To forward a port on your router, log into your router, find the “Port Forwarding” section, and then create a rule applying to the device you’re using to host. You should also assign a static IP address to the host computer.Although modern Wi-Fi routers handle most functions automatically, some applications will require you to manually forward a port in your router’s settings. Fortunately, it’s very simple to forward ports on a router if you know where to look What Is Port Forwarding? Port Forwarding (or port mapping) allows external traffic from the internet to connect to a device, like a computer, on a private network. Say you want to host a Minecraft server for your friends on your computer. When they try to connect, their traffic has to be sent to the correct computer on your network, and their connection must be permitted by your router. Your router uses port forwarding rules to sort out which computer should be sent the traffic relating to the Minecraft server. Of course, it isn’t just game servers — if it involves internet traffic, ports are involved. Let’s look at the details of how it happens. How Your Router Handles Requests and Uses Ports Here’s a map of a simple home network. The cloud icon represents the greater internet and your public, or forward-facing, Internet Protocol (IP) address. This IP address represents your entire household from the outside world — like a street address, in a way. The red address 192.1.168.1 is the router address… Click below to read the full story from How To Geek
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