How to let friends connect to your Minecraft server from outside your network — with UPnP auto-setup or manual router configuration
When you run a Minecraft server at home, it's only accessible to devices on your local network (LAN) by default. Port forwarding tells your router to take incoming traffic on a specific port and send it to your computer, allowing players outside your network to connect.
Think of it like this: your router is the front door of your house, and port forwarding is telling it to send Minecraft visitors to your specific room.
Default Minecraft port: 25565 (TCP). MC Server Manager shows your configured port in the server details panel.
Make sure you have:
Important: Port forwarding exposes a service on your computer to the internet. Only forward the ports you need, and keep your server software up to date. Consider setting a server whitelist in server.properties to control who can join.
You need your computer's local IP address (the address on your home network). MC Server Manager displays this as the LAN IP in the server details, but you can also find it manually:
Win + R, type cmd, press Enteripconfig and press Enter192.168.1.100 or 192.168.0.50Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi: IPv4 Address. . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100 <-- This is your local IP Subnet Mask . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0 Default Gateway . . . . . : 192.168.1.1 <-- This is your router
Tip: The Default Gateway address is your router's IP — you'll need this for Step 2.
192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1)Common router login addresses:
| Brand | Default Address | Default Login |
|---|---|---|
| Most routers | 192.168.1.1 | admin / admin |
| Netgear | 192.168.1.1 or routerlogin.net | admin / password |
| TP-Link | 192.168.0.1 or tplinkwifi.net | admin / admin |
| Linksys | 192.168.1.1 | admin / admin |
| ASUS | 192.168.1.1 or router.asus.com | admin / admin |
| Sky (UK) | 192.168.0.1 | On the router sticker |
| BT (UK) | 192.168.1.254 | On the router sticker |
| Virgin Media (UK) | 192.168.0.1 | On the router sticker |
| Xfinity (US) | 10.0.0.1 | admin / password |
Can't find it? Check the sticker on the bottom/back of your router for the admin URL and password. If you've changed the password and forgotten it, you may need to factory reset your router.
Once you're in the port forwarding section, create a new rule with these settings:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Service Name / Description | Minecraft (or anything you want) |
| Protocol | TCP (some routers say "TCP/UDP" — that works too) |
| External / Start Port | 25565 (or your custom port) |
| Internal / End Port | 25565 (same as above) |
| Internal IP / Device | Your local IP from Step 1 (e.g. 192.168.1.100) |
Save the rule and apply changes. Some routers require a reboot — if so, it will usually prompt you.
Using a custom port? If you changed the port in MC Server Manager (e.g. to 25566), use that port number instead of 25565 in both the external and internal port fields.
Your public IP is the address friends will use to connect. MC Server Manager displays this as the Public IP in the server details panel.
You can also find it by searching "what is my IP" in Google, or visiting a site like ifconfig.me.
Your public IP will look something like 86.24.153.42 — this is different from your local IP.
Privacy note: Your public IP can reveal your approximate location. Only share it with people you trust, and use a server whitelist to control who can join.
Give your friends the server address to add in Minecraft:
86.24.153.4286.24.153.42:25566In Minecraft, they go to Multiplayer > Add Server and paste the address.
That's it! Your friends should now be able to connect to your server from anywhere.
Windows Security > Firewall > Allow an app through firewall and ensure Java is allowed on Private and Public networks.ipconfig again to check. Consider setting a static IP (see below).With your server running, you can test if the port is reachable from the internet:
25565)Your router may assign a different local IP to your computer each time it connects (DHCP). To prevent this from breaking your port forwarding rule:
Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi (or Ethernet)192.168.1.100), subnet mask (255.255.255.0), and gateway (e.g. 192.168.1.1)1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8Alternatively, most routers have a "DHCP Reservation" or "Address Reservation" option that lets you pin a specific IP to your computer's MAC address.
Before going through all the steps above, MC Server Manager can handle port forwarding for you automatically:
MC Server Manager can automatically open your server port on your router — no manual configuration needed:
Note: UPnP must be supported and enabled on your router (most home routers have it on by default). If it doesn't work, your router may have UPnP disabled — check your router's settings, or use the Cloudflare Tunnel option below.
Remote server management: MC Server Manager also includes a built-in Cloudflare Tunnel web dashboard for managing your server from any browser — monitor performance, run commands, and control your server remotely without exposing your home IP. This is for server administration, not for players to connect.
Every router has a slightly different interface. Here are brief directions for the most common ones:
routerlogin.net or 192.168.1.1Minecraft, Protocol = TCP, External port = 25565, Internal IP = your PC's IP192.168.0.1 or tplinkwifi.netMinecraft, External Port = 25565, Internal IP = your PC's IP, Internal Port = 25565, Protocol = TCProuter.asus.com or 192.168.1.1Minecraft, Port Range = 25565, Local IP = your PC's IP, Local Port = 25565, Protocol = TCP192.168.1.1Minecraft, External Port = 25565, Internal Port = 25565, Protocol = TCP, Device IP = your PC's IP25565 TCP pointing to your PC's local IP