How to Connect to Your Minecraft Server

Your server's address is on its Dashboard, in the Server Info panel, listed as Hostname in IP:PORT form. It's also shown directly under the server name at the top of the page. In Minecraft Java, go to Multiplayer > Add Server and paste that exact IP:PORT (no extra spaces). If it still won't connect, the cause is almost always one of: wrong/missing port, online-mode mismatch, or a mod/modpack mismatch, all fixable below.

Symptoms

• "Can't connect to server" or connection times out
• Login fails instantly with an authentication or "invalid session" style error
• You connect but get kicked, or the world looks wrong/broken
• A friend joins a completely different server than yours

Why this happens

Most "can't connect" tickets aren't actually broken servers. They're one of these:

• Missing the port. Typing just the IP without :PORT (or with a stray space) sends you to the wrong place or nowhere.
• online-mode mismatch. If a friend doesn't have a Microsoft account, online-mode needs to be false in Server Properties. If it's true, they'll fail authentication and get disconnected immediately.
• Mod or modpack mismatch. If you installed a modpack or individual mods on the server, every player needs the same mods client-side (e.g. via the CurseForge launcher for modpacks). Missing or extra client mods cause instant kicks, slow block breaking, or items not dropping: this is a client-content issue, not a network issue.
• Dedicated IP expired. If billing lapsed, a purchased dedicated IP can expire and get reassigned, and the server falls back to a shared/temporary address. Server files stay intact for 30 days regardless.
• Whitelist blocking valid players. Capitalization or a corrupted whitelist file can silently block names that look correct.

If you're trying to connect Bedrock players to a Java server, that's a separate crossplay setup, not a basic connection issue. Use Enable Cross Play in the sidebar rather than troubleshooting it as a normal join failure.

How to fix it

1. Open your server's Dashboard and copy the exact Hostname shown in the Server Info panel.
2. In Minecraft, add the server using that full IP:PORT string: check for accidental spaces.
3. Confirm the status pill at the top reads Online. If it says Offline or Starting, click Start and wait before retrying.
4. If a friend without a Microsoft account can't join, open Server Properties, check online-mode, and set it to match your player base, then restart.
5. If you're running a modpack or mods, confirm the client has the exact same modpack/mod list. Check what's installed via Modpack Installer or Mods Installer and compare against the player's launcher profile.
6. If players are joining a different server or get "server not found," verify your dedicated IP hasn't expired: check your account billing status.
7. If specific players are blocked despite being added correctly, review name formatting in your whitelist and re-add them; if it's still wrong, remove and re-add the whitelist entries fresh.

Still stuck?

If you've confirmed the address, port, online-mode, and mod list all match and it still won't connect, open a support ticket with your server ID (visible on the Dashboard), staff can check the Console for connection errors directly.

Need the crossplay side too? See How to Set Up Java and Bedrock Crossplay (Geyser + Floodgate), or if a modpack is involved, check How to Install a Modpack on Your Minecraft Server. For IP or port changes, see How to Find or Change Your Server IP and Port, and for player access problems, see How to Whitelist Players on Your Minecraft Server.