4 Ways to Fix io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException Error in Minecraft

Minecraft is still a hit in the gaming industry. Released in 2009 by Mojang, and now the game is owned by Microsoft. This sandbox game is about building, exploring changing landscapes, surviving using new accessories throughout the gaming adventures, etc. However, no game is perfect, and Minecraft is not an exception to this virtual gaming world.

Gamers have been reporting an error named ‘io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException Connection Timed Out’. It can ruin your gameplay, and users can’t access the game. 

There is not much information about the error when the connection fault message shows up. It only informs users that the gaming interface has encountered a timeout error and fails to connect to the server.

The io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException Connection Timed Out error can occur due to IP inconsistency, Windows Defender Firewall and third-party antivirus blocking the JRE, DNS inconsistency, and port number mismatch can trigger this error. 

Let’s find out how you can solve this problem and resume your adventures in Minecraft.

Allow Minecraft through Windows Defender Firewall

Windows Defender Firewall can block anything if the settings are not appropriate, even though the application seems to be legitimate. As a consequence, you come across the io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException Connection Timed Out error. That’s why you have to ensure that Minecraft is allowed by the Windows Defender Firewall. 

Follow the guidelines below before you try any complicated solution:

1. Click the Search icon and look for the Control Panel. Select Control Panel from the result.
2. Next, hit the System and Security option.
3. Go to the Windows Defender Firewall option. Under that option, click the statement that says, ‘Allow an app through Windows Defender Firewall’.
4. Opt for the Change Settings option from the main window.
5. Scroll down and find every entity related to the Java (™) Platform SE Binary. Keep in mind that you need to check every box next to Private and Public choices.

Finally, you can hit the OK button and quit the Control Panel. Launch Minecraft and check if the error persists.

Deactivate Third-Party Antivirus Installed on your PC

The next workaround is similar to the first solution. Any third-party antivirus on your computer can misinterpret the Minecraft game and its components as malicious. And, it would block the Java Runtime Environment, and you’ll have difficulty connecting to the Minecraft servers. 

You can disable or uninstall the third-party antivirus from the device to solve this. Here’s how you can uninstall any program or antivirus in this case:

1. Go to the Control Panel and check out the Programs section.
2. Click the ‘Uninstall a program’ option.
3. Locate the program or antivirus you want to uninstall. Right-click on the particular antivirus and choose the Uninstall option.

Next, go through the on-screen instructions and restart the computer. Attempt to connect to the Minecraft server and see if the io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException Connection Timed Out error still exists. 

On the other hand, you can turn off the VPN connection if you have enabled any.

Give your Router a Restart or Reset

Inconsistency IP/TCP circumstances can result in the io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException Connection Timed Out error while playing Minecraft. You can tune in to the right IP address and remove IP conflicts by restarting the router. 

To restart a router, simply turn off the router and detach the power cable from the electrical outlet. Wait for a while before putting the power cable back to the power supply and turning on the router.

Restarting a router will resolve the IP and DNS tantrums and give your networking experience a fresh start. However, a restart might not always help overcome the network issue, and therefore, you need to rely on a factory reset of your router.

Your router should be turned on when you try resetting the router. Locate the reset button on your router and long-press it for 10 to 20 seconds. Or, you can release the reset button when the LEDs on the router start flashing. 

Let the router re-establish the internet connection so that you can test the Minecraft game. Look if the io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException Connection Timed Out error is still there.

Enter the Right Port and IPv4 Address

Mismatched port numbers can lead to the io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException Connection Timed Out error in Minecraft. Here’s what you need to follow to eradicate this situation:

1. Look for Command Prompt using Windows Search. Simply, hit the Windows Search icon and type in cmd. 
2. Right-click on the Command Prompt option. Hit the option that says, ‘Run as administrator’.
3. Type in ‘ipconfig’ and press the Enter key. This command will show you the default networking configurations on your computer. Note down the IPv4 address.
4. Next, open File Explorer through the Windows+E shortcut.
5. Open the file locations as follows: Minecraft Servers-> Maxwell-> MinecraftServer.
6. Locate the file named server.properties and right-click on it. Choose the Open With option followed by Notepad.
7. Check out the entry next to Server Port. It’s better to write the Server Port entry somewhere.
8. Now, explore Minecraft and hit the Play Multiplayer button.
9. Select the server that you couldn’t connect to. Additionally, click the Edit option from the bottom of the window.
10. Provide the IPv4 address in the field called Address. When typing the IPv4 address, place a ‘:’ and then type the port number in the same Address field.

After that, you can go for the Done button. Restart the Minecraft game and log in to the same server that didn’t let you join. Check if you can witness the io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException Connection Timed Out error again.

Anything Else?

You can switch to Google DNS if the io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException Connection Timed Out error still persists. Right-click the Wi-Fi or Network icon from the taskbar. Click the Open Network & Internet Settings. Next, hit the ‘Change adapter options’ choice and right-click the connection. Select Properties from the pop-up menu and click the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) option.

Then, hit the Properties option and stay in the General tab. Check the box next to the option that says, ‘Use the following DNS server addresses. Type 8.8.8.8 in the box of Preferred DNS server and type 8.8.4.4 in the Alternate DNS server. 

Save changes and close all the windows. Hopefully, this resolves the io.netty.channel.ConnectTimeoutException Connection Timed Out error in Minecraft.