Minecraft Bedrock: Players Can't Join? NetherNet vs RakNet Explained
Mojang removed RakNet entirely in Bedrock 26.60 — server and client. If a server that worked fine for weeks suddenly has nobody able to join, this is almost certainly why, and the fix is one line.
The exact error you're looking at
In your server's console log, right after "Server started.", look for a block headed TRANSPORT TYPE ERROR. It reads: "Your current connection type is not set to NetherNet. In this release, NetherNet is the only supported transport type. Players will not be able to connect to your game without NetherNet." The process itself runs fine — this log line is the only symptom.
On CoalHost, Bedrock servers ship with the correct transport out of the box — this guide is for anyone self-hosting, running an older install, or troubleshooting a server that had its config changed.
Check the exact error first
SSH into your server (or open the Console tab on a panel host) and look at the Bedrock Dedicated Server's own startup log, right after "Server started." If you see this block, you've found it: "TRANSPORT TYPE ERROR — Your current connection type is not set to NetherNet. In this release, NetherNet is the only supported transport type. Players will not be able to connect to your game without NetherNet." The server process runs fine and looks healthy in every other way — this is the only symptom.
What actually happened: Mojang removed RakNet
Bedrock 26.60, released October 27, 2026, dropped RakNet entirely — not deprioritized, not optional, removed — from both the server and the client. RakNet was the UDP-based protocol every third-party Bedrock host has used since the beginning for direct IP:port connections. It's being replaced by NetherNet, a WebRTC-based transport that registers the server with a Microsoft signaling service instead of just listening for a broadcast UDP ping.
The fix: one line in server.properties
Open `server.properties` and find the `transport=` line. Set it to `transport=nethernet`, save, and restart the server. That's the entire fix. If the line is missing entirely, add it — a missing line is read by newer builds as needing it set explicitly rather than quietly defaulting. If you (or a script, or an old guide you followed) ever set `transport=raknet` to "fix" a connection issue before Oct 27, that's exactly what broke it — revert it.
How to tell it's actually fixed
Restart the container/process and check the log again. A correctly configured NetherNet server logs "Signed in to signaling service successfully" shortly after boot, with no TRANSPORT TYPE ERROR block anywhere below it. That line is your confirmation — it means the server successfully registered itself with Microsoft's signaling service, which is the NetherNet equivalent of "the server socket is open and listening" under the old RakNet model.
Good news: nothing changes for your players
This is the part most people assume will be worse than it is. On PC, mobile and consoles, the player-facing connection flow is completely unchanged: Play → Servers → Add Server → same IP address, same port (19132 by default). The Minecraft client negotiates the NetherNet handshake transparently behind that same "Add Server" screen — your players don't need to do anything differently, install anything, or even know the transport changed.
Firewall and port forwarding — what actually needs to be open
NetherNet's handshake is two-stage: the client first contacts the server on TCP 19132 for signaling (the server hands back an address and a UDP port to use for gameplay), then the actual game traffic moves to a UDP port range (19140-19163 on CoalHost) for the rest of the session. Both need to be reachable — this is a similar shape to what RakNet needed before, just with TCP now carrying the signaling step where it used to be UDP-only. If you're self-hosting behind a router, forward both.
Console players still need BedrockConnect — this hasn't changed
Xbox, Switch and PS5 have no native "Add Server" screen in Minecraft Bedrock Edition, with or without NetherNet. The workaround is still the same DNS trick it's always been: point the console's DNS at [BedrockConnect](https://github.com/Pugmatt/BedrockConnect) (an open-source community server browser), which lets you type in any server's IP from the console UI. NetherNet changes nothing about this part of the picture.
FAQ
My Bedrock server worked for weeks and suddenly nobody can join — did I break something?+
Almost certainly not something you broke — Mojang removed RakNet support in Bedrock 26.60 (2026-10-27). If your server.properties has transport=raknet (or is missing the transport line on an older install), that's the cause. Set transport=nethernet and restart.
Do my players need to update Minecraft to join a NetherNet server?+
They need to be on Bedrock 26.60 or newer, same as any server software update — but since Mojang also removed RakNet from the client side at the same time, any player still able to launch current Minecraft Bedrock is already on a NetherNet-capable client. No separate action needed beyond normal app updates.
What is NetherNet, technically?+
NetherNet is a WebRTC-based transport Mojang introduced to replace RakNet. Instead of the server passively listening for a broadcast UDP "Unconnected Ping" the way RakNet did, the server registers itself with a Microsoft signaling service on boot (visible in the log as "Signed in to signaling service successfully"), which brokers the connection handshake before gameplay traffic moves to a negotiated UDP port.
Do I need to change my firewall or port forwarding for NetherNet?+
Yes, if you're self-hosting: TCP 19132 needs to be open for the signaling handshake, plus your UDP gameplay port range (the default is 19132 onward, extended for multiple simultaneous connections). On CoalHost this is already configured correctly — nothing to change.
Can I keep using transport=raknet if I don't update?+
No. This isn't a soft deprecation — RakNet support was removed from Bedrock 26.60 in both directions. A raknet-configured server on this or any later version will start but log the TRANSPORT TYPE ERROR and be unjoinable by any current client, since current clients no longer speak RakNet either.
Bedrock hosting that ships with the right transport, always
CoalHost's Bedrock servers are provisioned with transport=nethernet and the correct firewall rules from the start — no config archaeology required. From €10.69/month.
View Minecraft Hosting →