How to Setup Port Forwarding | Easiest Way to Do it

Has any of you ever incurred a problem where you are trying to set up a game or web or a camera server, and you can access it pretty easily from inside your network, but it is quite challenging to access it from outside your network? In this article, we will talk about the procedural steps to setup port forwarding.

Using multiple devices at your home probably means that you are using a router. You already know a router is a device that lets multiple computers or other devices connect to and interact with each other. This simple network, confined to either your house or office or college, is termed as a local area network. All the devices in your LAN can connect using an IP. 

Any server that you set up inside your LAN can be accessible by only those devices which are also in your LAN. To access them from outside the network, WAN has to forward requests to the devices in our LAN. One way of doing so is known as port forwarding.

Set Up Port Forwarding
Set Up Port Forwarding

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What is port forwarding?

So basically, port forwarding allows computers over the internet to connect to a specific computer or service within a private network. In other words, your computer is accessible to the internet even though you have a private network. 

For two devices to connect through a desktop connection, it requires sending out a request to your public IP address with the specific port number. A port number is a logical connection used by programs and services to exchange information. Ports uniquely identify these services that are running on the computer. The request with the port number goes through the internet to your router. Once it reaches your router, it needs to know where to forward the request for that specific port number. The job of the router includes sending and forwarding any request with that particular port number to our computer.

See Also : 192.168.0.101 IP Login Guide, Username & Password

To setup Port forwarding is an essential and necessary thing to do if you are running servers on your network accessed from the outside world. It forwards traffic within the router on certain ports to specific servers. With one browser and one IP address, you can only forward a single port to a single internal IP address. It practically means that if you have one web server on your internal network, then you would forward a port number to that one web server. 

How to Setup Port Forwarding Quickly

Because every person uses a different router, the steps provided here may not be the same for everybody. It is because every router has a different model and software. These steps will give you a brief and general idea about what takes place before forwarding ports. Although every router can set up port forwarding, you have to look deep into it to do so. Follow the steps given below to set up port forwarding through your router.

  • Before carrying out any of the following steps, you have to make sure that you are connected to your network as you have to gain access to your router homepage. To do this, you need an Internet connection 
  • The next step is to open start and go to the setting icon 
  • Click on network and internet and then go to network properties
  • It will display a long list of information, among which one will be a default gateway, which will be the address of your router.
  • Now open your browser and type the default gateway number and press enter
  • Doing so will direct you to the router’s homepage, where you have to enter your credentials such as username and password. If you have no idea what your username or password is, then you can check your installation manual for those details. You can also check for it underneath the router.
  • Now, wait for the page to load, after which you can move on with the setup port forwarding. 

See Also : 192.168.0.100 Admin Login, Username & Password

Setup Port Forwarding Concerning Router’s Page

 As previously mentioned, every router has different settings and names for port forwarding. The following guide is to setup port forwarding concerning router’s page.

  • To forward ports, you have to look for a name that is similar to it, such as port triggering or Port Range forwarding. Port forwarding usually falls under the network or wireless or advanced category, so look within them. If you are still unable to do so, then you can check ok your configuration booklet for it. Every router has such options; all you have to do is search a little for finding those. You are most likely to find the port forwarding option in advanced settings. It is better to give everything a try
  • Most routers contain dropdown menus with some pre-configured options for specific applications. To forward ports to such applications, select them from the dropdown menu and then click on Save.
  • If you want to add a program that excludes the list, then you have to create a Custom Entry. Custom entry was the name for the service, along with the type of service and the Start and End. The start and end refer to the first and second part number if you have only one port number then enter the same name in the “End” also.
  • Now you have to enter your private IP address or your computer’s device IP.
  • Finally, you have to save your settings by clicking on the save or apply button. If prompted, you may also have to click on the Enabled or ON checkbox to enable the setup port forwarding.

Also learn: What is Wireless PAN DHCP Server

Conclusion

Port forwarding is beneficial in some areas to both the clients and the company. To setup Port forwarding is handy when you want to back up specific files or servers. Nowadays, it’s common for game servers. They also act as a virtual desktop when it comes to large scale implementations. It is important to note that to forward ports, you should have an idea about IP addresses as they are a medium for setting up port forwarding. Therefore, this was one of the easiest methods to setup port forwarding.

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