Networking & DNS
IP addresses, reverse DNS, ports and traffic.
34 guides · page 2 of 2
Port forwarding and masquerading with firewalld
Forward a port to another local port or to a different host with firewalld, enable masquerading so replies find their way back, then test and make the rules permanent.
Port forwarding and NAT with UFW before.rules
Forward a public port on your VPS to a backend server or VPN client with UFW. Turn on IP forwarding, add a nat table to before.rules, allow routed traffic and test from outside.
Port speed vs bandwidth: what network specs mean
Learn what port speed in Mbps or Gbps, monthly transfer and real-world throughput mean, so you can read the network specs on any hosting plan with confidence.
Ports, protocols and TCP vs UDP explained
How ports and protocols let one server run many services, the real difference between TCP and UDP, and which one common services use.
Proxy vs VPN vs reverse proxy: what each one does
The practical difference between forward proxies, SOCKS, VPNs and reverse proxies, and which one fits admin access, privacy, IP whitelists or a website.
Reduce latency to your broker: location and ping checks
Find where your broker's trade servers are, choose the nearest location, and measure latency from the VPS with MetaTrader, ping and tracert.
Set up a cPanel DNS cluster in WHM (root guide)
Link cPanel servers or dedicated DNS-only servers in a DNS cluster as root: roles, API tokens, synchronisation and checks so zones stay online if one server fails.
Set your server hostname and reverse DNS
Change the server's hostname, point DNS records at your IP, set reverse DNS in the control panel and check that forward and reverse lookups match.
TCP vs UDP explained for server owners
TCP sets up a connection and guarantees delivery; UDP sends independent datagrams with no handshake. Learn the difference, which services use each and why firewall rules must name the protocol.
Troubleshoot MTU problems: hanging pages, stuck SSH and slow VPNs
Recognise MTU and fragmentation problems, find the right MTU with ping, and fix it on Linux, Windows, WireGuard and Docker networks.
Understanding bandwidth: incoming vs outgoing traffic
What counts as traffic, how incoming and outgoing data differ, how traffic differs from port speed, and how to check usage on Linux and Windows.
What is a server hostname?
A hostname is the name a server uses for itself. Learn how it differs from a domain name and an IP address, how to choose a good one, and how it relates to DNS and reverse DNS.
What is latency (ping) and why it matters for your server
Learn what latency is, how distance and routing affect it, how to measure ping on Windows, Mac and Linux, and when it matters for websites, games, trading and RDP.
What is reverse DNS (rDNS) and why it matters
Reverse DNS maps an IP address back to a hostname using a PTR record. Learn how it differs from normal DNS, why mail servers check it, and how to look it up from your own computer.
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