When you use an Arlo you might need to forward some ports in your router. A port forward allows incoming connection requests from the internet to go straight to an Arlo.
Routers do not generally allow incoming connection requests from the internet. By forwarding a port you can overcome this limitation.
Before Forwarding a Port
Before you can forward a port you need to know the following things:
- The internal IP address of your router.
- The internal IP address of your camera.
- The list of the TCP and UDP ports that you need to forward.
Use a VPN Instead
Have you considered using a VPN instead of forwarding a port? For most users, a VPN is a much simpler and more secure choice than forwarding a port.
We use and recommend NordVPN because not only is it the fastest VPN, it includes a new feature called Meshnet that makes forwarding a port no longer necessary for most applications. With NordVPN Meshnet, you can connect to your devices from anywhere in the world, completely secure, over a highly encrypted VPN tunnel.
When shopping for a VPN, make sure that they meet the following criteria:
- Your VPN provider should have a no-logs policy. This means that they do not keep any logs of any kind.
- Make sure that your VPN provider has lots of exit nodes all around the world.
- Check that your VPN will not affect your speed.
- Verify that your VPN provider uses WireGuard as the underlying protocol.
- Many people prefer a VPN provider that is not based in the United States.
This is the list of requirements that we used when we were shopping around for a VPN provider. There are lots of free, shady VPN providers out there that we looked at and dismissed.
Based in Panama, using diskless servers, and with over 6,100 servers in 61 countries, we can safely say that NordVPN satisfies all of these requirements.
Once you've set up your NordVPN account on multiple computers and enabled Meshnet, you can seamlessly access all of your devices as if they were on the same network. You don't even have to log in to your router. It's very simple.
Every time you click on one of our affiliate links, such as NordVPN, we get a little kickback for introducing you to the service. Think of us as your VPN wingman.
Find the IP Address of Your Router
We have free Router Detector software to help you find your router's IP address. The software is part of our Network Utilities suite of tools and it is completely free to use.
Otherwise, you can follow our guide Find Your Router IP Address.
How To Forward Ports for an Arlo
The easiest way to forward your ports is to use our Network Utilities software. Since Network Utilities allows you to both forward and un-forward ports easily you can keep your network security maximized, and then forward ports only when you need them.
Alternatively you can do it by hand. The way to forward a port is:
- Start by logging in to your router.
- Find the port forwarding section in your router.
- Put the IP address of your camera in the proper box in your router.
- It is now time to type the TCP and UDP ports that you are forwarding for an Arlo in the correct boxes in your router.
Usually you have to reboot your router in order to save the changes.
You can choose your router from our list to see exactly how to forward ports for an Arlo:
List of Routers - Customized for Arlo
Set Up a Port Forward for an Arlo
The ports that need to be forwarded for an Arlo are listed here:
Arlo - IP Camera
- TCP: 80, 443
- UDP: 80, 443
That is the process required to forward ports in your router for an Arlo.
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