Does anyone understand Port Forwarding?

[TheColorUrple]

Can someone explain this to me?

I'm trying to forward ports for Steam, specific games, and consoles so I can have an open NAT.

When I use my router menu to forward a port, it asks for an Internal IP address. For Steam and a few PC games, I filled in my desktop's Internal IP address here.

1. When I jump on my laptop to play, I am no longer using the same internal IP address. Will those forwarded ports still work on my laptop?

2. When I consult the list of ports to forward for my Xbox or PlayStation, some of those have already been forwarded for Steam! The router won't let me forward the same port to two different Internal IPs!

3. I know people like to set up static IP addresses for gaming, which I haven't done. Is there a way to set a single static IP address, perhaps the same address as my EXTERNAL IP address (i.e. my router's address) and forward all of the ports to that? Maybe that way all of my internal IP addresses (devices) will function with open NAT?

Am I even close to understanding this or not at all?

I need help.

[RPG Gamer Man]

i found this article. it may help you.

https://stevessmarthomeguide.com/understanding-port-forwarding/

Let me give you one piece of advice though. IF someone mentions using DMZ on steam, ignore them and do not use their advice, that lets alot of hackers on your router. I learned this the hard way on one of my old routers i used.

Also, make sure your router password is strong. IT is easy to look up the factory ones online and hack them.

[rawWwRrr]

TheColorUrple님이 먼저 게시:

1. When I jump on my laptop to play, I am no longer using the same internal IP address. Will those forwarded ports still work on my laptop?

No. You'll need to change the associated IP of the forwarded ports to the computer's IP address. You could set the laptop to connect with one specific IP, also called a static IP, but you'd have to make sure that the router reserves that IP from being assigned to anything else.

TheColorUrple님이 먼저 게시:

2. When I consult the list of ports to forward for my Xbox or PlayStation, some of those have already been forwarded for Steam! The router won't let me forward the same port to two different Internal IPs!

Correct. It's about mapping the external port to an internal destination. You only have one port number to forward, so you have to decide which internal IP that port forwards to.

TheColorUrple님이 먼저 게시:

3. I know people like to set up static IP addresses for gaming, which I haven't done. Is there a way to set a single static IP address, perhaps the same address as my EXTERNAL IP address (i.e. my router's address) and forward all of the ports to that? Maybe that way all of my internal IP addresses (devices) will function with open NAT?

That would be bridging the connection from the external IP to the internal IP and that would technically be bad. Your laptop would then have to provide Internet access to other devices in your network.

Just set the laptop with a static IP and forward to it. Set your console to static IPs as well. Then when you need to switch from one to the other it's a simple switch in the router as you'll know those specific IPs without having to figure them out.

[Iceira]

you have a mixup of two diffrent ways in what to do here.
Network address translation (NAT) so all ports under 1024 need portforwaring reason is they are special ports. rest dont need it.

ps.
as example port 21 is ftp server, ( see it from outside where is the server on the local network and only 1 can have port21 )

so you might have added ports that dont need port forwarding. ( already cover in the NAT )
make backup of it before you either reset all or make router reset to default. ( depend on how bad UI is at router. and how many entrys there is. )

and make a simple plan. ( who need to have service open so other can join it )

most have simple setup and dont need plan. router can tell and show it.

ps.
not sure why portforwarding is on xbox or PS, could you maybe have forward it to another router
that is known as 1 router need to learn other private router local lan with diffrent scope
and part of understand diffrent private network adr. scope range

and i doubt you have multi wan line ip adr. most dont have that anymore, ( so i guess on the 2 router that second router got issue,

this is a classic school example, router1 need to know router 2 is on the network of router1 and path to it. ( and router2 need gateway to router 1 ) and not a wan ip ( newer router can/will try locate a remote ISP and auto config itself and can run into problem then its on another local network some router do this today, even seen advance edit to open port 1as internet/local port issue. )

just because we think its simple its not, some of us have education and read about it.

[Kargor]

Games in general, including a lot of multiplayer games, don't need you to forward ports. Neither does Steam.

The thing is, there is an automatic forward done by your router. In simple terms, if your Steam client sends a request to Valve, that request goes through the router. When Valve sends the reply, the router just forwards it to whatever PC has sent the request.