A shared node has one public IP address and, at the network level, only one process can ever be listening on the default Minecraft port through it at a time — everyone else on that IP necessarily gets a different door.
Why it happens
Binding a port to an address is exclusive: once one server on the node claims port 25565, no other server sharing that same public IP can also claim it. Every other tenant is assigned a different, five-digit port instead — not as a limitation specific to any one plan, but as the direct consequence of several independent servers sharing a single address.
What that means for connecting
| Situation | How to connect |
|---|---|
| Assigned the default port | Just the address — the client assumes 25565 automatically |
| Assigned a custom port | The full address:port format, every time, unless masked |
| Want to hide the port from players | An SRV record on your own domain, pointing at the address and port |
| Want the default port specifically | A Dedicated IP, where available, removes the sharing entirely |
How to confirm it worked
Connecting with the full IP:PORT string reaches the server, and — if an SRV record was set up — the bare domain alone connects without typing the port.