Enabling Port Forwarding Access on TrueNAS Scale Home Server for Outside Connection

In this article, we will discuss how to enable port forwarding access on a TrueNAS Scale home server to allow outside connections to it. This process is useful for accessing your server remotely, allowing you to access files and services from anywhere in the world.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, it is assumed that you have a TrueNAS Scale home server up and running with spare hardware. Additionally, you should have administrative access to your router and a basic understanding of networking concepts, such as IP addresses and ports.

Understanding Port Forwarding

Port forwarding is a technique used to redirect incoming network traffic from one address and port number to another. By enabling port forwarding on your router, you can direct incoming traffic to a specific device on your network, in this case, your TrueNAS Scale home server.

How Port Forwarding Works

When a device on your network sends a request to access a service on the internet, it sends the request to a specific port number associated with that service. For example, web servers typically use port 80 for HTTP and port 443 for HTTPS. When the request arrives at your router, the router checks its port forwarding rules to determine where to send the request.

If a port forwarding rule exists for the requested port number, the router will forward the request to the device specified in the rule. Otherwise, the request will be dropped or rejected, depending on your router's settings.

Enabling Port Forwarding on Your Router

To enable port forwarding on your router, you will need to log in to your router's web interface. The exact steps to access your router's web interface will vary depending on your router's make and model, so consult your router's documentation for specific instructions.

Finding Your Router's IP Address

To log in to your router, you will need to know your router's IP address. To find your router's IP address, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt on your computer.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

This will display a list of network interfaces on your computer. Look for the "Default Gateway" value under your active network interface. This is your router's IP address.

Logging In to Your Router

Once you have your router's IP address, follow these steps to log in:

1. Open a web browser and type your router's IP address in the address bar.
2. Enter your router's username and password when prompted.
3. Once logged in, look for a menu item labeled "Port Forwarding" or "Virtual Servers."

Setting Up Port Forwarding for Your TrueNAS Scale Home Server

Once you have accessed your router's port forwarding settings, you can set up port forwarding for your TrueNAS Scale home server. Follow these steps:

1. Add a new port forwarding rule.
2. Enter a name for the rule (e.g., "TrueNAS Scale Home Server").
3. Enter the external port number you want to forward (e.g., 80 for HTTP or 443 for HTTPS).
4. Enter the internal IP address of your TrueNAS Scale home server.
5. Enter the internal port number on your TrueNAS Scale home server that corresponds to the external port number you entered earlier.
6. Save the rule.

Repeat these steps for each service you want to access remotely.

Testing Your Port Forwarding Settings

To test your port forwarding settings, you can use an online port checking tool, such as You Get Signal. Follow these steps:

1. Enter your public IP address (you can find this by searching for "what is my IP address" in your web browser).
2. Enter the external port number you forwarded earlier.
3. Click "Check Port."
4. If the port is open, you have successfully set up port forwarding.

In this article, we discussed how to enable port forwarding access on a TrueNAS Scale home server for outside connections. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can access your server remotely, allowing you to access files and services from anywhere in the world.

References

• TrueNAS SCALE - Port Forwarding
• Port Forward