How to Port Forward a Minecraft Server, Explained

Creating your Minecraft Server is a dream for many fans of the game. So, you eagerly set one up and make sure everything is good to go… just to find out that your friends can’t connect to it. That’s where port forwarding comes in. Port forwarding allows connections from other IP addresses to connect to your Minecraft Server. Here’s how to port forward your Minecraft server.

How do I port forward my Minecraft Server?

Step 1: Find the port that you need and allow it through your firewall

1. On your Minecraft server directory, find the file named server.properties.
2. Open it on Notepad or, preferably, Notepad++.
3. Press Control + F, then type server-port.
4. You will be able to find your server’s port number after the equals sign.
5. Copy the server port number or write it down elsewhere (i.e., 25565- the default port number for the Java Edition).

Step 2: Allow the port number through Windows firewall. 

1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard or click the start button on the desktop.
2. Search for Windows Defender Firewall, then open it with a left click.
3. Click on Advanced Settings on the left-hand side of the window.
4. Click Inbound Rules
5. On the right-hand side of the window, select New Rule.
6. A new window will appear called New Inbound Rule Wizard.
7. Select Protocol and Ports
8. Select TCP. 
9. In the space next to “Specific Local Ports,” input your server port number.
10. Select Allow Connection and press next until you finish the setup.

Related: How to Get Chainsaw Man Mod for Minecraft

Step 3: Allow the port through your router and connect to your Minecraft Server

Disclaimer, this part varies depending on the router you’re using since manufacturers have different interfaces and processes when port forwarding.

1. Open your router settings through your browser by typing the default gateway address.
   1. To find your default gateway address, press the start button and search for run.
   2. Type “cmd”
   3. Once the command prompt is open, type “ipconfig”
   4. Find your computer’s adapter. If it’s connected through the internet via a LAN Cable, it is usually named “Ethernet adapter Ethernet.”
   5. Under your computer’s internet adapter, find the default gateway (i.e., 192.168.1.1).
   6. Copy and paste it into your browser, and you should be able to access and log in through your router’s settings.
   7. Take note of your IPV4 Address as well, as we have to use it later on in the process (i.e., 192.168.1.20)
2. Log in through your router, then search your router manual or the internet for a guide to get to your router’s Port Forwarding page.
3. Once you get to the Port Forwarding page, you should see external port, internal port, protocol, and local IP.
4. Copy your server port number to the external port and internal port. If it asks for a range of ports, keep the same server port number. (i.e., 25565-25565 for both external and internal ports)
5. Select TCP/UDP for the protocol.
6. For your local IP, use your IPV4 Address from Step 1g.
7. Save the changes and restart the Minecraft Server.

Once everything is done, you’re nearly there. The next step is to allow players to connect to your server. You can simply google “What’s my IP Address?” It will then show you your public IP address. Send your public IP address to your friends and use it to connect to your server in Minecraft.