What is Port Forwarding? And it Types

Port forwarding is an application which redirects the request for communicating from one address to another. It also uses a combination of the port number to transverse the packets from a network gateway like a firewall or the router.

port forwarding
port forwarding | Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

The technique is generally used to build service on the host side form the protects network which is available on the other side of access to the host, and then the host remaps the destination of the IP address and transfers all the parts of the communication to the inner host.

Let us understand in detail about what is port forwarding?

The primary purpose of port forwarding is that it allows a complete connection to the internet from a computer or you can say that it specifically connects to a computer using a local area network.

In the private network, the nodes try to find access for the internet through the cable modem or from a DSL. Ethernet and the wireless LAN connects the through a host through a private network.

The communication of the host is done through the private IP address as they cannot see the user behind the computer.

All the external hosts have to know the port number and the gateway address of the service network to easily communicate with the other host without getting any interruption.

You will find the different number of port numbers from the web services. There are some of the applications which include some of the typical things like,

  • Trying to run a public network with the private LAN
  • Try to access the host to give the permission of the secure shell
  • Giving permits to the FTP to access through a private network
  • Try to run a game on the public network

There are three types of port forwarding; let us discuss them below.

Remote port forwarding

It is that form which enables you to access the application from the server side through a secure shell. There is a scheme which utilizes the port forwarding to obtain it of the same purpose.

In this technique, it allows its users to connect through the tunnel and control the network situated. At the other side of the tunnel. If you want to use it, then you must know the numbers of the two ports and the address of the destination.

Local port forwarding

Local port forwarding is used for connecting the local server to another server. It securely forwards all the data to the client, which runs on the same computer. If you use the port forwarding then it will pass the firewall which blocks certain websites.

Dynamic port forwarding

This method is used to get the service on demand with bypassing the firewall. The motive of using this port is to connect to the server with a network in a more secure way. You can easily implement this by using a local application like SSH.

These all are the various types of port forwarding, and if you carefully go through the article, then you will quickly understand that what is port forwarding? And it’s different types.

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