How to set up Port Forwarding

Discover how to activate and configure port forwarding using PureDome. This comprehensive guide provides step-by-step instructions on creating policies, provisioning dedicated IPs, and applying port forwarding rules to enhance network security.

Written By Lorenzo Vincent

Updated at November 16th, 2023

Port Forwarding enables you to expose a specific port to the internet while connected to the VPN. This feature can be utilized to enable remote access to software hosted on your network, such as Plex or your NAS.

This article provides an overview of the procedure for establishing a policy that implements port forwarding rules through a VPN connection. The admin, using the PureDome console, is able to apply a port forwarding policy to a team member's account.

Once the policy and port forwarding rules are applied, connecting to the PureDome service will ensure that the rule is enforced over the VPN connection from the server's end as well.

Available policies for Port Forwarding

In the PureDome console, you will find the option to define three separate policies for the implementation of port forwarding rules. Here, we provide detailed explanations of each of these policies:

  1. Enable all ports: This option will allow both inbound and outbound ports to be open over the VPN connection. However, it is important to note that this approach is not recommended for best security practices.
  2. Disable all ports: This option restricts both inbound and outbound ports from being open over the VPN connection. 
  3. Enable specific ports: This option allows you to open specific custom ports over the VPN connection while keeping all other ports closed. You will have a set of predefined options available to choose from, including the following:
    • 21 FTP
    • 22 SSH
    • 80 Web-Server
    • 23 Telnet
    • 3306 MySQL

You can include a custom port by entering your desired port number in the designated text box. It's important to note that a maximum of 15 default ports can be selected simultaneously.

 
 

Creating policies for Port Forwarding

  • To create a policy for port forwarding, select Port Forwarding in the PureDome Console on the left side.
  • Click Create Policy
  • Select a team member to whom you would like to apply the port forwarding rules.
  • Choose the desired policy (as described in the aforementioned available policies) that you intend to apply to a team member.
  • Click Save Changes to successfully apply the rules.

Note: Port Forwarding rules will only be effective on selected shared network as follows:

United States France Russia
United Kingdom Belgium Singapore
Netherlands Hong Kong Sweden
Germany India Turkey
Canada Italy U.A.E
Australia Japan Switzerland 
 
 
 

Provisioning filtered Dedicated IPs for Port Forwarding

Similar to a shared network, only specific dedicated IPs can be utilized for port forwarding. Below, we provide instructions on how to provision dedicated IPs for port forwarding:

  • Select Dedicated IP in the PureDome Console on the left side.
  • Click Configure Dedicated IP.
  • Toggle Filter by Port Forwarding locations to access the list of dedicated IPs available for port forwarding.
  • Select the desired country and the team member to whom you wish to assign a dedicated IP and click Create Dedicated IP.
  • Once the dedicated IP is deployed, you will notice its status as active. You will also be able to view the associated hostname and IP address alongside the dedicated IP. Additionally, you will find the details of the team member to whom the dedicated IP has been assigned.
  • To apply port forwarding rules specifically for the assigned dedicated IP, select Port Forwarding in the PureDome Console on the left side and follow the instructions from above. 
 
 

Note: The options described in this article for port forwarding (PF) are available for old accounts and may not be applicable to new accounts. For account-specific assistance, please contact our support team.

 

If you have any questions or are experiencing any issues, please don't hesitate to contact our 24/7 customer support team via live chat or email at support@puredome.com. We're always happy to help!