How to join your Minecraft server Print

This article explains how players can join your Minecraft server hosted on PlayNHost.

1. Find your server IP and port

1. Log in to the Client Area at https://playnhost.com/billing.
2. Go to Services → My Services and open your Minecraft service.
3. On the Product Details page, note the IP / Hostname and Port.
4. You can also see these on the server page in the Game Panel at https://panel.playnhost.com.

Share this with your players in one of these formats:

• IP:Port  – for example, 123.45.67.89:25565
• Hostname:Port  – if you use a custom domain (for example, play.example.com:25565)

If your server uses the default Minecraft port 25565 and you have set up DNS correctly, players can usually connect with just the hostname (for example, play.example.com).

2. Make sure your server is online

5. Go to https://panel.playnhost.com and log in.
6. Select your Minecraft server.
7. On the server dashboard, click Start (or Restart if it is already running).
8. Wait until the console shows that the server is fully started and ready.

3. Join from the Minecraft client

9. Open the Minecraft launcher and start the game.
10. On the main menu, click Multiplayer.
11. Click Add Server.
12. In Server Name, type anything you like (for example, My PlayNHost Server).
13. In Server Address, enter:
    • IP:Port, for example 123.45.67.89:25565, or
    • your custom hostname (for example, play.example.com).
14. Click Done.
15. Select your server from the list and click Join Server.

4. Version and modpack compatibility

• Players must use a Minecraft version that matches the version or modpack your server is running.
• If you are using a modpack or custom modded client:
  • Make sure players install the same modpack profile in their launcher.
  • They should then join using the modded profile instead of vanilla Minecraft.

5. Troubleshooting common connection problems

• “Cannot connect to server” or red X icon
  Make sure the server is online in the Game Panel and that the IP/hostname and port are correct.
• “Outdated client” / “Outdated server”
  The game version of the client and server do not match. Update either the server version or the player’s game version to match.
• “Connection timed out”
  Double-check the address, restart the server from the panel, and try again. If it still fails, see our “Players can’t join my server – basic connection checks” article or contact support.
• “You are not whitelisted on this server”
  Your server has a whitelist enabled. Add the player’s username to the whitelist (see our whitelist article) and restart the server.

If players still cannot join after checking these steps, please open a ticket from Support → Submit a Ticket and include your server IP, port, game version and any error messages shown in-game or in the console.