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Open Public Port

Required version: 3.8.0 or higher

Endpoints running Connect before release 3.8.0 won't be aware of this setting. This applies to the Endpoint exposing the port and to its peers.

CyberHive Connect supports exposing an open public port on an Endpoint to force direct connections with peers, even when a peer in Auto mode would usually need to use a connection relay.

This is especially useful for exit nodes, where performance and throughput has increased significance.

There are three steps to configuring an open public port for an Endpoint:

1. Open up a port

For the Open Public Port setting to work, the firewall on the Endpoint must be configured to allow incoming UDP traffic to a specific port.

This is outside of Connect's control and must be configured manually.

The method for configuring this rule will vary depending on the operating system in use; for example, Windows Firewall (Windows), nftables/iptables (Linux), or an admin dashboard may be available from some cloud providers.

Make a note of the port number chosen; you will need it in the next section.

2. Tell Connect to use the port

For details on how to configure a specific port, see documentation for the Endpoint's OS:

The value for this setting must match the open port selected in Section 1 above.

Ensure the setting takes effect

  • Linux: Restart Connect after applying this setting.
  • Windows: Click Apply after changing the port value.

3. Enable Open Public Port

The setting only needs to be enabled on the Endpoint which exposes the open public port.

In the Control Service, navigate to the Settings tab of the Endpoint within your Organisation and click on the Edit Settings button.

Endpoint settings

From the Connection Type drop-down list, select Open Public Port, then click on the Save button.

The setting will take effect automatically; there is no need to restart the Endpoint(s).

Connection Type

When Open Public Port is enabled, the Endpoint is in Direct mode, meaning it will not use a relay. Peers must be in Auto or Direct mode to make use of this Endpoint's Open Public Port behaviour. Peers in UDP Relay mode will still use a relay.

See Also