When you use Virtual Desktop you may need to forward ports in your router. A port forward allows incoming connection requests from the internet to go straight to Virtual Desktop.
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 forwarding a port make sure that you know these things:
- The IP address of your router.
- The internal IP address of your computer.
- The 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.
![NordVPN is the fastest VPN!](/build/images/partner/nordvpn/in-article-large/affiliate-fast-vpn-1500x300.png)
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
We have free Router Detector software to help you find your router's IP address. It is part of our Network Utilities suite of tools and is free for you to use it.
If you do not want to run the software, you can follow our Find Your Router IP Address guide.
Forwarding a Port for Virtual Desktop
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.
Another option is to go through the process of forwarding ports one step at a time. The step-by-step process for forwarding a port is:
- You can start by logging in to your router.
- Find the port forwarding section in your router.
- Type the IP address of your computer into the correct box in your router.
- Enter the TCP and UDP ports that you need to forward for Virtual Desktop in the corresponding boxes in your router.
Some routers need to be rebooted in order for the changes to be saved.
You can choose your router from our list to see exactly how to forward ports for Virtual Desktop:
List of Routers - Customized for Virtual Desktop
Forwarding Ports for Virtual Desktop
The following ports need to be forwarded for Virtual Desktop:
Virtual Desktop - PC
- TCP: 38810, 38820, 38830, 38840
- UDP:
Those are the steps for forwarding ports in your router for Virtual Desktop.
Don't forget to sign up for NordVPN's promo deal before it's gone.
![NordVPN birthday deal!](/build/images/partner/nordvpn/in-article-small/affiliate-birthday-campaign.png)
You might notice that most of our site doesn't have ads on it. This is because we use partnerships with companies like NordVPN to keep the site running. Thank you for supporting us by using our referral links.