How To Port Forward for a Minecraft Server - TheBreakdown.xyz (2024)

If you want to know how to port forward for your Minecraft server, this is the article for you! We go over everything that you need to know about port forwarding for a Minecraft server, including the ports you need to forward for both Java Edition and Bedrock Edition servers.

What we'll cover in this Minecraft Server port forwarding guide:

• Finding Your Router’s Username and Password
• Accessing Your Router
• Logging Into Your Router
• Locating Port Forwarding
• Port Forwarding for Your Minecraft Server
• Getting Your Public IP Address
• Joining Your Server with The Public IP
• Troubleshooting
• Frequently Asked Questions

Finding Your Router’s Username and Password

The first thing we need to do is get your router’s password. The reason for this is that we're going to be logging into your router a little later in this article, and by figuring this information out on the front end, it can make things a lot simpler.

Most of the time this can be found on a sticker on your router. In some cases, you may need to try the default username and password for your router, and in rare cases, you may even have to contact your ISP for the information.

Luckily, we have a complete guide on finding your router’s password that will walk you through all of the different methods you may need to try in order to find it. Start with method one, and work through every method until you find the correct information.

Getting Your Default Gateway & IPv4 Address

After you have your router’s login information, you will need to find your default gateway in order to be able to use it.

Step 1: Opening Command Prompt

Command prompt is what we will use to get the network information we need to port forward. To do this, open up your start menu and search for the ‘Command Prompt’. Open the Command Prompt app that appears.

Step 2: Using CMD to Get Network Information

Once the command prompt is open, type in “ipconfig” and hit enter. This will give you a bunch of different IP addresses and information about your network.

Step 3: Making Note of Your Default Gateway & IPv4 Address

There will be a ton of network information displayed.

All we need here is your default gateway and IPv4 address. Make note of these in notepad or by simply writing them down.

Both of the default gateway and IPv4 address should be in a 192.168.1.1 format. The numbers may be different, but they should have three “.” in them.

In some cases, your default gateway is going to have two options. You want the one that is just numbers and in the format mentioned above. It is usually on the second line if you have two options.

Accessing Your Router

Step 1: Opening Your Browser

Now, we can move on to actually port forwarding. To get started, open up our browser, and open up a brand new tab. We will be accessing your router using your web browser.

Step 2: Accessing Your Router with The Default Gateway

In this brand new tab, type in your default gateway that you got early in the address bar, where you would normally search for something or enter a domain for a website, and hit enter.

Some kind of login box is going to appear. This is different for every router, and it can be everything from a pop-up window to a nice-looking and well-designed login area.

In some cases, you may need to use a mobile app for your router to login and port forward. This is common on Google and Nest routers for example.

We do have a complete guide on port forwarding, which can be helpful if you are stuck trying to access your router’s login.

Logging Into Your Router

At this point, you can login into your router. You will do this using the login information you found in earlier.

If you do have any issues, go back to the process used in our article on finding your router’s password.

It is possible that your password was changed or that you have a different default password.

Locating Port Forwarding

Every router is different, so we can’t give you specific directions for your router. What we can do is give you all of the potential names and locations that you may find port forwarding under.

Keep in mind though that you can’t really break anything on your router as long as you only save your changes when you know you are working on port forwarding. Additionally, you could just reset your router to default if it does stop working.

Potential Locations for Port Forwarding

Most likely, you will find port forwarding in an advanced, administration, firewall, or security tab. You may also find it in a more general networking tab in your router, but usually, port forwarding is in one of those locations.

Things Port Forwarding May Be Called

Sadly, there isn't a completely common term for port forwarding, and every router manufacturer calls it something different.

With that, some common terms for port forwarding are apps and gaming, port forwarding, port triggering, NAT forwarding, NAT gaming, firewall settings, port opening, or port control. 99% of routers will use one of these terms or a combination of them.

Your router could use a different term though, so that is why it is very import to explore your router's settings to find it.

Port Forwarding for Your Minecraft Server

At this point, we can move on to actually port forwarding. This is pretty simple. In some cases, you will just have a much of empty boxes. In others, you will have to create or add a new port forward.

Now, we can enter your Minecraft server port forwarding information.

Step 1: ID, Name, or Identifier

For service name, ID or identifier, just put Minecraft Java Server if you are port forwarding for a Java Edition server or Minecraft Bedrock Server if you are port forwarding for a Bedrock Edition server.

Step 2: Protocol

In the protocol section, select TCP/UDP or both. If, for whatever reason, you don't have the option to select both of these, do the port forward twice – once for TCP and once for UDP.

Step 3: Minecraft Java Edition Server Port Forwarding

For Minecraft Java Servers, you will enter in 25565 anywhere you see the word port. Internal port, external port, inside port, outside port, first port, second, it doesn’t matter what it is called. Anywhere you see the word port, enter 25565. That's what it's going to be for any port-related thing.

For internal port, you will enter 25565 because just like external port, it has the work “port” in it. That means, it will be 25565. Your router may call internal port something different, but whatever your router calls it, it does not matter. It's going to be 25565.

Step 3: Minecraft Bedrock Edition Server Port Forward

Minecraft Bedrock Edition actually requires you to forward two ports. That means, you will port forward twice – once for each port.

For your first port, you will enter in 19132. That is going to be for external, internal, outside, inside, first, second, it doesn’t matter what it is called. Anywhere you see the word “port”, you will enter in 19132 for a Minecraft Bedrock Edition servers.

See Also

How to Portforward Minecraft (with Pictures) - wikiHow

You will also then need to repeat the process for the port 19133. Everything is exactly the same for ID, protocol, and IP address. The only thing that you will need to change is the port.

Occasionally, you will need to forward ports 19134 and 19135, but that is not always required. The process is the same with you just changing the port.

Step 4: IP Address/Device Selection

With your port entered, you will now need to enter in the IPv4 address you found earlier or select the device you are running the Minecraft server on from a drop-down.

This IP address could also be called internal IP address, inside IP address, local IP address, or local IPv4 address. No matter what, just enter the IPv4 address that you found earlier.

This could also be a device drop-down instead of an IP address box. If this is the case, you will need to select the device that you are starting the server on.

Getting Your Public IP Address

Now that you have finished port forwarding for your Minecraft server, you will need to get your public address.

This is super easy and can be found on our what’s my IP address page. On that page, you will see your public IP address as well as some of the information people can access via your public IP.

If you want to keep all of this information private, you will need to start a server with a company like SimpleGameHosting.

You can click on your public IP address on this page to copy it. This is the IP address your friends will use to join your Minecraft server.

Joining Your Server with The Public IP

At this point, it is time to join your server with your public IP address. This is done by going into Minecraft and entering the public IP.

In most cases, you will be able to join your server with your public IP address. However, some ISPs do block you from doing so.

If you can’t join via your public IP address, that's okay. You can join using the IP address “localhost”. Only your friends have to join via the public IP address.

Troubleshooting

• My Friends Can't Join with My Public IP Address
• Suddenly, My Server is Unjoinable
• I Can't Join Via My Public IP Address

My Friends Can't Join with My Public IP Address

If your friends can't join your server with your public IP address, there a few different things that you need to troubleshoot.

First, make sure that the port forward was done correctly. Make sure that for Java servers port 25565 is forwarded, and for Bedrock servers, confirm that ports 19132 and 19133 are both forwarded.

If you see both of the ports, the next step is to make sure that Windows Defender isn't blocking Minecraft or Java. We have a complete guide on how to unblock Minecraft and Java from Windows Defender that will help you fix things if this is the issue.

Another potential cause could be that an antivirus on your computer could be blocking the connection. Make sure you add an exception for Minecraft and the ports you forwarded in that case.

Lastly, you may need to allow the port through the firewall on your router. This may be as simple as changing a setting or making an exception for the port.

Suddenly, My Server is Unjoinable

This is usually due to the fact that IP addresses are dynamic and change occasionally. First things first, make sure that your public IP address is the same. If it is, move on to the next paragraph. If not, try the new IP.

If your public IP address hasn't changed or if you still can't join your server using it, make sure that the IPv4 address is still the same. In most cases, this will be different. If so, you will need to change your local IP address in your port forward to the new IPv4 address. When you do, you will be able to join the server.

I Can't Join Via My Public IP Address

This is actually okay as long as your friends can join your server with the public IP address. You can use localhost, your IPv4 address, or simply “0” as the IP address and join your server.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is port forwarding, and why is it needed to host a Minecraft server?
• What is the default port used for Minecraft servers?
• How do I find the local IPv4 address of the computer that is hosting my server?
• How do I log into my router to port forward?
• What are the security risks of port forwarding a Minecraft server?

What is port forwarding, and why is it needed to host a Minecraft server?

Port forwarding is a technique used to allow external access to a service or application hosted on a device within a private network. When hosting a Minecraft server, port forwarding is necessary to allow other players to connect to the server.

If you don't, only people on the same internet connection as you can join your server.

What is the default port used for Minecraft servers?

For Minecraft Java Edition servers, the default port is 25565.

For Minecraft Bedrock Edition servers, there are two default ports – 19132 and 19133. Depending on what you plan to do with your Bedrock server, you may also need to forward ports 19134 and 19135.

How do I find the local IPv4 address of the computer that is hosting my server?

To find the local IPv4 address, open up the command prompt, type ipconfig, and hit enter. You will see your IPv4 address here in addition to other information about your network.

How do I log into my router to port forward?

You can access your router, in most cases, by typing your default gateway into the address bar of your browser.

You can find the address bar by opening up the CMD and typing ipconfig. When you hit enter, your default gateway will be in the list of network info that appears.

What are the security risks of port forwarding a Minecraft server?

When you port forward a Minecraft server, you are exposing your network to the internet. With this, people can do things like DDoS. Now, as long as you only share your IP address with people you trust, the chances of this are much lower, but it is still possible.

Additionally, anyone who gets your public IP address can see where you live down to the latitude and longitude coordinates. This means that you really should only give this to the people you trust.

With that being said, if you don't want to worry about security for your Minecraft server, consider using a third-party hosting company. When you use a third-party host, they handle the security and server hardware, letting you focus on customizing and playing on your server.