Port forwarding lets you direct incoming traffic from the internet to a specific device behind your VPN connection. This is useful for hosting game servers, accessing remote desktops, running self-hosted services, or using applications that require inbound connections.
NOTE: Port forwarding is available exclusively with the Dedicated Server add-on. Standard NordVPN servers and Dedicated IP do not support port forwarding.
Before you start
- Your Dedicated server must be activated. Port forwarding settings are visible during server setup but cannot be configured until provisioning is complete.
macOS App Store limitation: If you're using the NordVPN app downloaded from the macOS App Store, port forwarding is currently not supported due to App Store sandboxing restrictions. The app cannot configure the local firewall rules required to allow inbound traffic on forwarded ports. We are actively working on a fix - this limitation will be resolved in a future update. In the meantime, macOS users can use the NordVPN app downloaded directly from nordvpn.com to use port forwarding.
Creating a port forwarding rule
- Log in to your Nord Account.
- Navigate to NordVPN > Dedicated server.
- Scroll to the Port Forwarding section.
- Click Add Rule and fill in the following fields:
- Rule name - A descriptive label (e.g., "Minecraft Server," "Home NAS").
- Protocol - Select TCP or UDP.
- External port - The port (or port range) that will be open on your dedicated IP for incoming traffic. Example: 25565 or 9000–9100.
- Internal port - The port (or port range) on your device where traffic will be directed. Example: 25565 or 8000–8100.
- Target device - Select the registered device that should receive the traffic.
- Click Save.
Port ranges: When using a port range, the external and internal ranges must have the same span. For example, external 9000–9100 can map to internal 8000–8100 (both span 101 ports).
Reserved ports
The following ports are reserved for system use and cannot be used as external ports:
Port Protocol Purpose
22 TCP Server management
51820 UDP NordLynx
51820–51828 TCP & UDP Reserved for future use
If you enter a reserved port, you will see an error: "Port [X] is reserved for system use and cannot be forwarded."
Managing your rules
- You can create up to 20 port forwarding rules
- Enable/Disable individual rules using the toggle next to each rule.
- Turn off all port forwarding at once using the master toggle at the top of the section.
- Delete individual rules by clicking the delete button next to the rule.
Port forwarding rules take effect immediately - no reconnection is needed.
Troubleshooting
- Port forwarding section is disabled: Your server is still being provisioned. Wait for it to reach Active status.
- "20/20 rules used" message: Delete an existing rule to create a new one.
- Traffic not reaching your device: Verify that the application on your device is listening on the internal port you specified, and that no local firewall is blocking the connection.
