Top Port Forwarding Network Utilities
Alright, you have already researched what Port Forwarding is and what port forwarding network utilities are built to achieve. Right? Right.
Port forwarding software allows you to map an external port to an internal IP address to ensure clarity. This could be particularly important for running various servers, playing multiplayer games, and ensuring free internet packets from your devices to the web.
Are you struggling to Find the Best Port forward network utilities?
Several software options are built to forward ports and ensure hassle-free data exchange with an external IP address or server. It might seem quite technical and require dealing with different complicated router user interfaces. However, if you find the proper, purpose-built port-forward utilities, you can centralize this entire management.
Whether you own an Xbox console or any Playstation console for gaming or are a professional user, bookmarking this list could be the best thing you can do today.
Before You Install Port Forwarding Network Software
If you are new to Port Forwarding, let’s guide you through the process and sprinkle it afterward with 6 of the best port forward utilities.
Set Up or Assign a Static IP Address
To set up a Static IP Address on your Windows PC from a Dynamic IP address, follow these steps:
- Hit the Start Button and open the Windows Control Panel from the Start Menu.
- Go to Network Connections.
- Based on your Network setup, you will see the WiFi or Wired Connections listed here.
- Make a Right-click your primary Network Connection > go to the Properties tab.
- Beneath ‘This connection uses the following items click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) > Properties > Use the Following IP address.
- The above steps should lead you to the static IP setter, wherein you can set a static IP that should depend on the starting numerals of your Wireless Router IP range. You can check this in your router settings. e.g., 192.168.0.xx, wherein you need to choose a set of xx numbers beyond your usual simultaneous user limit.
- Fill in the Subnet Mask and the Default Gateway field, and enter the Local Address of your router. You can find these in your router settings too!
Now, without further ado, let’s get to our top port forward network utilities list. This list is not necessarily in a particular order, and each of these options will meet the requirement of different users.
Best Port Forwarding Software
- PortMapper
Have you ever wondered why a simple port forwarding task makes you a nightmare? Well, it’s probably the technicalities that stick out like a sore thumb. But, if you have been pulling your hair with your router setup, PortMapper is a simplistic told that can help relieve those troubles.
The application allows you to add and remove a port mapping and access private network servers using the application. Depending on your operating system, you can try it on Windows XP to Windows 10.
Get the application here.
- Simple Port Forwarding
Did you expect a more straightforward name for a piece of software that is supposed to simplify your life so you can fix port forwarding issues on your network setup? We did not!
Simple port forwarding works as simply as one would expect from the name: it has a database list of 700 plus programs and games that can be configured to set the IP to static. Now that’s what we call simple. Not only does this automate the port forwarding process, but it is also built explicitly for your mapping needs.
Additionally, there is support for 50+ different languages and also 3000+ models of routers. Finally, it comes as a free and paid software application: the paid version allows for the simplified selection of applications from the database list.
The application is available for all Windows from Windows XP to 10 and has versions for 32-bit and 64-bit systems. You can download and install the application from here.
- UPnP PortMapper
A free program that simplifies the actions related to forwarding ports – what more could you ask for? For UPnP PortMapper to work, you need Java installed on your PC. And that’s because this program is available in the .jar java format. It has a GUI (graphical user interface), but adept users can also use console commands to get their ports forwarded from an external to an internal IP address.
If you are on Windows 10, you might have to stick to app v2.1.1 because the later versions can give an error when running.
The app has a minimal user interface but does not support all routers, so you might have to check compatibility. You can even manage multiple port mappings with the app if they are directed to the same local IP. Nevertheless, UPnP PortMapper is one of the best port forwarding software and deserves a shot.
- AUTAPF
Port Forward Network Utilities is a great way to optimize your router to behave better with your devices. It allows you to easily redirect external web traffic to specific IP addresses or ports.
AUTAPF requires you to set up a Static Address before accessing its features. Considering we have already explained the Static IP Address set up in the first section above, you should be covered.
You can download AUTAPF from here.
- PFConfig
So you have recently signed up with that fantastic new ISP for blazing-fast Internet speeds, and lo and behold, the router configuration is giving you headaches. You go helter-skelter on the Web looking for solutions, but everything seems too complicated; PFConfig is one of those programs explicitly built to ensure optimum router usage by bringing most controls you need into a unified interface. It’s like a port-forwarding wizard, albeit less tedious.
You can download PFConfig from here.
- Port forward network utilities
Feel like having an organized, centralized space that can give you all network utilities in one place? Port forward Network Utility suite includes several tools and features. This can help you with almost everything you might need to fix port forwarding issues.
If you purchase network utilities, you will be provided with a suite of features that will include a Windows firewall exception so that it isn’t interfered with by your system. Port forward Network Utilities is a one-stop solution for all your network management.
You can download this software from here.
In conclusion
If the manual port forwarding process is too much for you, this entire content should put you in a better place now. Consider this: not all of us can be experts at managing multiple routers, managing a specific IP address and various ports, getting your ports forwarded, keeping track of forwarded ports, managing devices like gaming consoles and security cameras, or maintaining a detailed map of network utilities.
Pick a port forwarding program or one of the network utilities from the above list, and it can help you organize your network better and ensure optimal Internet performance. While the piece above mainly covers Windows availability, Mac OS has its own set of solutions, and the concept of port forwarding is almost the same too!
That’s all, folks. Feel free to let us know which of the above solutions you found best suited to your port mapping needs
