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Use a DNS name such as play.example.com instead of asking players to remember an IP address. Create an A or AAAA record for the server, add a Java SRV record when the Java server uses a non-default port, and enter the address and port separately for Bedrock. DNS only maps a name to an endpoint; it does not open your router, change a firewall rule, or make an exposed home server safe.

What you need before creating the record

Have these details ready:

  • The exact Minecraft edition: Java Edition or Bedrock Edition.
  • The server’s public hostname or public IPv4 address. A home server normally receives this from its internet connection; a managed host may give you a hostname instead.
  • The game port on which the server is listening.
  • Access to the domain’s authoritative DNS zone, usually through your registrar or DNS provider.
  • For a home server, the machine’s fixed LAN address, router administration access, and permission to change the operating-system firewall.

Use a subdomain such as play.example.com, mc.example.com, or survival.example.com. The label before your domain is the DNS record name; players will type the resulting full hostname.

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Choose the correct edition and port

The connection method depends on the client edition. Java and Bedrock do not interpret DNS service records in the same way.

Server/client Typical documented port What players enter Custom-port method
Java Edition 25565 by default One server-address field; a port may be appended when needed Use an A/AAAA record for the host and an SRV record for a non-default port
Bedrock Dedicated Server 19132 for server-port; 19133 for server-portv6 in Microsoft’s examples Separate address and port fields Enter the hostname in Address and the configured port in Port; do not depend on Java’s SRV approach

Java’s commonly documented default is port 25565. Microsoft’s Bedrock Dedicated Server documentation gives 19132 and 19133 as the default examples for IPv4 and IPv6-related settings. Your configuration may use different values, so verify the actual server properties before editing DNS or forwarding a port.

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Step 1: Identify the endpoint your name must reach

Find the public address

Record the public IPv4 address supplied by your internet connection or the public hostname supplied by your host. Remote Java players use the host’s public IPv4 when connecting directly. If you publish IPv6, also record the server’s reachable public IPv6 address and confirm that every network between the player and server permits it.

Confirm the listening port

Check the server configuration and startup output rather than assuming a default. For Java, the usual value is 25565. For Bedrock, check the server-port and, where applicable, server-portv6 settings. A DNS record pointing at the right address still fails if the process listens on another port.

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Decide whether the endpoint is stable

A residential connection can change its public IP. A hostname that points directly to an address must be updated whenever that address changes, unless you use a supported dynamic-DNS arrangement. A managed host’s assigned hostname is often the more stable target for a CNAME record.

Step 2: Create the base DNS record

Open the authoritative DNS management page for your domain and add a record for the chosen subdomain. DNS providers use slightly different screens, but the record type and values are the same.

  1. Select A when the server endpoint is an IPv4 address. Enter play (not the whole domain, if the panel automatically appends example.com) as the name and enter the server’s public IPv4 as the value.
  2. Select AAAA when you are intentionally publishing a reachable IPv6 address. Enter the subdomain label and the server’s public IPv6 address. Do not publish an IPv6 record that the router, firewall, or server cannot actually accept.
  3. Select CNAME when your host exposes the server through another hostname. Set the record name to the subdomain label and the target to that hostname. A CNAME points to a name, not an IP address; keep the target exactly as supplied by the host.
  4. Save the record in the authoritative zone. If your provider asks for a proxy or traffic mode, leave the choice for the provider-specific section below.

An A or AAAA record handles name resolution only. It does not forward a port from your router, permit traffic through the operating-system firewall, or alter the Minecraft server’s listening settings.

Step 3: Configure Java Edition

When an A or AAAA record is enough

If the Java server listens on the standard port 25565, an A and/or AAAA record for play.example.com is normally sufficient. Players can enter play.example.com in the Java multiplayer server-address field without adding a port.

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Use an SRV record for a non-default Java port

When the server listens on another port, create a DNS service record in addition to the base address record. The service name is:

_minecraft._tcp.play.example.com

In many DNS panels, enter these fields:

SRV field Value for this example Purpose
Service _minecraft Identifies Minecraft’s service
Protocol _tcp Identifies the TCP transport used by Java
Name play or _minecraft._tcp.play, according to the provider’s form Places the record under the chosen subdomain
Priority A provider-accepted value, commonly 0 for the primary service Determines preference when multiple services exist
Weight A provider-accepted value, commonly 0 when no load distribution is needed Distributes traffic among equal-priority services
Port The Java server’s actual non-25565 port Tells the client where the service listens
Target The hostname carrying the A/AAAA record, such as play.example.com or a separate host name Identifies the server host; do not put a port in this field

The exact fully qualified record becomes _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com. Provider forms differ: one may split service, protocol, and name into separate boxes, while another expects the combined name. Follow the form’s representation, then verify the resulting fully qualified name with a DNS lookup.

With a working SRV record, Java players can enter play.example.com even though the server uses a custom port. The SRV record does not replace the address record: its target must still resolve through an A or AAAA record.

Common Java mistakes

  • Creating _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com as an ordinary A record instead of an SRV record.
  • Putting example.com:25570 in the SRV target. The port belongs in the Port field; the target is a hostname.
  • Pointing the SRV target at a name that has no address record.
  • Using an SRV record while the server, router, or firewall is still configured for a different port.
  • Assuming an SRV record changes Bedrock behavior. It does not provide the separate Bedrock address-and-port workflow.

Step 4: Configure Bedrock Edition

Bedrock players enter the server address and port separately. Put play.example.com in the Address field and the configured Bedrock port in the Port field. For Microsoft’s documented defaults, that is commonly 19132 for server-port; an IPv6-related configuration may use 19133 as server-portv6.

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Create an A record for an IPv4 endpoint and an AAAA record only when IPv6 connectivity is configured end to end. Do not rely on the Java _minecraft._tcp SRV method to supply Bedrock’s port. If a player enters the hostname but leaves the port blank, the client may attempt a default that does not match your server.

Bedrock checklist

  • Address: the complete hostname, such as play.example.com.
  • Port: the exact value configured in the Bedrock server.
  • Router and firewall: allow and forward that same port and protocol to the Bedrock host.
  • Testing: use the Bedrock client from outside the home network, not only a local device.

Step 5: Open the path for a home-hosted server

A home server needs network changes in addition to DNS. Minecraft’s official guidance warns that “doing this requires changing your home network’s configuration and is not recommended unless you know what you are doing.”

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Give the server a fixed LAN address

Reserve an address for the server in the router’s DHCP settings, or configure a compatible static address on the machine. A port-forwarding rule aimed at a changing LAN address will eventually point at the wrong device.

Forward the game port

In the router’s port-forwarding section, create a rule from the internet-facing interface to the server’s fixed LAN address. Use the port configured for the edition: normally 25565 for Java, or the actual Bedrock server-port value such as 19132. If you intentionally provide IPv6, configure the router’s IPv6 firewall policy rather than assuming an IPv4 forward also applies.

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Allow the operating-system firewall

Add an inbound rule for the same game port and transport used by the server. Ensure the rule applies to the network profile in use. A router forward can be correct while the host firewall silently drops the connection.

Understand the security exposure

Port forwarding exposes a public endpoint. Minecraft advises: “We STRONGLY urge you to not give it out publicly and advertise with it as giving your public IP out publicly is a security risk to your home network.” Keep the server software updated, restrict administrative access, and expose only the game port that players need. If revealing a residential IP is unacceptable, use a managed host or an appropriate proxy or tunnel that supports the Minecraft protocol, rather than publishing a direct home address.

Step 6: Handle DNS providers and proxy modes correctly

DNS providers may offer a proxy, acceleration, or TLS mode in addition to ordinary DNS resolution. Those are separate functions. A record can resolve correctly while a provider proxy does not carry Minecraft’s game protocol.

For a provider such as Cloudflare, check whether the selected proxy service supports the Minecraft traffic you intend to send. If it does not, publish the record in DNS-only mode so the hostname resolves directly to the server endpoint. DNS-only mode does not hide a residential IP; it simply avoids sending unsupported game traffic through the HTTP-oriented proxy.

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For a CNAME supplied by a managed host, use the mode and target the host documents. Do not replace a host-provided hostname with an IP unless the service specifically instructs you to do so.

Step 7: Verify the name, service, and connection

Check address records

From a computer with DNS tools, query the chosen name:

dig play.example.com A
dig play.example.com AAAA

On Windows, the equivalent basic check is:

nslookup play.example.com

The returned address must be the intended public endpoint. An unexpected old address indicates that the authoritative zone was not edited, the record name was entered incorrectly, or an existing conflicting record remains.

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Check the Java SRV record

For a custom Java port, query the service name:

dig _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com SRV

The response should show the intended priority, weight, port, and target. Query the target separately to confirm that it resolves to the server’s address.

Test from outside the LAN

  1. Use a mobile connection or another external network rather than the same home Wi-Fi. Some routers do not support hairpin or loopback connections, so a local test can fail even when internet players can connect.
  2. Confirm that the Minecraft server process is running and listening on the configured port.
  3. Try Java with only play.example.com when using port 25565 or a working SRV record. For a diagnostic direct test, enter the hostname and explicit port in the form supported by the Java client.
  4. Try Bedrock with the hostname in Address and the exact configured port in Port.
  5. Check the router forward, host firewall rule, and server logs if the external attempt does not reach the process.
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Diagnose the most common failures

The hostname does not resolve

Inspect the authoritative zone for a spelling error, wrong record type, or a record created under play.example.com.example.com because the provider automatically appended the domain. Query both the name and the authoritative provider’s view. If the returned address is stale, remove conflicting records and update the intended one.

Java resolves the name but cannot connect on a custom port

Query _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com. Verify that the SRV port matches the server’s listening port, the target has an address record, and the router and firewall allow that same port. An SRV record cannot repair a closed port or a server that is offline.

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Bedrock works only when an IP and port are entered

This usually means the hostname is missing an address record or the client was not given its separate port value. Confirm the A/AAAA record and enter the configured Bedrock port manually. Do not add a Java SRV record as a substitute.

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The record resolves, but a proxy mode breaks connections

Switch the DNS entry to the provider’s DNS-only mode if the proxy does not support Minecraft traffic. Resolution proves only that DNS answered; it does not prove that the proxy can carry the game protocol.

It works locally but not for friends

Test from an external network. Then verify the public address, router forward to the fixed LAN address, operating-system firewall, and whether the internet provider places the connection behind another layer of address sharing. A local success does not demonstrate that the public route is open.

Which setup should you choose?

Situation Recommended arrangement Trade-off
Java on port 25565 A/AAAA record only Simplest player instructions; the port remains the standard value
Java on a custom port Address record plus _minecraft._tcp SRV record Players can omit the port, but there are more DNS fields to verify
Bedrock on a standard or custom port Address record; players enter Address and Port separately Easy DNS setup, but the port cannot be hidden through Java’s SRV convention
Home hosting Direct DNS to the public endpoint, with router forwarding and firewall rules Full control and no hosting intermediary, but the residential IP and home network are exposed
Managed hosting Use the host’s assigned hostname as a CNAME target when supported Less router administration; dependent on the host’s DNS and connection instructions
Provider proxy or tunnel Only when the service explicitly supports Minecraft traffic May reduce direct-origin exposure, but unsupported proxy modes can block connections

Final connection recipes

Java, standard port

Create play → the server’s public IPv4 as an A record (and an appropriate AAAA record if IPv6 is genuinely available). Forward and allow port 25565. Players enter play.example.com.

Java, custom port

Create the address record, then create _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com with the actual custom port and a target that resolves to the server. Forward and allow that port. Players enter play.example.com; verify the SRV response if it fails.

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Bedrock

Create the address record, forward and allow the configured Bedrock port, and tell players to enter play.example.com as Address plus the exact value (commonly 19132 in Microsoft’s examples) as Port. An SRV record is not part of this connection recipe.

Once the address record, service record where needed, port forwarding, firewall, and external test all agree, the custom hostname is ready to publish.

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