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This guide will show you how to set up port forwarding on a router running ExpressVPN.

Important:

  • Make sure your ISP supports port forwarding (ISPs using Carrier-grade NAT usually don’t).
  • Your forwarded ports will be outside of the VPN tunnel, so it won’t have VPN protection.

Refer to the section appropriate to the version of ExpressVPN you are using below. To find which version of ExpressVPN you are running, refer to this guide.

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Set up port forwarding on a router running ExpressVPN (v2 onwards)
Set up port forwarding on a router running ExpressVPN (v1)

Set up port forwarding on a router running ExpressVPN (v2 onwards)

  1. Sign in to your router running ExpressVPN.
  2. Select Advanced Settings > Port Forwarding.
  3. Select Add New Rule.
    Select “Add New Rule.”
  4. Enter the following details:
    • Description: Enter a name that will help you recognize the forwarded port.
    • Device: Select the device you want to access remotely.
    • Internal Port: Enter a number between 1 and 65,535.
    • External Port: Enter a number between 1 and 65,535.
    • Protocol: Select your preferred protocol.
  5. Select Save to add the new rule.
    Select “Save.”

 

The selected device should now be remotely accessible on your public IP address using the external port you entered. To check if port forwarding is successful, you can use ExpressVPN’s IP Address Checker to find out your device’s public IP address.

Use a DDNS hostname to access devices remotely

You can also set up a DDNS hostname to remotely access devices connected to the router running ExpressVPN instead of using your public IP address.

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.

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Set up port forwarding on a router running ExpressVPN (v1)

Go to the ExpressVPN router dashboard. Sign in with your router admin password.

In the top navigation bar, select Network. In the sidebar, select Firewall > Port Forwards.

Under New Port Forward, enter the following details:

  • Name: Enter a name that will help you recognize the forwarded port.
  • Protocol: Select TCP+UDP.
  • External Zone: Select wan.
  • External Port: Enter a number between 1 and 65,535.
  • Internal Zone: Select lan.
  • Internal IP: 192.168.42.1 (default).
  • Internal Port: Enter a number between 1 and 65,535.

Select Add > Save & Apply.

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.

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