Setting Port Forward for Verizon

Port Forwarding Rules

From the screenshot you provided of the "Edit Service" section within the "Port Forwarding Rules" of your Verizon router's settings, you can set up port forwarding as follows:

  1. Service Name: This is just a descriptive name to help you identify the service later. It doesn't affect the function of the port forwarding rule. You can name it something like "SSH to Mac mini" to remind yourself of its purpose.

  2. Service Description: This is optional. You can add a more detailed description if you want, such as "Allows SSH connections to my Mac mini".

  3. Service Ports:

    • Click on the "Add" button.
    • You should be presented with fields to input the necessary port details.
      • For Protocol, select "TCP".
      • For Source Ports, you can leave this as "Any" or the equivalent option, unless you know that you only want to allow a specific range of source ports (this is uncommon for SSH).
      • For Destination Ports, input "22" as the internal port (the default for SSH) and "2222" as the external port (as you wanted to use 2222 for external connections). here is only one blank you need to put external which is 2222
      • The interface might differ slightly, but the idea is to map the external port 2222 to the internal port 22.

  4. After entering the details, click "Apply" or "Save" to save the port forwarding rule.

Port Forwarding

Great! The "Port Forwarding" page seems to have the interface you need to specify the exact mapping of external ports to internal ports on specific devices. Here's how to set it up:

  1. Application: This field might be a descriptive name for the rule. You can enter something like "SSH to Mac mini" for clarity.

  2. Original Port: This is the external port that will be accessed from outside your home network. Enter "2222" here. the port you set in Rules

  3. Protocol: Select "TCP" from the dropdown menu, as SSH uses the TCP protocol.

  4. Fwd to Addr: This is where you'll specify the internal IP address of your Mac mini. You need to find out the local IP address of your Mac mini:

    • On your Mac mini, go to System Preferences > Network.
    • You should see a connection (probably Wi-Fi or Ethernet) that is connected, and it will display an IP address like "192.168.x.x". Note this address.
    • Back on your router's interface, select or enter this IP address in the "Fwd to Addr" field.

  5. Fwd to Port: This is the internal port number on your Mac mini that the external port will map to. Since the SSH server on your Mac mini will be listening on port 22 by default, enter "22" here.

  6. Schedule: Depending on your needs, you can select when this port forwarding rule will be active. The most common selection is "Always", but you can adjust this based on your preferences.

  7. Once you've filled in all the fields, click the "Add to list" button. This will create the rule and add it to the "Rules List" below.

  8. After adding the rule, don't forget to click "Apply Changes" at the top to save and activate the port forwarding rule.

  9. Now, to test if everything is set up correctly, try accessing your Mac mini via SSH from outside your home network using the command: ssh -p 2222 username@your_external_IP_address.

Remember, when setting up port forwarding, always be mindful of security precautions to keep your devices safe from unauthorized access.