Help Center

Set Up a DMZ on Your gFiber Router

Learn how to set up or remove a DMZ on your gFiber router to bypass firewall settings for hosting servers or gaming

To enable a DMZ on your gFiber network, sign in to your gFiber account, navigate to Network > Edit network > Edit next to advanced network settings, select your target device under Devices, toggle DMZ to On, and click Save.

Understand DMZ features and requirements

A DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) is a designated computer or device on your home network that acts as an exposed neutral zone between the public internet and your private gFiber network. When you set up a DMZ device, your gFiber router bypasses its firewall rules for that specific hardware, forwarding all unknown incoming internet requests directly to its assigned IP address.

Most homes do not require a DMZ. It is primarily used for advanced setups by developers or gamers who host outward-facing services, such as web servers or direct multiplayer game lobbies, and need to avoid traffic blocks from the hardware firewall.
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The router sends incoming internet traffic to the DMZ device except for traffic handled by separate, pre-existing port forwarding rules. Set up all standard manual port forwarding rules for your other devices before turning on the DMZ.

Crucial security considerations

  • Enable device-level protection: Because a DMZ bypasses your router's built-in firewall, ensure your target hardware has its own software firewall active to defend against direct web attacks.
  • One device limit: Only 1 device at a time can serve as the active DMZ on your gFiber network.
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Advanced DMZ features are available for the gFiber Wi-Fi 6 Router, Multi-Gig Router, gFiber Wi-Fi 6E Router, and gFiber Wi-Fi 7 Router. If you use a Google Wifi or Nest Wifi Pro router, manage your advanced network settings in the Google Home App. The legacy Network Box is retired and unsupported; upgrade to a modern gFiber router at no extra cost to manage DMZ settings.

Designate a device as a DMZ

  1. In your browser, sign in to your gFiber Account using your account email and password.
  2. In the upper-left corner, select Network. (If hidden, click the primary navigation menu icon to open the menu).
  3. In the network overview section, select Edit network.
  4. In the network management list, click Edit next to Advanced network settings.
  5. In the navigation menu, click Devices, then select your target device.
  6. In the device settings panel, locate the DMZ option and toggle the switch to On.
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    If another device on your network is already acting as the active DMZ, an alert prompt will ask if you want to transfer the DMZ designation to this current device.

  7. Click Save.
Your router will immediately update its routing table and begin forwarding all unassigned incoming network requests directly to the designated DMZ device.
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If you disconnect the DMZ device from your network, the DMZ state temporarily pauses. It automatically resumes exposing the device as soon as it reconnects.

Remove a device from a DMZ

To restore your network's default security baseline and close the exposed zone:

  2. In the upper-left corner, select Network.
  3. In the network overview section, select Edit network.
  4. In the network management list, click Edit next to Advanced network settings.
  5. In the navigation menu, click Devices, then select your active DMZ device.
  6. In the device settings panel, locate the DMZ option and toggle the switch to Off.
  7. Click Save.

Your router will immediately restore its standard firewall baseline and drops or ignores all unknown incoming traffic requests that do not match an explicit port forwarding rule.

Frequently asked questions