How to configure your Router or Firewall with pcAnywhere

If you have a router attached to or integrated with your Cable or DSL modem, you will need to configure it for proper use with pcAnywhere.

By using the Port Forwarding feature (also sometimes called Virtual Servers), you can have your router redirect particular internet traffic to different computers on your internal LAN. Consult your router's user manual for information on configuring this feature.

You will need to forward ports 5631 and 5632 (both TCP) to the correct internal PC (i.e. the pcAnywhere host computer). NOTE: You may need to restart your router for any changes to take effect. Once this has been completed, you should be ready to set up pcAnywhere to respond to requests.

If your router supports NAT and Port Forwarding, then you will be able to set up multiple copies of pcAnywhere to be accessible from the internet. Simply select ports in groups of two - one for Data and one for Status (i.e. 5550 & 5551) - and configure your router to point them to the standard pcAnywhere ports (5631 and 5632 respectively) on the target host computer. Then configure pcAnywhere to use the correct pair of Data and Status ports for the system you are trying to access. NOTE: You must set up any firewalls you may have to allow these extra ports to pass into your system.

Make sure to have your firewall software set to allow traffic on ports 5631 and 5632 (both TCP) to come in to your system. If you have configured multiple copies of pcAnywhere, please be sure to configure any extra ports you have used to pass through the firewall. Consult the user's manual for your firewall software/hardware for setup instructions.