How to run a Minecraft server without port forwarding
Five ways to let friends join your Minecraft server without port forwarding: LAN, VPN networks, tunnels, Realms and hosting, with honest trade-offs.
Port forwarding is the hardest part of hosting Minecraft at home, and many routers (or school, dorm and mobile networks) don't allow it at all. Here are the ways around it, with the honest trade-offs.
Your options #
| Option | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Open to LAN | Friends on the same Wi-Fi | Doesn't work over the internet |
| A VPN-style network (Tailscale, ZeroTier, Radmin VPN) | A few friends you trust | Every player installs the app and joins your network |
| A tunnel service (for example playit.gg) | Sharing one address with anyone | Traffic goes through a third party; your PC still has to stay on |
| Minecraft Realms | Small private worlds | No plugins or mods on Java Realms, limited players |
| A hosted server | Public or 24/7 servers, plugins and mods | A monthly cost |
Using a tunnel (no router changes) #
- Start your server normally on your PC and make sure you can join it at
localhost. - Install the tunnel app and create a Minecraft Java (TCP 25565) or Bedrock (UDP 19132) tunnel.
- Give friends the address the tunnel shows you. Keep the tunnel app and server running.
Bedrock and Java crossplay (Geyser) needs both ports, so check that your tunnel supports UDP.
When a hosted server makes more sense #
Every home option stops when your PC sleeps or shuts down, and a busy server uses a lot of your PC's RAM and upload speed. A hosted server has its own public address and stays online 24/7, with nothing to forward.
On ESN, Paper, Purpur and Vanilla servers need at least 1 GB RAM, Geyser crossplay at least 1.5 GB, and Forge or NeoForge at least 2 GB. You can bring your world with the importer or upload it.
Tools: Status banner · MOTD generator · Server icon maker
Still stuck? Use the live chat on the panel or ask in the ESN Systems Discord. Last updated November 3, 2026.