Port forwarding

<p>In <a href="/facts/Computer_networking/3w5RM99p">computer networking</a>, port forwarding or port mapping is an application of <a href="/facts/Network_address_translation/nFweFNfN">network address translation</a> (NAT) that redirects a communication request from one <a href="/facts/IP_address/z9V22Sw9">address</a> and <a href="/facts/Port_number/ygoHVKNC">port number</a> combination to another while the <a href="/facts/Network_packet/xCYf8SJu">packets</a> are traversing a network gateway, such as a <a href="/facts/Router_(computing)/Nh5cIyVf">router</a> or <a href="/facts/Firewall_(computing)/Et2RkJaU">firewall</a>. This technique is most commonly used to make services on a <a href="/facts/Host_(network)/HPNcFXHk">host</a> residing on a protected or <a href="/facts/IP_masquerading/nFweFNfN">masqueraded</a> (internal) network available to hosts on the opposite side of the gateway (external network), by remapping the destination IP address and port number of the communication to an internal host.
</p>

Port forwarding open-in-new

Port forwarding