WDH-052 Websites, Domains & Internet Infrastructure
What does port forwarding have to do with home hosting?¶
Port forwarding tells a router to send incoming internet traffic on a particular port to a specific device inside the local network.
The public IP identifies the connection, not the internal device. Router configuration may help show which device was intended to receive web traffic.
Useful evidence¶
Potential records include:
- the forwarding rule;
- internal IP address;
- destination port;
- device name or hardware address;
- creation or change time; and
- router administration logs.
The receiving device may hold website files, server software, logs and credentials.
Port forwarding does not prove who created the rule or operated the service. Router access may be shared, remote or compromised.
Key takeaway
Port forwarding can identify the likely internal host, but attribution still depends on router, device, account and access evidence.