Almost every «how to make a Minecraft server» guide spends half its length on router settings. That advice is for hosting on your own computer, and following it here will only waste an evening.
Why it happens
Port forwarding exists because a home router hides your computer behind one public address. Your server does not live behind a home router — it runs on a node with its own public address, and the port it needs is already open and pointed at it before you ever log in.
What the old advice maps to here
| Guide says | Here |
|---|---|
| «Forward port 25565 on your router» | Already done. The panel shows the address and port to hand out. |
| «Find your public IP with a website» | Use the address in the panel. Your own IP is irrelevant. |
| «Allow Java through Windows Firewall» | Only matters for your own client, never for the server. |
| «Keep your PC on for friends to join» | Not needed. The server runs whether your machine is on or not. |
| «Use Hamachi / a VPN to connect» | Never necessary, and it will make things worse. |
server-port to 25565 «to make it standard»The port in the panel is the one allocated to your service. Changing it in server.properties to a port you were not given means the server cannot bind, and you get a failed-to-bind crash loop instead of a nicer address.
An SRV record hides the port so people can type just your domain. That is the correct way to get play.yourserver.com with no number after it — there is an article on it in this section.
Someone outside your home network, on their own connection, can join using only the address from the panel.