Minecraft Forums

My house mate has just set up a server on his PC, which works fine when he connects using "localhost" on his PC (the client and server are on the same PC), but it is not possible for him to connect to the IP of our internet connection. I cannot connect to the server using both "localhost" and the IP of our internet connection.

Using a port checker, from his PC and mine, the port is open (25565 on both UDP and TCP).

It gives the error:
"Connection refused: connect"

How can we fix this so that it works? The router is a Buffalo Air Station, should anyone have the same and be running a server please let me know how you have forwarded the ports, just to check it is set correctly on the router.

If you want to be able to connect to a server not on your own computer, you first have to set up what's called a 'Static IP Address'. Basically, it's a reserved address from your router that won't change like a Dynamic IP, and thus can be reliably pointed to for a server.

http://www.portforward.com is a very good resource, with plenty of guides based on your router model for a number of applications. I suggest you go there for detailed instructions.

Finally, make certain that you have made exceptions in any firewalls (including in your router setup) for the game, so it can receive and transmit data. With all of that, you should be able to connect. And just to be safe, ensure that the server has actually started. I've been a bonehead and forgotten to hit the start button before, which left me scratching my head wondering why my connection was being refused.

I am not sure how Hong Kong works with static or dynamic IPs, but for now that is not the issue.

The port is open when I check.

Also, I have tried running a server on my PC. I have the same problem, can connect with localhost and not with the IP and my friend cannot connect with either.

If your computer is not set up to have a static IP, no one will be connecting, period. Dynamic and static IPs are not dependent upon where you live or who your ISP is; I'm not talking about the static address your ISP might try to sell you, it's a function in Windows. Essentially, you're just telling Windows that you want a particular assigned IP address from your router. You can have ports open all you want, but it won't matter because you don't have a static IP for the router to connect to.

Once you have a static IP, you have to go into your router setup and forward the ports to that static IP. That way, anyone who tries to connect to your server will automatically be forwarded to the server host. The link I gave you has tutorials for setting up a static IP for server use. Please try it before dismissing the advice.

The IP's on the network are static, not that it would make a single bit of difference when it will not work from the first attempt (I understand that should they change at a later date, when the lease runs out it would stop it from working).

All that you have suggested about forwarding ports has already been done, and I even changed the IP to check my PC as well, which also had the same problem.

Any update on when a new server client will be out?

I am not too sure how I will be able to tell if it has been updated or not.

Sadly the only way to tell if the server has been updated is to download it and open it. It shows the version in the start-up. I have been checking daily for an update as my friends can't play without it. I'll probably post a topic if I see the update goes through.