[Java] LAN issue: Mac cannot join Windows host - Infinite "Connecting to server" with Custom modpack
Hi everyone,
I’m having a persistent issue with Minecraft LAN. My girlfriend (on Mac) and I (on Asus Laptop/Windows) have been playing a custom modpack together since mid-January. Everything was working perfectly until mid-February, but now we can’t connect at all.
The Problem here is:
When I open my single-player world to LAN, the server either doesn't show up in her multiplayer list, or when we use Direct Connect (IP:Port), it stays stuck on the "Connecting to server..." screen forever. No error message, no "Connection Refused," it just hangs there.
Our Setup:
Version: 1.21.1
Modpack: Custom (I manually put the mods and config folders together. Both PCs have identical files).
Launcher: CurseForge.
Network: Both on the same Wi-Fi, Windows network profile is set to Private.
What we have tried so far:
Ping Test: Successful. The Mac can ping the Windows host IP with consistent response times (time=...ms).
Firewall: I have allowed both java.exe and javaw.exe through Windows Defender Firewall (both Private and Public boxes are checked).
Direct Connect: We always use the IPv4 address and the 5-digit port provided by the "Open to LAN" command.
Re-installation: We ensured both versions of the game and the modpack are identical.
Antivirus: Tried disabling it temporarily on the host machine, but the issue persists.
Since the ping works, the network "bridge" seems fine, but the Java handshake seems to be failing or being blocked silently. It worked for a month and then suddenly stopped without us changing any settings.
Does anyone know if a specific Windows or MacOS update might have broken the Java LAN discovery/handshake? Or if there's a specific "hidden" Java executable in CurseForge that I might have missed in my Firewall settings?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!