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Port Forwarding
===============


To make your Sponge server open to the public, it may be necessary to set up Port Forwarding on your modem or router. If your server is not on-line when you start up, you may need to port-forward your hardware.


Minecraft, and therefore Forge and Sponge, use port 25565 by default. The server-port setting can be found in the :doc:`server-properties` file. The protocols that need to be forwarded are UDP and TCP. 


To port forward your server, you will need specific instructions for your model of router or modem. These can be found online in a number of places, or in the device's operating manual.


.. warning::
  Specialised software is not required to Port Forward a server. Beware vendors trying to sell you unnecessary software or malware.


.. note::
  Some plugins may also require additional ports to be forwarded (eg. *Dynmap*).