I’m not allowed to port forward

[SigPiggy31]

Parents won’t let me port forward cus people use it for more than just Minecraft, and they think since the port is connected to the computer even though it is only letting them connect to the Minecraft server, anyone can access files on it even though we have a firewall and I got a vpn and antivirus software and that kinda stuff. How do I get them to let me portforward??
 

TL:DR parents think port forwarding will get us all hacked, how do I show them it’s not.

[Oshino Shinobu]

Port forwarding does open up your network to security risks, especially if you're using common or well known ports, such as the default ports used for Minecraft servers.

 

You can try to explain it to them and detail what it means. Put the Minecraft server on a seperate VLAN so it can't talk to anything else on the network and explain that to them.

 

If they still won't let you, buy your own internet connection and use that. If they won't let you do that, you can rent a VPS and you won't need to port forward at all.

[manikyath]

you dont.

 

sorry to put it that way, but presuming the old folks are the owners of the house and the internet connection, if they say no it's a no.

 

but, under the bold assumption that this server is only for close and direct friends that you trust... just use something like Radmin (it's like hamachi but less awful) and call it a day.

[SigPiggy31]

39 minutes ago, manikyath said:

you dont.

 

sorry to put it that way, but presuming the old folks are the owners of the house and the internet connection, if they say no it's a no.

 

but, under the bold assumption that this server is only for close and direct friends that you trust... just use something like Radmin (it's like hamachi but less awful) and call it a day.

Ima try that prob

[Ralphred]

Until you are in a position to explain the actual security implications of what you are asking to do, you should accept their decision.

If my son asked me to open some ports for him I'd be checking his server integrity before doing so, if they can't do this then no is an acceptable response until you can prove otherwise.

[Needfuldoer]

It would probably be easier to convince them to rent a server for you if you just want to play Minecraft with your friends.

 

(You can also set up your own server for free with Oracle Cloud, but I don't remember if you need a credit card to sign up for that service.)

https://blogs.oracle.com/developers/post/how-to-set-up-and-run-a-really-powerful-free-minecraft-server-in-the-cloud

[wasab]

You can create your own local area network with your wifi network card. Capacity won't be as good as an actual router but it will allow you to port forward. 

[Lurick]

11 hours ago, wasab said:

You can create your own local area network with your wifi network card. Capacity won't be as good as an actual router but it will allow you to port forward. 

Ummm, no. Please tell me how OP is going to get an internet connection by creating a LAN with their wifi card?

[wasab]

5 hours ago, Lurick said:

Ummm, no. Please tell me how OP is going to get an internet connection by creating a LAN with their wifi card?

Well, you do need to directly plug your computer to a modem before creating your own wifi hotspot for internet. Your own computer can act as a router in a pinch. That part is 100% doable. 

[Needfuldoer]

18 minutes ago, wasab said:

Well, you do need to directly plug your computer to a modem before creating your own wifi hotspot for internet. Your own computer can act as a router in a pinch. That part is 100% doable. 

And how do you propose they do this without a separate WAN connection? They're still behind the NAT they can't open ports on, especially if they have your typical home modem/router/AP combo unit.

[wasab]

2 hours ago, Needfuldoer said:

And how do you propose they do this without a separate WAN connection? They're still behind the NAT they can't open ports on,

If you directly connect from computer to modem then you are not behind a NAT. Your computer will have a public IP. You better make sure to set up a good firewall since your routers firewall won't stand between you and the world wide web anymore. Then open up some ports and do some iptable rules for port forward. 

 

Quote

especially if they have your typical home modem/router/AP combo unit.

Disable the router? 

[Alex Atkin UK]

On 5/22/2022 at 5:43 PM, wasab said:

If you directly connect from computer to modem then you are not behind a NAT. Your computer will have a public IP. You better make sure to set up a good firewall since your routers firewall won't stand between you and the world wide web anymore. Then open up some ports and do some iptable rules for port forward. 

 

Disable the router? 

So their parents wont let them port forward but you think they WILL let them stick a PC on the end of the modem?

 

Bottom line, parents pay for connection, parents decide how you get to use it.  Its against forum rules to help people bypass "legitimate" restrictions and parents are pretty high up that list.

 

It might be unfair, it might be unreasonable, but parents have the final say here.  Trying to circumvent their restrictions is asking to be banned from using the Internet at all.

To be fair to the OP, they made a legitimate request, how to "convince" parents that port forwarding is relatively safe.  So encouraging them to do anything other than that is reckless, they had the right approach to begin with.