Fix Minecraft "io.netty... Connection Refused: No Further Information"

This long io.netty error boils down to one thing: your client couldn't open a connection to the server. Usually it's the address, the port, or the server being down. Here's how to check, step by step, including DNS-related causes.

The exact wording of a Minecraft connection error tells you where the problem is. Match yours before diving in — "connection refused" is a very different fix from "timed out":

This article covers connection refused — the checks below go in order of how often each is the cause.

Step 1: is the server online?

Confirm it's up for everyone, not just you, with our Minecraft status checker. If it's offline for all, it's the server, not you.

Step 2: check the address and port

"Connection refused" almost always means a wrong address or port. Verify the exact IP/domain, and add the port if it's non-default:

play.yourserver.net:25566   # only if the port isn't 25565

Step 3: server admin checks

• The server is actually running and bound to the right IP (server-ip= blank usually = all interfaces).
• The port is open in the firewall and forwarded.
• There's no SRV-record mismatch if you use a domain.

It's a connection failure. Check the server is up, then the address and port — that's where the problem almost always is.

DNS and hosting-level causes

• A domain pointing at an old IP after a server migration — DNS changes take time to propagate; see how to point a domain to a server (DNS A record).
• The host's network firewall or security group blocks the port even though the server's local firewall allows it — check both layers, not just one.
• The server crashed silently on startup and never actually opened the port — check the server console/log rather than assuming it's purely a networking issue.

How to prevent this

• Use a low DNS TTL before a planned IP change so players pick up the new address quickly.
• Re-check with a status checker after any migration, firewall change, or port edit — don't assume it worked.
• Publish the exact IP:port (or domain) players should use, and update it everywhere at once if it changes.

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