal and moral gray area. If you use a private server you risk losing all of your progress if Blizzard targets the server, or could even have your account on legitimate World of Warcraft completely banned. We at MakeUseOf cannot condone the use of private servers.
What Is the MMO Drought and What Can You Do About It? You’ve probably noticed a lack of new MMO games for quite some time, but you can still get your fix. Here’s how.
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![Top 11 World Of Warcraft Servers [ WoW Private Servers 2021 ]](https://bilderupload.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/4509w_D1.51278113272_9b96a6f89f.jpg "Top 11 World Of Warcraft Servers [ WoW Private Servers 2021 ]")
Top 11 World Of Warcraft Servers [ WoW Private Servers 2021 ]
This tutorial explores and compares the Best World of Warcraft (WoW) Private Servers to help you select the suitable WoW private server:
World of Warcraft is a 16-year-old video game that is still popular among the gaming community. It is a Massive Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game (MMORG) praised for its lore and gameplay. Players need to log into a World of Warcraft (WoW) server to play the game.
You can play the World of Warcraft game on the official Blizzard server or a private WoW server. Many people prefer private servers due to better gameplay and gaming experience.
What You Will Learn:WoW Private Servers ReviewFAQs About World of Warcraft ServersList Of Top Private WoW ServersComparison Of The Best WoW Servers#1) WoW Circle#2) Ether Side#3) RetroWoW Insta 60#4) WoW Mania#5) Unlimited WoW#6) WoW Freakz#7) Sunwell#8) TwinStar-Apollo II#9) Tauri#10) Frostmourne WoW#11) Panda WoWConclusionRecommended Reading
WoW Private Servers Review
In this tutorial, we will review and compare the best private WoW servers. You will also read about commonly asked questions about the World of Warcraft private servers for playing the popular MMORG.
Fact Check: The official World of Warcraft subscription had reached a peak of 5. 5 million in the year 2015. The number of subscribers is gradually decreasing due to the popularity of private free WoW servers.
Figure: World of Warcraft Official Subscribers [2015-2020]
[image source]
Pro-Tip: Look at the population of the realm when selecting a private WoW server. To get the best experience, pick a server with a medium-sized community. Playing during peak hours with a high population will have long wait queues.
FAQs About World of Warcraft Servers
Q #1) What is a Private WoW server?
Answer: A World of Warcraft server allows people to play the popular multiplayer game online. Private WoW servers contain a copy of the Blizzard server-side game that is deployed in a private setting.
Q #2) Is playing on a WoW private server legal?
Answer: Blizzard terms of agreement prohibit the download of the server-side game. But it does not restrict users from playing the game online. You can play the game on private WoW servers without facing any legal problems.
Q #3) Can I get banned from the Blizzard WoW server for playing on a private WoW server?
Answer: Blizzard can ban players from its servers for playing on private WoW servers. But it cannot find out unless you tell others about it on the server.
Q #4) What is the benefit of playing on a private WoW server?
Answer: Many gamers don’t like what Blizzard has done with the game. With the private World of Warcraft servers, gamers can enjoy the classic version of the game. These servers often have better gameplay with new abilities and classes.
Q #5) What are the different types of WoW servers?
Answer: WoW servers are known as realms. Each server has different worlds, characters, and stories. There are four different types of WoW servers, i. e. Blizzlike (standard), PvP (Player vs Player), PvE (Player vs Environment, RP (Role Play), and RP-PvP (Role Play plus Player versus Player).
Q #6) Are private WoW servers free?
Answer: Most of the private WoW servers are free. You won’t have to pay anything to play the MMOG online. You can play the game online by downloading the game client for free.
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List Of Top Private WoW Servers
Here is the list of popular World of Warcraft servers:
WoW Circle
Ether Side
RetroWoW Insta 60
WoW Mania
Unlimited WoW
WoW Freakz
Sunwell
TwinStar-Apollo II
Tauri
Frostmourne WoW-German-WotLK-3. 3. 51
Panda WoW
Comparison Of The Best WoW Servers
Review of the WoW private servers:
#1) WoW Circle
Players: Multinational (Russian and English)
WoW Circle is the most popular private WoW server. Players can enjoy different content including Cataclysm 4. 4, WotLK 3. 5, Mists of Pandaria 5. 4. 89, and Legion 7. 5. The best thing about the server is that the gameplay is not that different from the official Blizzard WoW server.
Features:
Multiple fun rates
Low ping with hardware in Central Europe
10 game world with hundreds of active players
Blizzlike server
Technical Details:
Server Type: Bizzlile, PvP, PvE
Client Size: 49 GB
Population: 24, 921
Rates: Varies depending on the game (x1, x4, x5, x100)
Expansions: Cataclysm, Legion, WotLK, Mists of Pandaria,
Shop Items: Gold, characters, gear, level
Custom Currency: N/A
Migrate from other servers: No
Mount: Yes
Quests: Yes
Professions, Talents: Yes
Website: WoW Circle
#2) Ether Side
Players: Multinational (English and Russian)
Ether Side is a relatively new entry in the WoW servers. It is the first server optimized for the Battle of Azeroth (BFA). Players can raise their character level quickly with high points for quest and kills. The WoW private server has war mode (PvP) always on. The server is stable as compared to other WoW servers due to fewer players.
PvP always on
Raids, campaigns, dungeons version 8. 0
Optimized for Battle of Azeroth (BFA)
Server Type: Blizzlike/PvP
Client Size: 75 GB
Population: 120 – 500
Rates: x100 (x5 gold, x10 honor, x15 drop x50 quest, x100 kill)
Expansions: Battle of Azeroth
Shop Items: Gold, gear
Custom Currency: No
#3) RetroWoW Insta 60
Players: English
RetroWow Insta 60 is a custom Vanilla server for WoW. The server supports classic Warcraft games. You can instantly level up to 60 for some dollars. The server features cross-faction battlegrounds, scripted instances, and PvP tokens. There are also PvP, PvE, and raid quests where you can level up the player.
Vanilla
Instant level 60
Raid question
Scripted instances
Server Type: PvP. PvE
Client Size: 4. 9 GB
Population: 100-500
Rates: Insta 60, x4 experience
Expansions: WoW Classic Vanilla
Shop Items: Gold, gear, enchants
Mount: No
Website: RetroWoW Instant 60
#4) WoW Mania
Players: Multinational
Custom currencies
VIP membership
Free mount after level 10
Server Type: Blizzlike, PvE
Client Size: 19 GB
Population: 500-1500
Rates: x1, x2, VIP: x4, x6
Expansions: Wrath of the Lich King (WotLK)
Shop Items: Gold, gear, vanity items
Custom Currency: PvP Token, Maniac, Transmog Token, VIP Token, Vote Token
Website: WoW Mania
#5) Unlimited WoW
Unlimited WoW is a private WoW server that supports a stable connection without noticeable delays. The server continuously updates the game, introducing new features. You can create characters with instant 255-level that can spawn in different locations. The game also has various NPCs, weapons, professions, and gears.
Start at level 255
Access over 80, 000 unique items
Each race can access all classes
Multiple professions
Server Type: PvP, PvE, Custom
Client Size: 19 GB plus patch 63 MB
Population: 1000-2000
Rates: x9999
Expansions: Wrath of the Lich King
Shop Items: Gear, vanity items
Quests: No
Website: Unlimited WoW
#6) WoW Freakz
Players: Multinational (English, Romanian)
WoW Freakz is one of the oldest WoW servers that supports a large community. It offers a Buzzlike server experience making it the ideal alternative to the official WoW server. You can set the desired rate when setting up the account and also later in the game.
Migration
Stable server
Custom characters
Add-ons
Server Type: Buzzlike, PvE
Client Size: 48 GB
Population: 2000-7500
Rates: x1 – x15
Expansions: Legion
Shop Items: Gear, level, and vanity items
Migrate from other servers: Yes
Website: WoW Freakz
#7) Sunwell
Players: Multinational (English and Polish)
Sunwell server is a stable server with thousands of players. This server supports a maximum character level of 80. You can boost the rate by inviting subscribers to the paid VIP membership. Administrators moderate the balance between different factions that makes the game playable and challenging.
Stable performance
Bizzlike server
VIP and Referral rates
Server Type: Bizzlike, PvP
Client Size: 17 GB
Population: 2000-4000
Rates: x2, Refer to a friend x3, VIP x4, x6
Expansions: Wrath of the Lich King (WoTLK)
Shop Items: Gold, vanity items, power leveling, and professions
Website: Sunwell
#8) TwinStar-Apollo II
Players: Multiplayer (English, Czech)
TwinStar-Apollo II is a European-based WoW server that supports international players. You can experience a Blizzlike server environment.
The client is small, so you can download and start playing right away. They offer the servers free with no VIP account.
Gamers can set x1 and x2 rates to experience the authentic WoW experience. You can also set x3 rate for accelerated character development. Apart from visual skins, there are no shop items that will please players who don’t like pay-to-win servers.
Top European WoW server
Plenty of raids and dungeons
Server Type: Blizzlike, PvP
Client Size: 2 GB
Population: 250-500
Rates: x1, x2, x3
Expansions: Cataclysms, Vanilla, Apollo-2
Shop Items: Vanity
Website: TwinStar-Apollo II
#9) Tauri
Players: Multinational (English and Italy)
Tauri is a high-quality WoW private server. It has the least bugs among private servers, making the experience similar to the official server. The WoW private server supports two extensions consisting of different realms. The server supports excellent scripting and a vibrant community.
Special realms
Multiple rates
Two playable WoW extensions
Optimized scripting
Server Type: Blizzlike, PvE, PvP
Client Size: 26 GB
Population: 150-300
Rates: MOP: Tauri x1 rates – 1000 players; Evermoon x1 -1500 players; Warriors of Darkness -200 players; WoTLK: Crytalsong x1 – 3000 players, Burning blade x7 rates, Alaris: multiple rates
Expansions: Mists of Pandaria (MoP) and WotLK
Shop Items: VIP membership
Website: Tauri
#10) Frostmourne WoW
Players: Multinational (English and German)
Frostmourne WoW is a Europe based server with many fun features. The server allows a high rate of x15 that enables you to breeze through the levels. You can also start at level 80. There are many custom quests and realms.
The server supports custom PvE quests allowing you to create your characters. It also supports 1v1 and 3v3 arenas that are fun to play.
Level 80
High Rates x15
Instant level 80
Custom quests
Server Type: Blizzlike, PVP
Client Size: 16 GB
Population: 5000+
Rates: x15
Expansions: Frostmour
Shop Items: Gears and vanity items
Website: Frostmourne WoW
#11) Panda WoW
Players: Multinational (Russian, English, Spain)
Panda WoW is a private server that hosts thousands of online players. The server is one of the best and stable private servers for MoP. While it doesn’t offer an authentic Blizzlike experience, the multiplayer gameplay is exciting.
You can select different realms and create a custom character or select an existing character. You can also choose quests and areas that are detailed and fun to play.
High rates
MoP server
Server Type: PvP, PvE
Client Size: 12 GB
Rates: x100
Expansions: Mists of Pandaria
Shop Items: Gears
Custom Currency: NA
Website: Panda WoW
Conclusion
WoW private servers provide a similar experience to the official Blizzard server. Some of these servers are more fun and exciting than the official server.
Recommended reading => Best Rust Server hosting
If you want to play the MoP expansion pack, the best servers are Panda WoW, WoW Circle, and Tauri. The best private WoW servers for WotLK include WoW Circle, Ether Side, RetroWoW Insta 60, and WoW-Mania.
For the best Blizzlike server experience, you can select WoW Mania, WoW Freakz, and Tauri servers. The private WoW servers offer the same gameplay as Blizzard servers, but many consider them to be more fun and exciting than the original server.
Suggested reading =>> Best ARK Server Hosting Providers
Research Process:
Time taken to research this article: Researching and writing the post on the best WOW private servers took us about 8 hours so that you can learn all about the best servers to play the multiplayer game online.
Total tools researched: 25
Top tools shortlisted: 11
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Frequently Asked Questions about how to connect to a wow private server
How do I join a WoW private server?
If you currently play World of Warcraft, Blizzard may permanently ban your account, losing any of your progress in the game, though as far as we know they’ve sued no one for playing with a private server. All-in-all, private servers occupy a legal and moral gray area.Jun 1, 2021
Can you get in trouble for playing on a WoW private server?
Answer: Most of the private WoW servers are free. You won’t have to pay anything to play the MMOG online. You can play the game online by downloading the game client for free.Aug 27, 2021
Do you need a WoW subscription to play on a private server?
Blizzard Entertainment considers using WoW private servers as stealing intellectual property and infringing copyright. Many players use private servers because they are free, but if Blizzard Entertainment detects you have been playing on a private server, it can ban you from the account you have on their platform.