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Port forwarding helps you access the client’s server behind the router or firewalls, NAT or CGNAT. You can open ports and control devices behind any router. This guide explains how to port forward Spooler.
What Is the Print Spooler Port?
The Print Spooler is the Windows service (spoolsv.exe) managing print job queues. Network-aware print services often use:
- TCP port 515: Known as the classic LPD (Line Printer Daemon) port used for remote printer submission.
- UDP 515: Sometimes used in peer-to-peer or legacy printing environments for stateless print job signaling (less common today).
When forwarding, you expose this port so remote clients can connect to your print service via the internet.
Why Forward Port 515?
You might want to forward the spooler port in cases such as:
- Remote office access: Allow employees to print to a home-based or on‑site spooler queue.
- IoT and embedded devices: Send print tasks from remote printers or devices to your main server.
- Integration workflows: Let cloud workflows or external automation tools enqueue print jobs directly.
- Legacy infrastructure: Support systems using old protocols that require LPD access to port 515.
Without port forwarding, any remote print client attempts simply fail blocked by the router NAT.
Requirements to Port Forward Spooler
Just before you begin with the process of port forwarding, make sure you have the following things:
- Downloaded and installed the Spooler server.
- The IP address of your router.
- IP address of your device.
TCP and UDP ports of Spooler for your device as mentioned in the section below.
Step-by-step guide on how to port forward Spooler
Now that you have the above details noted down, you can move to the next stage of Spooler port forwarding:
- On your web browser address bar, type your router’s IP Address/Default Gateway.
- Log in with your router’s credentials (username and password) to view your router’s firmware settings.
- Navigate to the port forwarding section of your router.
- Click on Port Forwarding.
- Enter the IP address of your device in your router in the correct box.
- Put the TCP and UDP ports of the Spooler server in the boxes in your router. The default Spooler port number is 515. And then click the apply button.
- And you’re done. Restart your router to let the changes take effect.
- Once your changes take effect, now you can host a Spooler server and let your friends connect to it as well. To let them connect to it, you need to provide them the hostname you are using, along with the port number. For example, ‘hostname.domain.com:25565’.
Add a New Port Forward Rule
Fill in the following:
| Field | Example Input |
|---|---|
| Service Name | Print_Spooler_LPD |
| Protocol | TCP (and UDP if needed) |
| External Port Begin–End | 515 |
| Internal Port Begin–End | 515 |
| Internal IP Address | 192.168.1.50 |
Spooler ports needed to run
To access Spooler online and create a server without any interruptions, you’ll have to allow access to certain ports on your firewall. The default Spooler ports are:
| TCP Port: | 515 |
Ports to forward on devices
Ports to run on PC:
| TCP Port: | 515 |
Comparison Table: Port Forwarding Options
| Setup Type | External Access | Security Risk | Complexity | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCP 515 Port Forward | ✅ Yes | Medium | Low | Direct, minimal config |
| TCP+UDP 515 Forward | ✅ Yes | Medium-High | Low | Needed for legacy UDP clients |
| Nonstandard External Port (e.g. 1515→515) | ✅ Yes | Lower | Low | Helps avoid port scanning |
| VPN + Forward (internal only) | ✅ Yes | Low | Moderate | Best for secure remote access |
How to open ports behind CGNAT
What if your ISP performs CGNAT? Most ISPs perform CGNAT (Carrier-grade Network Address Translation) to conserve bandwidth and assign a single IP address to multiple users connected to the same internet network. However, CGNAT makes it difficult for you to open ports on the router.
To get around the CGNAT issue, you can use the Port Forwarding add-on to bypass this problem and port forward routers without hassle.
Here’s more information on how to use PureVPN’s Port Forwarding add-on and bypass CGNAT in a few clicks.
PureVPN’s Port Forwarding Add-on
A secure way to open all ports
To most people, port forwarding is quite a demanding task. For starters, every router has a different console, which often makes it difficult to navigate to specific settings.
Secondly, you won’t always be able to open Spooler ports on your router if your ISP restricts the ports. Yes, you heard that right! ISPs are notorious for blocking ports due to security reasons. If ISP isn’t the reason behind a blocked port, then perhaps it could be your operating system’s firewall.
Well, you can eliminate all these problems on all your desired systems with PureVPN’s Port Forwarding add-on. Through the Port Forwarding add-on, you can allow all ports, disallow all ports, and allow specific ports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Assign a static LAN IP to your print server (e.g. 192.168.1.50). In your router’s port forwarding menu, forward TCP port 515 (and UDP if needed) from the public IP to that internal IP. Apply the settings, restart the router, and test access by connecting externally or scanning port 515. Secure the setup with access controls, alternate port mapping, or VPN if exposed publicly.
Yes, it is completely safe to port forward on a PC as long as you have a security firewall or a VPN connection on your computer.
By port forwarding, you can improve your internet speed by a few seconds and when downloading large files, like through P2P torrent sharing, you can save countless hours.
