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How to Play Minecraft With Friends on Different Wi-Fi (Java & Bedrock)

“Open to LAN” only works on the same Wi-Fi. Here are the ways to play Minecraft with friends who live somewhere else — free and paid, for Java and Bedrock.

“Open to LAN” is great when everyone is in the same house. As soon as a friend is on different Wi-Fi, it stops working: LAN worlds are only visible on your own network. Here are the ways around it.

The options

WayCostWorks forYour PC must be on?
Minecraft RealmsMonthly subscriptionJava or Bedrock (not both together)No
Bedrock: join through Xbox friendsFreeBedrock onlyYes
Your own server + VoxelPortFreeJava, plus Bedrock with crossplayYes
Paid server hostingMonthlyJava and BedrockNo

Java Edition: share your world in a few minutes

You have two choices.

Option A: a proper server (recommended). The world keeps running even when you’re not in it, and friends can join anytime your PC is on.

Get VoxelPort from the Microsoft Store (Windows 10 and 11), download the Windows installer directly (if Windows warns, click More info → Run anyway), or get the Linux build from GitHub. It's free, open source, and needs no account.

  1. In VoxelPort, click + Add Server and choose a template such as Survival SMP.
  2. Agree to the EULA and click Install & start.
  3. Click Make public and send your friends the address.
  4. They open Multiplayer → Add Server, paste it, and join.

Option B: share a singleplayer world you’re already in.

  1. In your world, press Esc → Open to LAN → Start LAN World. Minecraft shows the port in chat, for example “Local game hosted on port 51234”.
  2. In VoxelPort, click Tunnel a server I already run elsewhere, enter that port and click Start hosting.
  3. Send your friends the address VoxelPort shows.
With Option B the world closes when you leave it. If you play together often, Option A is less hassle. You can also move a singleplayer world into a server: copy the world folder into the server folder and name it world.

Bedrock Edition (phone, console, Windows)

Bedrock players who are Xbox friends can join each other’s worlds directly through the Friends tab, for free. That only works while the host is in the world, and only for Bedrock players.

To mix Java and Bedrock players, or to keep a world running without the host in it, run a Java server with crossplay. See how to set up a Java + Bedrock server.

Tips

Questions

Why can’t my friend join my LAN world?

“Open to LAN” only announces your world on your own network. A friend on different Wi-Fi can’t see or reach it unless you put it online with a relay, a virtual LAN tool or port forwarding.

Is there a free alternative to Realms?

Yes. You can host a server on your own PC and share it with a free relay such as VoxelPort. The difference is that your PC must be on while people play; Realms runs all the time.

Can Java and Bedrock players play together?

Not in Realms or LAN. A Java server with Geyser and Floodgate lets Bedrock players join; VoxelPort can install both with one switch.

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