router

[JahSwha]

whats does port forwarding a router do 

[Ssoele]

It forwards an external port to an IP that is behind a NAT.

 

You want to set up a small website, HTTP goes over port 80, HTTPS goes over port 443 (by default).

 

You forward port 80 and port 443 to your server that is running the website, so if someone visits it, he get's pointed to your server and not just your router.

[DeViLzzz]

I believe it allows you to open access to certain ports on your router allowing traffic back and forth and this is still done at times to allow certain games you will play online to work.  Also if you are being attacked through certain ports you can block access to them using your router.

[TheKDub]

It would have been easier to just google that question, but anyways it opens ports to allow access, such as for servers you would need to port forward so people are able to connect to it.

[Ssoele]

I believe it allows you to open access to certain ports on your router allowing traffic back and forth and this is still done at times to allow certain games you will play online to work.  Also if you are being attacked through certain ports you can block access to them using your router.

 

It's only allowing traffic in 1 way, internet --> server, the server --> internet goes over a different port.

[AMICLG]

It forwards an external port to an IP that is behind a NAT.

 

You want to set up a small website, HTTP goes over port 80, HTTPS goes over port 443 (by default).

 

You forward port 80 and port 443 to your server that is running the website, so if someone visits it, he get's pointed to your server and not just your router.

This^^^^ but please don't ever use HTTP:80 that's just asking for trouble.

[Ssoele]

This^^^^ but please don't ever use HTTP:80 that's just asking for trouble.

 

It's not actually, if they only have access to port 80 and 443, they can't do much anyways.