Port Triggering

What Does Port Triggering Mean?

Port triggering is a process through which a specific outgoing traffic/process targeted toward a port on an external computer/server sends or communicates back to the internal/host node’s port. Port triggering is a type of port forwarding technique that opens up an internal port only when it’s required and for the duration of the session.

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Techopedia Explains Port Triggering

Port triggering is primarily a method for automating the port forwarding process on an as-needed basis, rather than creating a permanent path for it. It is configured at the gateway router that manages all incoming/outgoing traffic. Typically, port triggering is implemented in network applications/services to ensure port or network security as a whole.

For example, an application from the local network device may attempt to access a remote/external server on any specific port. In return, the remote/external server sends back a request targeted toward a specific port on the local device, at which point the remote/external server will verify the identity of the local device by initiating a connection or communication with it. Once this is done, the server sends in the requested data or process. In the case of a non-configured gateway, the new connection from the remote server will be rejected.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…