Im trying to port forward so my friends can join my server, however my port fowarding settings show wan and lan instead of internal ports. Could anyone tell me what i should put for my lan host and wan host ip. i did put in my ipv4 into lan host and my public ip into wan host ip address but it doesnt work. I have also listed my ip as DMZ and also tried turning off my firewall but nothing has worked. This is my router port fowarding guide: https://hyperoptic.com/wp-content/u...orwarding-and-DMZ-for-ZTE-ZXHN-H298A-v1.3.pdf
Good morning @greenelecboy, I hope that you are well and it is a pleasure to meet you. This is a common issue experienced by many people who host servers on networks designed for residential use. Please contact your internet service provider and ensure that you are not subscribed to carrier-grade NAT and if so, ask if the offer is available to opt out or if you are compelled to upgrade to a business plan (or equivalent). Carrier-grade NAT allows multiple end users to be assigned the same IP address simultaneously. It is common practice for internet service providers to subscribe carrier-grade NAT by default to residential end users due to the scarcity of IPv4 addresses as we have exceeded the protocol's original capacity in the 1980's of connecting four billion end users. Accordingly, port forwarding is not possible under this technology. Being connected to a WAN outside of an organisation's intranet indicates that this is likely the case. Additionally, your router and firewall configuration are likely correct.
ive heard that i need a static ip to successfully port forward on my broadband. However, addtional payment is required for me to aquire a static IP. Is there a workaround or a solution to this without changing my broadband or subscription?
A static IP address should not be required for port forwarding. You currently have a dynamic IP address that likely changes every few months and I suggest, whenever it changes, in the case of a Minecraft server intended for friends to play on, informing your friends of the new IP address or configuring a domain name and subsequently updating the nameserver record. Please contact your internet service provider to confirm the rotation period as it may vary. Most people, organisations, and government agencies who host public servers and are able to run a dedicated line to their servers will have a static IP address to improve service availability and reduce work for the system administrators, however these advantages may not be beneficial in your case to the extent that it outweighs the additional price and installation, operational, and maintainence expenses of recommended cybersecurity infrastructure that is subsequently involved. You may refer to IP Limit 1.16.4 for a discussion regarding dynamic and static IP addresses.
