Why do I need my public IP for port forwarding?

People outside your LAN reach your home via your ISP’s public IP on specific ports. Your router maps those ports to a private IP inside the network. If your public IP changes (dynamic), use DDNS or update the address when it changes.

Is port forwarding safe?

Opening ports increases exposure—only forward what you need, keep firmware updated, and use strong authentication on exposed services.

Blog · Home server

Port forwarding and your public IP

When you host a game server or camera at home, friends connect to your public IP (plus port). Use What Is My IP Address IP to see today’s address; if it changes, update your DNS or DDNS. See static vs dynamic and NAT.