When you use OpenRA Server you may need to forward ports in your router. Forwarding ports is used to allow incoming connection requests from the internet to OpenRA Server.
By default routers do not allow incoming network requests. Forwarding ports can work around this limitation.
Before Forwarding a Port Checkoff This To Do List
You need to know the following things before you can forward a port:
- Your router's IP address.
- Your computer's internal IP address.
- A list of TCP and UDP ports that need to be forwarded.
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
The easiest way to locate your router's IP address is to run our free Router Detector utility. It's a part of the Network Utilities suite of tools and it's completely free to use.
We have a guide you can follow Find Your Router IP Address if you don't want to run the software.
How To Forward Ports for OpenRA Server
You can use our Network Utilities software to automatically forward ports for you. 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.
Port forwarding can also be set up step-by-step by hand. The step-by-step process for forwarding a port is:
- You can start by logging in to your router.
- Look for the port forwarding section in your router.
- Put the IP address of your computer in the proper box in your router.
- Put the TCP and UDP ports for OpenRA Server in the corresponding 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 OpenRA Server:
List of Routers - Customized for OpenRA Server
Setting Up a Port Forward for OpenRA Server
The incoming ports that need to be forwarded for OpenRA Server are:
OpenRA Server - PC
- TCP: 1234
- UDP:
That's all it takes to forward your ports for OpenRA Server.
Don't forget to sign up for NordVPN's promo deal before it's gone.
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