Trying to join a Minecraft featured server

Make sure you are accessing the official link and that you are trying it on different browsers as well. The official link is listed here => Manage Xbox online safety and privacy settings | Xbox Support.

If changing the settings wasn't helpful, it would be best to get in touch with the Nintendo Switch support for further assistance.

Hello michael johnson2,

Welcome to Xbox Community Forum. Thank you for sharing your concern with us today and we hope that all is well.

We understand that you are trying to join to a Minecraft server and is unable to because of the error message: "connecting to external server." Let us check on this together so you will get back to gaming.

Based on your description, you were unable to join the server on your mobile device. There are common reason that may have caused this issue, like Multiplayer in your account's privacy was not yet allowed or failed to connect to the internet or the current version of your Minecraft needs update or you are trying to connect to the server for Java not Bedrock version or you might need to contact the admin of the server you are trying to join.

Based on this support article (Minecraft Dedicated and Featured Servers FAQ – Home), you will need to be connected to the internet and select Join server to get started. Please check update of Minecraft on your device's application store to make sure you are up-to-date. For the child security, parents or the adults managing the Microsoft Family will be able to allow an account to join multiplayer and befriend players. To know more about it, please check these link:

• Understanding Minecraft Social Features for Child Safety Online – Home
  
• How to Manage Parental Consent, Family Settings and Realms/Multiplayer Access for a Child Account – Home (minecraft.net)
  

Lastly, you may need to contact the admin of the server if you are joining a server for Bedrock Edition of Minecraft or Java.

We hope that helps! Kindly let us know, if there is any misunderstanding or clarifications of our description by sending us a reply.



Sincerely,



Xbox Forum Moderator

Microsoft Community

Hello Simrose1234,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.



I can see that you can't join servers on your Minecraft Bedrock Nintendo Switch. Here are some possible solutions that you can try:



- Restart your console and your server.

- Make sure both your game/console and the server are fully updated.

- Change your secondary DNS from 8.8.8.8 to 1.1.1.1 or vice versa.

- Enable cross play in settings.

Please see: Minecraft Realms Plus: How do I Join Someone's Minecraft Realm? | Minecraft Help & Minecraft Dedicated and Featured Servers FAQ | Minecraft Help

This article may also be helpful: Minecraft for Nintendo Switch FAQ | Xbox Support

We're looking forward to hearing from you. If there are any inquiries about our description or if there are any misconceptions, do reply to the post.

What server are you trying to join exactly?

Be aware that some servers only work with the JAVA version of Minecraft. Not all servers support the Windows 10 Minecraft version.

If in doubt, check the website for the server (if it exists) or contact the server administrator (if known).

If you mean the Server-Mode Hunger Games, you will need to play JAVA Minecraft on a PC and connect to specific Minecraft Servers running the Hunger Games mods.

On the Xbox console, you can only connect to featured servers, and can't join those fancy PC servers running Hunger Games.

You can either prepare a Hunger Games map yourself, and then invite a few friends to your map on the console but are limited to a hand full of players from your friend list, or you can do the next best thing, and join a Battle Royale mode on one of the featured
servers.

For example the Lifeboat Server features a Battle Royale mode (https://lbsg.net/how-to-play/battle-royale/)

Or Survival Mode on Mineplex: https://www.mineplex.com/games/bedrock-survivalgames/

Cubecraft also features Survival Games https://www.cubecraft.net/leaderboards/view_leaderboard.php?network=bedrock&game=survival_games