Port Sharing

Internet / Permit Access / Port Sharing (or Port Forwarding)

All of the devices in the home network are protected from unauthorized access from the internet by the FRITZ!Box firewall. For some applications like online games, file sharing programs or server services, however, it is necessary to be reachable from the internet. This means the firewall must be opened at certain places to allow incoming connections to the appropriate ports. This is the reason for configuring port sharing.

Click on the "Refresh" button to view the current values.

Click on the "Apply" button to save your settings. If you leave the page without saving, all of your changes will be discarded.

With default settings in the FRITZ!Box, programs on your computer and LAN cannot be accessed from the internet. For a number of applications like online games and file sharing software, you have to make your computer accessible for other internet users. To do this you must open certain ports for incoming connections. The ports serve to distinguish between different applications on a computer that has only one IP address.

Once you have enabled the relevant ports in FRITZ!Box, other users can access your server at the IP address assigned to FRITZ!Box by the internet service provider. If a connection is active, the IP address is displayed in the "Connection Information" area on the "Overview" page.

List of Ports with Port Sharing Enabled

The "List of Ports with Port Sharing Enabled" displays all ports enabled for port sharing.

  • The setting in the "Enabled" column indicates whether a port is enabled for port sharing. Port sharing can be enabled or disabled for a port directly in the "Enabled" column.
  • Use the buttons at the right to edit and delete entries in the list.
  • Note: When the FRITZ!Box is configured as a repeater, the port sharing settings will have no effect. During repeater operation port sharing must be configured in the FRITZ!Box that is configured as a WDS base station.
  • If the FRITZ!Box is operated as an IP client on a router in the network, the port sharing settings will have no effect. In this case you must set up port sharing in the router used to establish the internet connection.
  • Click the "New Port Sharing" button to create a new port for sharing.

All devices in the home network are allowed to change their own port sharing settings

Enabling the "All devices in the home network are allowed to change their own port sharing settings" checkbox has the following effects:

  • Network devices with UPnP or PCP support, for instance smart TVs and smartphones, can change the port sharing rules of the FRITZ!Box themselves.
  • If there are applications with UPnP or PCP support on the network devices, then the applications can open ports themselves. This means the applications can be accessed from the internet.
  • The "List of Ports Opened via UPnP or PCP" is displayed.

List of Ports Opened via UPnP or PCP

The list shows the ports that were opened via UPnP or PCP:

The button for deletion can be used to delete list entries and thus close ports that have been opened.

ColumnMeaning
Protocol The protocol required for the application on the open port.
Port The number of the port on which external queries arrive for the application.
to Computer Name The name of the computer on which the application is running.
to IP Address The IP address of the computer on which the application is running.
to Port The number of the port to which FRITZ!Box forwards the external queries.

Close opened ports

To close a port that has been opened, delete it from the list. To delete, click on this button: