Does NordVPN Support Port Forwarding? (+Alternatives)

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No, NordVPN doesn’t currently support port forwarding.

Port forwarding is an attractive VPN feature for many users, as it unlocks the full potential of your router.

Although NordVPN doesn’t offer support for the feature, plenty of other VPN providers offer port forwarding as standard.

Having worked with hundreds of VPNs over the past decade, I’ve gotten good at recognizing the best from the rest.

With that in mind, the champion of all VPN providers that support port forwarding is PrivateVPN.

Port forwarding can be a headache with some VPN providers, but PrivateVPN makes it a straightforward process.

NordVPN Alternatives That Offer Port Forwarding

It’s frustrating that NordVPN doesn’t offer port forwarding, as it’s packed with loads of other great features.

But if port forwarding is your jam, you’ll need a provider that’s up to the job.

I already mentioned that PrivateVPN is my favorite port-forwarding powerhouse, but it’s not for everyone.

Check out the VPN providers below that make port forwarding a breeze.

PureVPN is great for users that need a port-forwarding VPN that won’t break the bank.

You’ll get a plethora of p2p-optimized servers, ten simultaneous device connections, and a no-logs policy.

If you need port forwarding, this can be added as an extra feature for a small fee.

TorGuard is best for users who like to customize their VPN settings to the max with a focus on p2p support.

Port forwarding comes as standard and supports OpenVPN, WireGuard, and OpenConnect protocols.

The port forwarding setup is suited to advanced users, though I’d recommend another option for beginners.

ExpressVPN offers a host of premium features such as a private DNS, split tunneling, and an internet kill switch.

Still, if you need port forwarding, you’ll have to install the ExpressVPN software on one of their recommended routers instead of enabling the feature via the app interface.

How to Get a Free VPN With Port Forwarding?

If you don’t need all the bells and whistles of a VPN and only want a provider for port forwarding purposes, there are ways to get a VPN free for a limited time.

I’ve scoured the web for the best VPN providers around, and the common trend is that the free VPNs out there aren’t up to the job of port forwarding.

Instead, I want to let you in on the way to take advantage of premium VPN providers for port forwarding purposes, knowing that you’ll get every penny of your money back once you’re done.

Let’s begin with Private Internet Access.

They offer full port forwarding support that can be enabled with a small number of clicks.

Sign up for a Private Internet Access subscription today, and you’ll activate a 30-day money-back guarantee.

As long as you cancel your subscription when the trial period ends, you’ll get all of your money back.

You could hop between ExpressVPN, PIA, and the other providers I listed above, as each of them operates under a similar money-back guarantee.

So you could end up with a VPN port forwarding service for months, knowing the cash will arrive safely back in your pocket!

How to Set Up Port Forwarding?

Setting up port forwarding is a straightforward process, and for this guide, you’ll find the generic steps below to enable port forwarding.

  1. Sign up for a Private Internet Access subscription (or any other provider).
  2. Open an internet browser on your device and log into your router by entering the router’s IP address into the address bar (the default gateway address).
  3. If prompted, enter the username and password of your router, often found on the back of the device.
  4. Navigate to the port forwarding settings under advanced > port forwarding (this will differ for each router). Here you’ll see several clear port fields.
  5. Choose a name for the port you are forwarding to make it easy to identify.
  6. Select one of the config options and enter your desired internal/external port numbers.
  7. Under the protocol types, select TCP/UDP or choose both.
  8. Enter the internal IP address of the device you’re using and click apply or save to ensure the settings take effect.
  9. Head to Portchecktool to check the port is now open. Enter the port number you’ve set to open and finally click Check Your Port.
port check tool
  1. Try connecting your device via a web browser by entering the hostname followed by the port number into your address bar, for example, http://hostname.ddns.net:5000.
For specific routers, please refer to the support area of the provider’s website.

Using NordVPN Port Forwarding and qBittorrent

Enabling port forwarding with qBittorrent is an excellent way of improving torrent download speeds by ensuring active downloads aren’t running when you leave your device unattended.

Unfortunately, because NordVPN doesn’t support port forwarding, this is an option only available with other VPN providers.

By its very nature, NordVPN will improve torrent download speeds by preventing your ISP from recognizing torrent activity and throttling your connection.

NordVPN also provides optimized p2p servers, ensuring you get the best connection speeds available while using clients like qBittorrent.

What Is NordVPN Port Whitelisting?

NordVPN port whitelisting is similar to enabling connections through Windows Defender.

As the name suggests, users whitelisting ports tell NordVPN which connections are allowed through the VPN tunnel, while blacklisting ports will block connections.

Ports can be whitelisted at an application, email, and IP address level.

Conclusion

Although NordVPN fails when it comes to port forwarding support, plenty of other providers are waiting for you to take advantage of the sought-after feature.

I recommend avoiding free VPN providers that claim to offer port forwarding because of the security risks and not knowing how they’ll use your data.

PrivateVPN is my recommended VPN provider to use port forwarding, and you can get an exclusive deal right now with a risk-free money-back guarantee.

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