“Connection Refused” and “Connection Timed Out” in Minecraft: What They Mean and How to Fix Them
You try to join a server and Minecraft says “Failed to connect to the server” and, underneath, something like Connection refused: no further information or Connection timed out. They look the same but point to different places: one says the machine answers and there's no server on that port, the other that nobody answers. Here's what each one means, how to tell in a minute whether the fault is yours or the server's, and what to change.
How to read the message
What matters is two words in the middle of the sentence. A typical message is io.netty.channel.AbstractChannel$AnnotatedConnectException: Connection refused: no further information. The “no further information” part adds nothing; it just says the system has no more detail. On recent Java versions it may end in getsockopt, and it means the same.
“Connection refused”: your game reached the machine, and it turned the connection down because no server is listening on that port. Usually it's off, still starting or on another port.
“Connection timed out”: nobody answered. The request gets lost along the way, at a router, a firewall or an address that's no longer right.
“Can't resolve hostname”: the address wasn't even found. The fault is in the name or your DNS.
If you were already in and it throws you out with “Timed out” or “Connection Lost”, that's something else: see why I get kicked from the server.
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In one minute: your connection or the server?
Test the address from outside
Type it as it is into Is my Minecraft server online?. If it responds, the server is fine and the problem is between your game and it. If it doesn't, the problem is the server or its network.
Ask someone else
If a friend gets in and you don't, it's your connection. If nobody gets in, it's the server.
Try your phone's data
Share the connection with your PC and try again. If that works, the problem is your network or router.
If you get Connection refused
Check it's on and has finished starting
This is the most common cause. A server takes a minute or two to be ready; until the console says
Done, it won't accept anyone.Check the port
If the address has a
:and a number, type all of it. Without a number, the game tries 25565. It has to match the server'sserver-port.Leave server-ip empty
If server.properties has an address in
server-ipthat isn't that machine's, it may fail to start or listen in the wrong place. Leave it empty unless you need it.If it's on your PC, check where the router points
If you join with
localhostand your friends get refused, the router is sending the port to a PC that isn't yours, or your PC's local address has changed.
If you get Connection timed out
If the server is on someone's PC, it's nearly always the port: check whether it's open from outside. If it isn't, follow these steps.
Open the port on the router
Forward TCP port 25565 to the server's PC. Step by step in how to port forward.
Let Java through the firewall
On Windows, in “Allow an app through firewall”, tick Java on private and public networks. Check your antivirus too if it has a firewall.
Check the address is still right
A home public IP tends to change over time. If it worked yesterday and not today, check your IP is still the one you gave your friends.
See if your ISP uses CG-NAT
With CG-NAT the port can't be opened, however much you change on the router. The same port tool tells you. The way out is playing without port forwarding or renting a server.
If it only happens to you
Turn off your VPN and tools like Hamachi
They change the route your traffic takes and can stop you reaching the server.
Try without your antivirus's firewall
If you get in that way, add Java as an exception and turn it back on.
Restart your router
Turn it off, wait about 30 seconds and turn it back on.
Change DNS if the address won't resolve
If you get “Can't resolve hostname”, check the spelling and try another DNS, like 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8. A newly created domain can also take a while.
What doesn't help
Reinstalling Minecraft or changing launcher: the problem is the network, not the game. Touching online-mode: that check comes later, and you haven't connected yet. Changing version: a different version gives another message, “Outdated client” (how to fix it). And forwarding UDP: Minecraft Java plays over TCP.
On NapNodes
There are no ports to open here: the address we give you already works from outside. If you get one of these errors, the server is nearly always off.
Check it isn't “Offline”
If it's a free server, it turns itself off after 1 h with nobody on. Press “Start” in the panel; your friends can too if you give them access.
Wait for it to start
In the “Console”, wait for
Donebefore joining.Copy the whole address
Copy it from the “Address to play” card, with the port if it has one, and paste it into the game.
If you still can't get in
If the tool above says it responds, the problem is your network: follow the “If it only happens to you” section. If not, write to us from “Help”.
Frequently asked questions
What does “Connection refused: no further information” mean?
That your game reached the machine but no server is listening on that port. Normally it's off, starting or on a different port.
What does “Connection timed out” mean in Minecraft?
That nobody answered: a router, a firewall or an old address cut the path. On a home server, it's nearly always a port that isn't open.
What's the difference between refused and timed out?
With refused, the machine answers and says no. With timed out, nobody answers. The first points to the server; the second to the network along the way.
Why can't my friends join when I can?
If you join with localhost and they use your IP, the port normally isn't open or the router sends it to another PC. Check it with a port tool.
Does reinstalling Minecraft fix it?
No. These are connection errors, not game errors. First check the server is on and that the address and port are right.
Do I need to open a UDP port?
Not to play Minecraft Java: it runs over TCP. You only need the server's TCP port, normally 25565.
Shall we set it up for you?
Minecraft servers from €6 a month, never oversold: your RAM is yours alone. And if you'd rather start without paying, there's a free Minecraft server, no card needed.
Your server doesn't show up in the game? Check it in a second with “Is my Minecraft server online?”: players, version and MOTD, free. Need a player's UUID for the whitelist or permissions? Look it up here. Handing out enchanted items? Build the command with the /give generator.
Free tool: Is my Minecraft server online?. Type a Minecraft server address and see whether it responds, how many are playing, its version and its MOTD.
Free tool: Is my port open?. Check from the internet whether your home server's port is open (Minecraft, Valheim, Zomboid) and whether your ISP uses CG-NAT.
Keep reading
- Can't Connect to a Minecraft Server: Connection Errors and Fixes
“Failed to connect”, “Incompatible client!”, “You are not white-listed”: what each error means when joining a Minecraft server and how to fix it.
- Kicked From a Minecraft Server: What Each Message Means and How to Fix It
“Flying is not enabled”, “Timed out”, “Kicked for spamming”: why a Minecraft server kicks you while you play, and what to do about each message.
- “Failed to Verify Username” and “Invalid Session” in Minecraft: Causes and Fixes
What “Failed to verify username” and “Invalid session” mean when joining a Minecraft server, how to fix them and why you shouldn't turn off online-mode.