When you use ConnectWise Control you might need to forward some ports in your router. Forwarding ports is used to allow incoming connection requests from the internet to ConnectWise Control.
Routers generally do not allow incoming connection requests from the internet. By forwarding a port you can overcome this limitation.
Before Forwarding a Port Checkoff This To Do List
Before you can forward a port you need to know the following things:
- The internal IP address of your router.
- The IP address of your computer.
- Each 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.
How to Locate Your Router's IP Address
To find your router's IP address the easy way you can use our free Router Detector software. It is part of our Network Utilities suite of tools and is free for you to use it.
We have a guide you can follow Find Your Router IP Address if you don't want to run the software.
How To Set Up Port Forwarding for ConnectWise Control
You can use our Network Utilities software to automatically forward ports for you. Our Network Utilities software allows you to add port forwards and also remove them when you no longer need them to maximize your network security.
Port forwarding can also be set up step-by-step by hand. The process for forwarding a port is:
- You can start by logging in to your router.
- Locate your routers port forwarding section.
- Put your computer's IP address in the proper box in your router.
- It is now time to type the TCP and UDP ports that you are forwarding for ConnectWise Control in the correct boxes in your router.
Frequently you have to reboot your router for the changes to take effect.
You can choose your router from our list to see exactly how to forward ports for ConnectWise Control:
List of Routers - Customized for ConnectWise Control
Set Up a Port Forward for ConnectWise Control
The ports that need to be forwarded for ConnectWise Control are listed here:
ConnectWise Control - PC
- TCP: 8040-8041
- UDP:
That is the process required to forward ports in your router for ConnectWise Control.
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