Minecraft Server Connection Timed Out: How to Fix It

“Connection timed out” means your game sent a request to the server’s address and nothing answered. The usual causes are a server that is not running, a wrong address or port, or a firewall or router that drops the traffic on TCP port 25565. Check them in that order.

The fix depends on where the server runs and who sees the error, so the guide starts with a short test to narrow the problem and then walks through each cause.

Start here: who sees the error?

• Everyone, including you. The problem is on the server side: it is stopped, crashed, or its port is blocked.
• Only some players. Look at their side: VPN, firewall, school or work network, or a typo in the address.
• You, but only with the public address. Joining with localhost works, so the server is fine and the problem is the router or firewall.

The Minecraft Wiki suggests testing in steps from your own machine: connect with localhost, then with your internal address (192.168.x.x), then with your external address. The step where it stops working shows you which part of the path to fix.

Timed out or refused?

The Wiki explains it this way: a timeout is the firewall ignoring the first packet, and a refusal is the operating system telling you that no process is listening on that port.

If your server is hosted with us

1. Check that the server is running. Open it in the panel. If it is offline, press Start and watch the Console until it finishes loading. A server that is still starting will time out.
2. Use the address and port from the server page. Copy them exactly. A hosted server can run on a port other than 25565, and a missing port is a common mistake.
3. Read the console for errors. A crash on startup, a wrong Java version or a plugin error can stop the server before it listens.
4. Test from another network. Try a phone hotspot with the same address. If it works there, the cause is your own network, VPN or firewall.
5. Contact support. If the server runs and the address is right, send us the address and the console log through live chat or a ticket.

You do not need to forward any ports on a hosted server. We handle the network side, in Dallas and Amsterdam, with DDoS protection on every plan.

If you host from your own PC

Most timeouts on a home server come from the network between the internet and your computer. Work through these in order:

1. Confirm the server is running and that its console says it has finished loading.
2. Check server.properties. Leave server-ip empty. The Paper docs say it is not a place for your public IP, because it controls which network interfaces the server listens on. A wrong value causes “Failed to bind to port”.
3. Allow Java through the firewall on the computer that runs the server. On Windows, accept the prompt that appears the first time the server starts.
4. Forward TCP port 25565 in your router to the local address of that computer. Give the computer a fixed local address so that the rule keeps working.
5. Check for a second router. The Wiki warns that a modem and router combination, or two routers in a row, means you must forward the port on the device that faces the internet.
6. Use your current public IP address. Home addresses often change. A dynamic DNS name fixes that, as the Wiki explains.

The Wiki also notes that turning off the firewall on the router is not the same as opening the port. Without a forwarding rule, the router drops the connection, and you get a timeout. The full setup is in how to make a Minecraft Java server.

If only some players are affected

• VPN or proxy. Turn it off and test again.
• Antivirus or firewall on the player’s computer. Allow Java and Minecraft.
• School, work or public networks often block game ports. Try a phone hotspot.
• A domain that times out when the raw IP works. That points to DNS. Check the A record and, if you use a custom port, the SRV record, both explained in the Wiki’s server tutorial.
• The wrong address. One mistyped character looks exactly like a server that is down.

Proxy networks

If your server sits behind Velocity, BungeeCord or a similar proxy, players connect to the proxy, not to the backend. A misconfigured proxy is a common reason for timeouts. Check that players use the proxy’s address, and that the backend servers allow connections from the proxy.

Still failing? Check these last

1. Run the server without plugins or mods to see whether an add-on stops it from starting. The Paper troubleshooting guide suggests renaming the plugins folder for the test.
2. Read the end of logs/latest.log for the last error before the server went quiet.
3. If the server starts but lags until it stops answering, see our lag fix guide.
4. If you are choosing where to host, take a closer look at our Minecraft Java server hosting and our plans.

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