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[B17NNS]

Why is this method chosen? Surely it's a massive risk opening a port and making your computer accessible from the internet?

Plex seems to manage perfectly well remotely without port forwarding.

[mattkhan]

I guess this relates to https://support.plex.tv/articles/216766168-accessing-a-server-through-relay/ though I note that page is covered in "for best experience, use a direct connection" aka "use port forwarding"

if so that page probably explains why, if you don't have a direct connection then you need someone (jriver in this case) to have sufficient infrastructure available to bridge the 2 and such infrastructure has a cost attached to it.

The other way to look at this is whether opening a port is really that big a security risk. This one entirely depends on how secure MC is (which would tell you how feasible it is to exploit that port) and how probable you think it is that someone will hack a random home network on such a port. The latter is surely a very low but not zero probability, I don't know how to quantify the former.

An alternative is to run a VPN server in your network and only connect via that route. This means you're no longer putting your trust in MC for security, you're putting it into the VPN instead. This will surely be a harder nut to crack.

[B17NNS]

Appreciate the response. I really want to take advantage of JRemote remotely for streaming. The Alexa skill is also a nice thing to have, as is Chromecast Audio capability. It's just they whole opening a port thing has spooked me a little.

I guess I'll have to look into the VPN idea.

[JimH]

You're only opening a single port and directing it to a machine where MC is running.  The port can't be used for anything else.  You have to have something running (MC) on the port for anything to happen.

Take a look at your router to see all the other ports that are already open.

[B17NNS]

Cheers Jim, I'm a bit green when it comes to networks and security.

So the only thing that could be accessed via the port is JRiver itself?

[JimH]

Yes, unless some other software was somehow running on the same port, which is extremely unlikely.

It's like baseball.  There has to be a catcher if the pitcher wants to throw strikes.  Network activity requires software on both sides.

The best way to learn about this is to do a Google search.  Wikipedia probably explains port forwarding.

[B17NNS]

Thanks Jim, more research needed my end. Appreciate your input.

[ugee]

To see what's probably open already you could surf to https://www.grc.com - and run Shields Up. Also, you'll find the one or other explanation what a port does or not. Like: telling you're there - for instance.
Generally speaking: it's simply not safe to connect anything to the internet. But very convenient.