Minecraft – How to host a Minecraft server (not on the same LAN and without using Realms)?

1. Configure server online-mode off

If you are using a proper server you'll need to set "online-mode" to "false" in the server properties. You can ignore this step if you're using in-client LAN.

• Edit server.properties found in the parent folder of your minecraft folder.
• Find and update online-mode=false

The first player should now be able to connect fine as normal with the proper account name, or start the LAN server.

2. Modify displayname of second player

To get the second person connected, first go to your .minecraft folder. Find launcher_profiles.json and open it up with a text editor.

Near the end of the file you should find "displayName": and then your current display name. Edit your name to anything different, keeping the "s either side of it. Make sure that it's a valid username (only use A-Z, 1-9, and _, not over 16 characters, etc.).

3. Preventing correction of the file

This stage doesn't always seem to be required. If you're having trouble with your name being auto-corrected you may need to either disconnect your Internet, or make the launcher_profiles.json file read only after having edited your name.

To make the file read only on Windows: right click it, click "Properties", and then tick "Read-only" in the "Attributes" section of the "General" tab.

After you've done that, or if it worked originally, open up your launcher. You should see your edited name in the bottom right:

4. Start minecraft

You can now start minecraft. You can also connect your Internet or make the file writable at this point. Hopefully, you should now be able to join the server with a different name and without kicking off the other player.

Your name may be automatically be corrected if you start the launcher with your Internet connected and the launcher_profiles.json file not on read-only. You will also be unable to join proper online servers with the fake name, however you can use this method to set it back to your original name, or relog to have the launcher correct it.

Note to others: This doesn't allow piracy in any way. You still need to have a paid account and all of the game files downloaded. It's pretty much the same as /nick on modded servers.

If you are in the same network (i.e. connected to the same router and it is set up so you two are really in the same network) you could start the bukkit server on your computer and he can connect using your local IP address.

To get your local IP address, you can use the command prompt. I am assuming you are using windows as your OS. If not, please tell me and i will edit my answer accordingly. I am also assuming that you don't know much about computers. I don't want to anger you in any way so of you do understand much about computers, just ignore this fact.

Now, to open the command prompt, you can open the start menu (or the metro menu, when in Windows 8) and then type cmd and hit the enter key.
In the command prompt then you can simply type ipconfig /all and again hit enter.
You will see some information about your network configuration. Now it is important to know which way you are connected to the network: LAN or WLAN? If you are connected via LAN look out for the entry starting with Ethernet. If you are using WLAN look out for an entry starting with Wireless (names may differ since i am using a non-english system).
Either way, the entry block should then containa line with a value IPv4-Address. This is your local network IP address that your boyfriend needs to connect to the server running on your computer.

Please don't forget:
You still need a way to start minecraft and the server has to run in offline mode!
Here is a video that might help with that.
This Question should cover the player name problem.

If you are still having troubles please leave a comment and i will see what i can do.