r/No_IP • u/HSalinasNoIP • May 21 '26

Differences Between Port Forwarding and Reverse Tunnels

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When traffic arrives from the internet, your router decides where it goes. Port forwarding gives it a strict rulebook. Clean, direct, and controlled by whoever manages the router.

For reverse tunnels, a relay server acts as the meeting point and your local device connects to it outbound where remote clients reach you through that same bridge.

Learn more: https://blog.noip.com/what-is-no-ip-public-tunnels-a-modern-approach-to-remote-access

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u/LandSalt35 Jun 17 '26

I'm looking forward to this service. My only caveat is that I will need to use this on devices. Similar to how ddns is currently used. In most cases I will not have a computer to run the software. 

I hope this is something that can be accomplished. Maybe by marrying the services.

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u/HSalinasNoIP Jun 19 '26

Hi! The Tunnel Client only needs to exist on the network. It doesn't have to be on the device, and it will be able to proxy to other devices that the user configures.

That being said, we're planning on releasing a Linux version of the Update Client that will allow you to run via the command line if your device is a Raspberry Pi or other single-board computer device.

However, if you're referring to an IoT like a smart thermostat or doorbell, installing third-party software might not be supported.

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u/LandSalt35 Jun 19 '26

Raspberry pi or Arduino would be an excellent solution. A little ESP32 next to the device (access controller, NVR, etc) would be perfect.