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The address to give a Minecraft player depends on where they are: use localhost or 127.0.0.1 on the computer running the server, your computer’s private IPv4 address for someone on the same home network, and your public IP address plus the server port for someone connecting over the internet. For the common defaults, Java servers use port 25565; Bedrock Dedicated Server uses 19132 for IPv4. A server can be configured to use different ports.
Choose the right address first
There is no single Minecraft server IP that works for every connection. Your computer may have several addresses at once: a loopback address, a local address on Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and possibly addresses for IPv6, a VPN, or virtual network adapters.
| Who is connecting? | Address to use | Port |
|---|---|---|
| You, on the computer hosting the server | localhost or 127.0.0.1 |
The server’s configured port |
| Someone on the same home network | The host computer’s private IPv4 address, such as 192.168.1.50 |
The server’s configured port |
| Someone outside your home network | Your router’s public/WAN IPv4 address, or a hostname that points to it | The server’s external port |
| A player joining a Java world opened to LAN | The host’s private IP and the port Minecraft shows after opening the world to LAN | The port shown in chat |
Use the host computer’s address, not the address of the player trying to join. Minecraft’s multiplayer guide distinguishes LAN play from online servers and explains the connection screens for Java and Bedrock.
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localhost/127.0.0.1: Loopback. It always points back to the device using it, so it works for the host computer but not for a friend’s device.- Private IP: The address your router gives a device on the local network. Common ranges include
192.168.x.x,10.x.x.x, and172.16.x.xthrough172.31.x.x. It normally works only for devices on that network. - Public IP: The internet-facing address associated with your router or upstream network. Players outside your home normally use this address. It does not, by itself, ensure that connections reach the server.
Find the private IP on Windows
- Open Command Prompt: press the Windows key, type Command Prompt, and select it.
- Run
ipconfig. - Under the active Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter Ethernet, find IPv4 Address.
- Give that number to players on the same network. For example,
192.168.1.50.
Do not copy Default Gateway; that is usually the router, not the Minecraft computer. Ignore disconnected adapters and addresses belonging to a VPN or virtual machine. Microsoft’s ipconfig reference explains the command’s network-adapter output. You can also check Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi or Ethernet → Properties and look for IPv4 address; labels may vary by Windows release.
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Find the private IP on macOS or Linux
macOS
Open Apple menu → System Settings → Network, choose the active Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, select Details, then TCP/IP. Read IP address. In Terminal, ipconfig getifaddr en0 often returns the Wi-Fi IPv4 address. The interface name can differ, especially for Ethernet; ifconfig lists interfaces, where the active one’s inet value is the IPv4 address. Do not use 127.0.0.1 for another device. See Apple’s TCP/IP settings guide.
Linux
In Terminal, run ip -4 addr or ip addr and find the IPv4 address on the active network interface. hostname -I can also list assigned addresses, but if it prints several, choose the one on the same network as the joining player. The ip address reference documents the command.
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Find the public IP for players outside your network
Check the router’s administration page for an address labeled WAN, Internet, or External IP, or use a reputable public-IP lookup service. The address you give an outside player is the public IP plus the server’s port when required. The port-forwarding rule on your router is different: it sends traffic to the server computer’s private IP.
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Check the Minecraft port
The port must match the server’s configuration. Defaults are useful starting points, not guarantees.
- Java Edition dedicated server: commonly
25565, normally TCP. Theserver-portvalue inserver.propertiesis authoritative. Java accepts an address such as203.0.113.25for the default, or203.0.113.25:25570for a server configured on port25570. See the official Java server download and server-properties reference. - Bedrock Dedicated Server: defaults to
19132for IPv4 and19133for IPv6. The normal IPv4 gameplay port is UDP. Confirm the configured port and protocol inserver.propertiesand your router rule; do not assume Java’s port applies. See Microsoft’s Bedrock setup guide and properties reference. - Java Open to LAN: after selecting Open to LAN, Minecraft displays a port in chat. Give LAN players the host’s private IP and that port, rather than assuming the dedicated-server default.
Enter the address in Minecraft
Java Edition
- Open Multiplayer.
- Select Direct Connection or Add Server.
- Enter the address. Add
:portif it is not the server’s normal default. - Select Join Server.
Bedrock Edition
- Select Play, then the Servers tab.
- Select Add Server.
- Enter a server name, address, and port, then save and join.
For a Bedrock Dedicated Server on the same Windows computer, Microsoft documents 127.0.0.1 as the local connection address. If you are joining a friend’s Bedrock world, an invite through Invite to Game may be the right option instead of entering an IP.
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Let friends connect from outside your home
Finding the public IP is only one link in the connection path: correct address → correct port → server listening → firewall allows it → router forwards it → ISP permits inbound traffic → compatible client and server. If LAN play works but outside connections do not, work through these steps:
- Give the host a stable private IP. Create a DHCP reservation in the router if possible. Otherwise, a changed private IP can make an existing forwarding rule point at the wrong device.
- Forward only the needed port. Set the external port to the one players will use, the internal destination to the host’s private IP, and the internal port to the server’s listening port. Select the correct protocol for that server configuration—typically TCP for a Java server and UDP for Bedrock IPv4.
- Allow the server through the host firewall. Permit the specific application or required port on the relevant network profile. Do not permanently disable the firewall. Microsoft’s Bedrock setup guidance covers Windows Defender firewall permissions for LAN or internet connections.
- Test from outside the home network. Try a device on cellular data or another internet connection. Testing the public address from the same Wi-Fi can fail because some routers do not support NAT loopback; that alone does not prove outside access is broken.
- Check for upstream network limits. If the router’s WAN address differs from the address shown by an external IP lookup—or the WAN address is private or shared-range—your ISP may use carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT). Ordinary inbound IPv4 forwarding may not work because you do not control the upstream NAT. Ask the ISP about a public IPv4 address, or consider IPv6 if all devices and firewalls support it, a mesh/VPN network, Realms, or hosting.
If the network has an ISP gateway plus a second router, it may have double NAT. Forwarding may need to be configured on both devices, or one device can be put into bridge or access-point mode. Change one thing at a time and test again.
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Troubleshooting: the address looks right, but it will not connect
- It works on the host only:
localhostproves the server is reachable from that computer; it is not the address for another device. Test the private IP from a second device on the same network. - LAN players cannot connect: confirm the server is running, both devices are on the same network, the host’s current private IP is correct, and the firewall allows the server. Guest Wi-Fi may isolate devices from each other.
- LAN works, internet does not: verify the port-forward destination is the host’s current private IP, the port and protocol match the server, and the test is from a genuinely external network. Check for CGNAT or double NAT.
- The public address stopped working: compare the address you shared with the current WAN/public address; it may have changed. A dynamic-DNS hostname can help with address changes but not with CGNAT.
- Several IPs appear: choose the active Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter connected to the other player’s router. Avoid VPN, Docker, Hyper-V, VirtualBox, and loopback addresses unless your setup specifically uses them.
- Connection reaches the server but Minecraft rejects it: check edition and version compatibility. A correct IP cannot make Java and Bedrock interchangeable; clients and servers also need compatible releases. Minecraft notes that Java multiplayer requires matching versions, while Bedrock protocol mismatches can produce “Outdated Client” or “Outdated Server” errors.
- An address contains colons: it may be IPv6. IPv6 can work, but requires compatible clients, server configuration, and firewall rules. For a typical beginner setup, use IPv4 where available.
When you do not need to find or share an IP
For same-network play, use the private address; no router port forwarding is needed. Bedrock friend invites and Minecraft Realms can avoid home-router setup. Realms is an official subscription option but has less server customization than self-hosting. Managed hosting provides a server address without running the server on your home network, usually for a recurring fee. A VPN or mesh-network tool can help a small private group reach a host without traditional port forwarding, but each player may need to install and join the network. Dynamic DNS only helps keep a changing public address easy to find; it does not create internet reachability.
Self-hosting and port forwarding expose the Minecraft service to internet traffic. Keep server software updated, forward only the needed port, use allowlists and strong administrative credentials where appropriate, avoid exposing router administration, and share your public IP privately. Stop the server when it is not needed. Minecraft cautions that home-network configuration for private servers is undertaken at the user’s own risk.
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