You installed the Simple Voice Chat mod on your 1.21.4 server. You and all your players installed the client-side mod. You launched the server, joined, and saw the red plug icon in the bottom corner of your screen. Voice Chat: Disconnected.
You opened the config file. You changed the port. You restarted the server. Still disconnected.
This is one of the most common issues with Simple Voice Chat and the fix is almost always the same thing: your hosting provider opened the TCP port but not the UDP port.
Why TCP Is Not Enough
Minecraft itself communicates over TCP (Transmission Control Protocol). When you connect to a server on port 25565, that is a TCP connection. Most hosting providers, including panel-based setups using Pterodactyl, open the TCP port automatically when you create a server allocation.
Simple Voice Chat does not use TCP for audio. It uses UDP (User Datagram Protocol). UDP is faster and better suited for real-time audio because it does not wait for packet confirmation. A dropped audio packet is less noticeable than a delayed one.
The voice chat mod runs on a separate port from the main Minecraft server. By default, it uses port 24454. Your hosting panel probably did not open UDP on that port because the panel only provisions TCP allocations by default.
Step-by-Step Fix
Step 1: Find Your Voice Chat Port
Open your server files and navigate to:
config/voicechat/voicechat-server.properties
Look for this line:
port=24454
This is the port voice chat listens on. Note it down.
Step 2: Open the UDP Port on Your Host
This step depends on your hosting setup:
If you use Space-Node or another Pterodactyl-based host:
- Go to your server's Network tab in the panel
- Add a new allocation for the voice chat port (24454 or whatever you set)
- Make sure the allocation covers both TCP and UDP. On Space-Node panels, contact support and ask them to open UDP on that port if the panel does not show a protocol toggle
If you self-host on a Linux VPS:
Run these commands:
sudo ufw allow 24454/udp
sudo ufw allow 24454/tcp
sudo ufw reload
Or if you use iptables:
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 24454 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 24454 -j ACCEPT
If you self-host at home:
Open your router's admin page and create a port forwarding rule for port 24454 with protocol set to "Both" or "UDP". Many routers default to TCP-only when you create a forwarding rule.
Step 3: Update the Bind Address
In the same voicechat-server.properties file, check this line:
bind_address=
If it is blank, the mod binds to all available network interfaces. This is correct for most setups. If it contains a specific IP, make sure that IP matches your server's internal network IP, not the public IP.
For Docker-based setups (like Pterodactyl), leave it blank. Docker handles the network address translation between the container and the host.
Step 4: Restart and Test
Restart your Minecraft server fully (not just /reload). Join the server and check the voice chat icon. It should show a green microphone instead of the red plug.
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Setting the voice chat port to the same port as the Minecraft server.
The voice chat mod needs its own port. Using 25565 for both creates a conflict. Use the default 24454 or pick any unused port above 1024.
Mistake: Only opening the port on the firewall but not in the panel.
Pterodactyl uses Docker. Docker has its own network layer. Even if the host firewall allows 24454/udp, Docker will not expose it unless the allocation exists in the panel.
Mistake: Forgetting to install the client-side mod.
Simple Voice Chat requires the mod installed on both the server and the client. If a player does not have it installed, they will silently fail to connect to voice. No error, no icon change. They simply cannot hear or speak.
Quick Reference Table
| Setting | Value | |---|---| | Default voice chat port | 24454 | | Protocol required | UDP (primary) + TCP (fallback) | | Config file location | config/voicechat/voicechat-server.properties | | Bind address (Docker/Pterodactyl) | Leave blank | | Bind address (bare metal) | 0.0.0.0 or leave blank | | Client mod required | Yes |
Still Not Working?
If you followed every step and the icon is still red:
- Check your server console for lines containing
voicechat. Look for bind errors or port conflict messages - From a player's PC, test UDP connectivity with:
nc -vzu your.server.ip 24454 - If that times out, the port is blocked somewhere between the player and the server. Check every layer: host firewall, Docker, panel allocation, and (for self-hosters) your home router
On Space-Node servers, you can open a support ticket and the team will configure the UDP allocation for you. Every plan includes full voice chat support out of the box.
