Join a Bedrock Server on PC, Mobile & Console

On a Windows PC or mobile device, Minecraft Bedrock lets you add a custom server using its address and port. Consoles are different: Minecraft's official server instructions say their server lists are limited to featured servers rather than letting users add an arbitrary address. Third-party phone-discovery and DNS-redirection tools provide established ways to reach a custom-server address from a console. The steps below use their maintained instructions; they are independent of MaximusHost.

Bedrock supports multiplayer across compatible Bedrock devices, but the connection steps are not identical everywhere. A Java Edition client cannot join a Bedrock server, and console workarounds are independent tools—not built-in Minecraft features. BedrockConnect released 26.50 client support, and players reported successful Switch DNS-redirect joins and Xbox NetherNet sessions after the September 2026 server changes. Some Switch reports involved switching the destination back to RakNet, so those reports do not prove a NetherNet transfer. MaximusHost has verified an external Bedrock client join, but not a Switch, Xbox, or PlayStation join. Follow the device-specific instructions below; a successful console join is established only when the destination world loads.

Quick platform guide

Windows PC and Android/iPhone/iPad: Add the server in Minecraft with its address and port.
Xbox and PlayStation: Use the BedrockTogether phone/LAN method described below, or BedrockConnect's console-specific DNS redirect.
Nintendo Switch: Use BedrockConnect's DNS redirect described below. It opens a custom server list without requiring a separate phone app. Do not substitute the Xbox/PlayStation phone-LAN instructions.

Before you connect

Ask the server owner for the server address and port. They are separate pieces of information: the address identifies the server, while the port identifies its game connection. A server name or label is only there to help you recognize it in a list; it is not the address.

For a MaximusHost server, the owner can open My Account → My Servers, select the Bedrock server, then look under Overview → Connection Addresses. Copy the displayed hostname and TCP NetherNet signaling port for current Bedrock servers (1.26.50 and later). Minecraft still asks for a port number in its normal connection form; enter the number from the dashboard, not a separate UDP port. MaximusHost manages the necessary UDP gameplay range automatically, and players do not enter that range. Some screens or apps display `hostname:port`; when prompted for separate fields, put the hostname or IP in Address and the number after the colon in Port. Use the allocated external port shown for that server; do not substitute the conventional `19132` unless the dashboard shows it. Older, legacy Bedrock configurations can have different transport settings, so rely on the current Connection Addresses card.

You will also need:

A server that has finished setup, is running, and accepts connections.
A Bedrock client compatible with the selected server version and connection transport. MaximusHost's current 1.26.50+ Bedrock configuration uses NetherNet and needs a compatible client; legacy server configurations may use a different transport. Java Edition is a different server type.
Permission to join. New MaximusHost Bedrock servers default to allowlist off, so authenticated players can join without an invitation. Owners can turn on the `allow-list` setting to make the world private; when on, permitted players must be listed in `allowlist.json`.
A Microsoft account on console or mobile, and multiplayer access enabled for the account. Child accounts may need a parent or guardian to allow multiplayer in their account settings.
A console online-play subscription when required: Xbox Game Pass Essential, Premium, or Ultimate on Xbox (each includes online console multiplayer; see Xbox's current plan details); PlayStation Plus on PlayStation; or Nintendo Switch Online on Switch. Check Minecraft's multiplayer requirements for current account and platform rules.

If the host is unsure where to find its connection details, share the Minecraft Bedrock Overview guide with them. The Bedrock server setup guide covers creating and preparing a MaximusHost server.

Windows PC: Minecraft for Windows (Bedrock)

These steps are for Minecraft for Windows, the Bedrock version—not Minecraft: Java Edition. They follow Minecraft's computer and mobile server-list instructions.

Open Minecraft for Windows and select Play.
Open the Servers tab.
Select Add Server.
Enter a name you will recognize, such as `Friends' Bedrock World`.
Enter the server's hostname or IP address in Server Address.
Enter the TCP signaling port displayed in Connection Addresses in Port. Use `19132` only if the dashboard gives that number; it is not a universal MaximusHost assignment. You do not need to enter the automatically managed UDP gameplay ports.
Select Add and Play to join now, or Add Server to save it for later.

If you only have Minecraft: Java Edition installed, you need the Bedrock version to join this server. The two editions do not connect to one another by default.

Android, iPhone, and iPad

Minecraft's mobile interface also supports adding a server directly. Menu wording can shift between versions, but the address and port fields work the same way.

Open Minecraft and sign in if prompted.
Tap Play, then open Servers.
Tap Add Server or Add External Server.
Type a recognizable name.
Enter the server address in the address field and its exact port in the port field.
Save the entry and tap it to join.

On iPhone or iPad, allow Minecraft to access the local network only when you are using a local-network connection method. Directly joining an online server does not require a phone companion app. For a MaximusHost server, copy the host and TCP signaling port from the account rather than using a remembered default. Minecraft handles the game connection; do not configure the host's UDP gameplay range yourself.

Nintendo Switch

Minecraft on Switch has no normal Add Server field for an arbitrary address. One third-party option is BedrockConnect, whose DNS redirect points a supported featured-server entry to its own server-list service. That service initially accepts a RakNet connection, then sends Minecraft a TransferPacket containing the destination address and port; it is not simply relaying all game traffic over RakNet. Minecraft then establishes a separate connection to the destination. Mojang's NetherNet specification explicitly discusses transitions between servers using TransferPacket, so the existence of a RakNet server-list connection does not itself make the destination incompatible with NetherNet.

The DNS values below were checked against the BedrockConnect project README on October 10, 2026. They are project-maintained settings, not Nintendo or MaximusHost services. Recheck the README before applying them in case the maintainers change the method or addresses.

On your Switch, open System Settings → Internet → Internet Settings and select the network you use to play.
Choose Change Settings. Before editing anything, record your existing DNS values or take a photo of the screen. Leave the other network settings unchanged.
Scroll to DNS Settings, choose Manual, and enter the current values published in the BedrockConnect README: Primary DNS `104.238.130.180` and Secondary DNS `8.8.8.8`.
Save the network settings and connect to that network.
Open Minecraft and select Play → Servers.
Choose a featured server that the BedrockConnect maintainers currently identify as compatible with redirection. If one does not open the server list, try another from their current list rather than relying on an old tutorial.
In BedrockConnect's server-list screen, enter the owner's address and port. For a current MaximusHost NetherNet server, use the hostname and TCP signaling port from Connection Addresses—not `19132` unless that is what the dashboard shows. BedrockConnect sends the destination address and port using Minecraft's transfer packet; the destination still performs its own connection negotiation. If the join fails, check the actual error and contact support rather than substituting a legacy UDP port.
Select the saved entry to connect. Confirm that Minecraft loads the destination world; opening the BedrockConnect server list alone is not a successful join.

To undo the change, return to System Settings → Internet → Internet Settings → your network → Change Settings → DNS Settings and select Automatic, then save and reconnect. If your network originally used custom DNS, restore the values you recorded instead. Restart Minecraft before trying again. Nintendo's DNS instructions explain the console menus; BedrockConnect's README has the current redirect-compatible server list and troubleshooting details.

The menus and redirect behavior can change after a Minecraft or Switch update. If this route stops working, check BedrockConnect's current project instructions before changing more network settings.

Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

Xbox Minecraft normally lists featured servers but has no native field for an arbitrary server address. BedrockTogether offers a phone-based local-network method that makes a destination appear as a joinable LAN game on Xbox, then instructs Minecraft to transfer to the target. The phone app creates the local entry; Minecraft must then establish the destination connection. Check the world actually loads rather than stopping at LAN discovery.

Install BedrockTogether from the Apple App Store or Google Play, if it is available for your phone and region. It is a third-party app, not a Minecraft or MaximusHost app.
Connect your phone and Xbox to the same non-guest Wi-Fi network. Keep the phone on Wi-Fi rather than mobile data.
Open BedrockTogether's PlayStation · Xbox tab and enter the server address and exact port. For a current MaximusHost NetherNet server, this is the TCP signaling port shown in Overview. Use the actual port shown in Connection Addresses, and let Minecraft complete its connection to the destination.
Start the connection in the app and leave it open, with the phone awake, while the server entry appears.
On Xbox, open Minecraft and select Play → Worlds. Look for the joinable LAN entry, select it, and wait for the handoff to the destination server.
Once you are connected, the app says it can be closed. Its exact controls may change, so follow the current app instructions if the labels differ.

If the server does not appear, first confirm both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network and that the app is still open. Guest Wi-Fi, VPNs, router client isolation, or battery settings that suspend the app can prevent local discovery. BedrockTogether's Xbox instructions and troubleshooting guide have current steps.

BedrockConnect's DNS redirect is another Xbox option; its README currently lists separate DNS values for Xbox. Follow the maintainer's latest Xbox instructions rather than copying values from an old video. Restore the Xbox DNS setting to its prior value when you are done.

PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5

Like Xbox, PlayStation Minecraft does not offer a native custom-server address field. BedrockTogether documents a similar local-network discovery-and-transfer method on PS4 and PS5. Use the vendor's current instructions to make the server appear as a LAN entry, then join the target world:

Install BedrockTogether from the Apple App Store or Google Play on an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone.
Put the phone and PlayStation on the same non-guest Wi-Fi network. Keep the app open and the phone awake until you join.
In the app's PlayStation · Xbox tab, enter the address and assigned TCP signaling port from MaximusHost Overview. If the app or Minecraft reports an error, record its exact text and test whether the same destination works from a compatible direct-connect Bedrock client.
Start the app's connection, then open Minecraft on PlayStation.
Select Play → Worlds, find the joinable LAN entry, and select it to continue to the server.

You need to be signed in with the accounts required for your PlayStation and Minecraft multiplayer, and PlayStation Plus is required for online console multiplayer. A Microsoft account and multiplayer permission may also be required by Minecraft. BedrockTogether does not replace either account or subscription requirement. See Minecraft's multiplayer requirements and the current BedrockTogether PlayStation guide.

If the app's LAN world is missing, confirm the phone and console are on the same network, allow BedrockTogether's Local Network permission on iOS, and check that the phone has not suspended the app. Guest Wi-Fi or client isolation may block discovery. BedrockConnect also documents a DNS redirect option for PlayStation; check its current README and PlayStation-specific instructions before using it, and restore your previous DNS settings afterward.

A note about Nintendo Switch companion-app alternatives

BedrockTogether offers a separate Switch · Friends broadcast method; it is not the same as the LAN method used for Xbox and PlayStation. Its own Switch instructions warn that broadcasting through Xbox Live may violate its terms and the Microsoft account used for broadcasting could be banned. The provider tells users to use a separate account, never their main one. Because that account risk is real and the method is marked beta, this guide uses BedrockConnect DNS as the Switch walkthrough instead. Read the provider's warning in full before deciding whether to use the alternative.

Troubleshooting by symptom

“Unable to connect to world” or connection times out

Ask the owner to confirm the server is fully set up, running, and reachable.
Copy the address and port again. A typo or the wrong external port is a common cause. For current NetherNet servers use the TCP signaling port in MaximusHost Overview, not a guessed UDP game port or an assumed `19132`. The UDP gameplay range is handled automatically.
Confirm you are using Bedrock Edition, not Java Edition, and that your client and the server use compatible versions.
New MaximusHost Bedrock servers default to allowlist off, but owners can enable it. If Minecraft reports “You're not invited to play on this server”, ask the owner to check Properties → allow-list and `allowlist.json`; an enabled, empty list rejects everyone. Keep online-mode authentication enabled; do not disable it as a troubleshooting shortcut.
Check multiplayer permissions for your Microsoft account and any platform subscription needed for console online play.
Ask the owner to check the server's console or logs for version, authentication, or startup errors. If a compatible client joins directly but a console path fails, check the app's current instructions, the console account's multiplayer permissions, and the exact error instead of changing otherwise-working server networking. Some 26.51–26.52 players also reported intermittent NetherNet join failures even with reachable TCP signaling and UDP mappings.

Minecraft updates can reach clients and servers at different times. If one side updated first, wait for the other to become compatible or use a server version the group can all run.

The BedrockConnect featured server does not redirect

Check the current DNS addresses and redirect-compatible featured-server list in the BedrockConnect README. Make sure you saved the DNS values on the network you are using, then fully close and reopen Minecraft. If normal network access becomes unreliable, restore your previous DNS setting and test the Switch's internet connection before trying again.

The phone app's LAN server does not appear

For Xbox and PlayStation, verify the phone and console are on the exact same local network. A guest network, mobile data, VPN, or router client isolation can hide the phone-hosted entry. Keep the app in the foreground until you join; on iPhone/iPad, allow Local Network access. On Android, check battery settings so the phone does not pause the app in the background. If you cannot change an isolated network, try again on a home network you control.

The connection starts, but the server rejects you

If the app or redirect appears to hand you to the target and Minecraft then shows an error, recheck the address, TCP signaling port, server status, client version, and allowlist with the owner. An “You're not invited” message usually points to the allowlist rather than a bad port; a timeout can also mean the console or third-party tool cannot complete the destination NetherNet connection. The tool does not change the destination server's settings or permissions.

For Minecraft's broader multiplayer checks, use its official connectivity troubleshooting guide.

Security and privacy

BedrockConnect's DNS route sends DNS lookups from the console to the resolver you configure. Use only values linked from the project's current README, and remember that a DNS operator may receive the domain lookups made through that resolver. Restore your normal DNS settings when you stop using the redirect. The BedrockConnect project says it has no official Apple App Store or Google Play mobile app; similarly named apps are not part of that open-source project. BedrockTogether is a separate, independently operated app with its own instructions and privacy policy.

BedrockTogether is a separate third-party app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft, Mojang, Xbox, Sony, or Nintendo. Its privacy policy says server addresses and ports are stored on the device, while the app also collects connection events and diagnostics and uses advertising services. Read the current policy and app-store listing before installing. Neither tool should ask you to give it your MaximusHost password. For any Microsoft sign-in flow, enter credentials only on Microsoft's own sign-in page; do not share your password or verification code with another person.

MaximusHost does not operate or guarantee independent DNS or companion-app services. You can also ask the server owner for another connection option if a console workaround is not right for you.

Ready to join your group?

Start with the direct server-entry steps for PC or mobile. On consoles, follow the documented BedrockConnect or BedrockTogether method for your device and confirm that the world loads. Neither tool is operated by MaximusHost, and their connection behavior can change with game updates. If you host the world, see the Minecraft Bedrock hosting page, create-a-server documentation, and Bedrock Overview documentation for MaximusHost setup and connection details.

When your group is ready for a shared world, create a Minecraft Bedrock server with MaximusHost and send each player the address and port shown in your account.