I know this is a router question and not a linux issue, you guys are sharp and can probably answer this question.

What does the term punch a hole in a router refer to? Is it simply routing port 80 to a server for people on the outside to be able to hit that server? Or is it more involved than this?

thanks

Hey maybe someones just mad at thier router? sorry I dont know

You got it, punching a hole in a router just refers to opening a port to allow a service or some type of traffic through.

to punch a hole in a router is a slang term for "forwarding a port" or "port forwarding". this tells the router to forward incoming packets on a port (or range of ports) to a specific ip and port on the inside.

to do it, go to router configuration (normally obtained by typing the router's ip in a browser window) and go to the 'port forwarding' tab (maybe under advanced routing) and tell it what port (or range of ports) to forward and to what ip. you'll also have to tell it what protocol (if you're unsure just select both tcp and udp)

I dare say they mean port forwarding - ie running a web server behind the router/firewall, or a P2P program.

Or, as said, a big drill through the middle. You never know with some people