Is "Connection timed out" different from "Connection refused"?

Yes. Timed out means nothing answered, so traffic isn't getting through. Refused means your friend reached a machine but no Minecraft server was listening on that port, so check that the server is running, the port number, and that server-ip is blank.

Why can I join my server but my friends get Connection timed out?

You're joining over your home network, which skips the router's port forward and your internet provider. Friends need TCP 25565 forwarded to the server PC, Java allowed through the firewall, your public IP, and no CGNAT.

Can a firewall cause Connection timed out?

Yes. If Windows Firewall or an antivirus firewall blocks Java, incoming connections are silently dropped, which looks exactly like a timeout. Allow java.exe and javaw.exe on both Private and Public networks.

How do I fix Connection timed out without port forwarding?

Use a tunnel such as playit.gg (free tier covers Minecraft Java), a VPN overlay every player installs (Tailscale, ZeroTier, Radmin VPN), or a hosted server such as Aternos, Realms or a paid host. These also work behind CGNAT.

Minecraft "Connection timed out: no further information" fix

Quick answer

In Minecraft Java, Connection timed out: no further information means your friend's game sent a connection request and never got any reply: the traffic was dropped somewhere before it reached the server. (If something had answered and said no, you'd see Connection refused instead.) On a home-hosted server the cause is almost always one of these: the address is wrong (a local 192.168.x.x IP, an old public IP, or a missing :port), TCP 25565 isn't forwarded or points at the wrong PC, Windows Firewall is blocking Java, or your internet provider uses CGNAT so port forwarding can't work.

Ports

25565 TCP: Default Java Edition port (server-port in server.properties). Friends add :port if you changed it

How to fix it, step by step

Make sure the server is up and works locally. Wait for Done (x.xxxs)! in the server console, then join localhost on the server PC. If even that times out, the server isn't running or crashed while loading, so fix that first.
Check the exact address friends type. Friends outside your home need your public IP (not 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x, which only work inside your home), plus :port if it isn't 25565. Home IPs change from time to time; if it worked yesterday, check the IP again or set up a dynamic DNS name.
Forward TCP 25565 to the right PC. Reserve the server PC's local IP in your router (DHCP reservation), then forward TCP 25565 to that IP. A forward pointing at an old local IP is one of the most common causes of this exact error.
Allow Java through the firewall. In Windows Defender Firewall, allow java.exe / javaw.exe ("OpenJDK Platform binary") on both Private and Public networks. Third-party antivirus firewalls need the same rule.
Rule out CGNAT and double NAT. Compare the WAN/Internet IP on your router's status page with what a "what is my IP" site shows. If they differ, or the WAN IP starts with 100.64 to 100.127, port forwarding can't work. See the CGNAT guide.
Test from outside, not from your own Wi-Fi. Joining your own public IP from inside your home can time out even when everything is set up right (many routers don't support hairpin NAT). Test from a phone on mobile data, or run the free outside check below.

Timed out vs. refused vs. unknown host

Connection timed out: no further information (also shown as io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException): nothing answered. Traffic is dropped by a missing port forward, a firewall, a wrong address or CGNAT.
Connection refused: no further information: your friend reached a machine, but nothing was listening on that port. The server is off or still loading, the port is wrong, server-ip is set in server.properties, or the forward points at the wrong PC.
java.net.UnknownHostException: the domain name doesn't resolve. Check the spelling and the DNS record.
Timed out in the middle of playing: the connection dropped after joining. If only one player gets it, it's usually their network; if everyone does, the server is lagging or out of memory.

If only some friends get the error

If one friend can join and another times out, your server and port forward are fine. The friend with the error should check the address they typed, allow Java through their own firewall, and turn off any VPN or proxy. A school, work or dorm network may block game ports entirely; mobile data is a quick way to test that.

If you get it on every server you try

If you time out on big public servers too, the problem is on your side, not the server's: allow Java through your firewall and antivirus, turn off any VPN or proxy, restart your router, and try a different network such as a phone hotspot.

Test it from the outside

Your own Wi-Fi can't tell you whether friends can reach the server. The free Server Doctor check contacts your server once from the internet, the way the game does, and tells you the most likely cause. The same check runs in Discord with /fix.

No PC to host 24/7?

If you keep timing out because of CGNAT, or your PC can't stay on whenever friends want to play, a hosted server sidesteps the router entirely. Aternos is free (with queues and auto-stop), and paid Minecraft hosts give you an address that works without port forwarding.

Still stuck? Get free help from real people in our Discord

Post your game, where it runs and what the check said in #help-forum. Other server hosts and the Server Doctor team can take a look. Free.

Join the Discord

"Connection timed out: no further information" in Minecraft, fixed.