Runpod provides flexible options for exposing your Pod services to the internet. This guide explains how to configure port exposure for different use cases and requirements.

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Understanding port mapping

When exposing services from your Pod, it’s important to understand that the publicly accessible port usually differs from your internal service port. This mapping ensures security and allows multiple Pods to coexist on the same infrastructure. For example, if you run a web API inside your Pod on port 4000 like this: 
uvicorn main:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port 4000
The external port users connect to will be different, depending on your chosen exposure method.

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HTTP access via Runpod proxy

Runpod’s HTTP proxy provides the easiest way to expose web services from your Pod. This method works well for REST APIs, web applications, and any HTTP-based service.

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Configure external HTTP ports

To configure HTTP ports during Pod deployment, click Edit Template and add a comma-separated list of ports to the Expose HTTP Ports (Max 10) field. To configure HTTP ports for an existing Pod, navigate to the Pod page, expand your Pod, click the hamburger menu on the bottom-left, select Edit Pod, then add your port(s) to the Expose HTTP Ports (Max 10) field. You can also configure HTTP ports for a Pod template in the My Templates section of the console.

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Access your service

Once your Pod is running and your service is active, access it using the proxy URL format: 
https://[POD_ID]-[INTERNAL_PORT].proxy.runpod.net
Replace [POD_ID] with your Pod’s unique identifier and [INTERNAL_PORT] with your service’s internal port. For example:
  • Pod ID: abc123xyz
  • Internal port: 4000
  • Access URL: https://abc123xyz-4000.proxy.runpod.net

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Proxy limitations and behavior

The HTTP proxy route includes several intermediaries that affect connection behavior: 
User → Cloudflare → Runpod Load Balancer → Your Pod
This architecture introduces important limitations:
  • 100-second timeout: Cloudflare enforces a maximum connection time of 100 seconds. If your service doesn’t respond within this time, the connection closes with a 524 error.
  • HTTPS only: All connections are secured with HTTPS, even if your internal service uses HTTP.
  • Public accessibility: Your service becomes publicly accessible. While the Pod ID provides some obscurity, implement proper authentication in your application.
Design your application with these constraints in mind. For long-running operations, consider:
  • Implementing progress endpoints that return status updates.
  • Using background job queues with status polling.
  • Breaking large operations into smaller chunks.
  • Returning immediate responses with job IDs for later retrieval.

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TCP access via public IP

For services requiring direct TCP connections, lower latency, or protocols other than HTTP, use TCP port exposure with public IP addresses.

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Configure TCP ports

In your Pod or template configuration, follow the same steps as for HTTP ports, but add ports to the Expose TCP Ports field. This enables direct TCP forwarding with a public IP address.

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Find your connection details

After your Pod starts, check the Connect menu to find your assigned public IP and external port mapping under Direct TCP Ports. For example: 
TCP port   213.173.109.39:13007 -> :22
Public IP addresses may change for Community Cloud Pods if your Pod is migrated or restarted, but they should remain stable for Secure Cloud Pods.External port mappings change whenever your Pod resets.

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Symmetrical port mapping

Some applications require the external port to match the internal port. Runpod supports this through a special configuration syntax.

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Requesting symmetrical ports

To request symmetrical mapping, specify port numbers above 70000 in your TCP configuration. These aren’t valid port numbers, but signal Runpod to allocate matching internal and external ports. After Pod creation, check the Connect menu to see which symmetrical ports were assigned under Direct TCP Ports.

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Accessing port mappings programmatically

Your application can discover assigned ports through environment variables. For example, if you specify 70000 and 70001 in your Pod configuration, you could use the following commands to retrieve the assigned ports: 
echo $RUNPOD_TCP_PORT_70000
echo $RUNPOD_TCP_PORT_70001
You can use these environment variables (e.g., RUNPOD_TCP_PORT_70000) in your application configuration to automatically adapt to assigned ports.

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Best practices

When exposing ports from your Pods, follow these guidelines for security and reliability:

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Security considerations

  • Implement authentication: Both HTTP proxy and TCP access make your services publicly accessible. Always implement proper authentication and authorization in your applications.
  • Use HTTPS for sensitive data: While the proxy automatically provides HTTPS, TCP connections do not. Implement TLS in your application when handling sensitive data over TCP.
  • Validate input: Public endpoints are targets for malicious traffic. Implement robust input validation and rate limiting.

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Performance optimization

  • Choose the right method: Use HTTP proxy for web services and TCP for everything else. The proxy adds latency but provides automatic HTTPS and load balancing.
  • Handle timeouts gracefully: Design your application to work within the 100-second proxy timeout or use TCP for long-running connections.
  • Monitor your services: Implement health checks and monitoring to ensure your exposed services remain accessible.

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Configuration tips

  • Document your ports: Maintain clear documentation of which services run on which ports, especially in complex deployments.
  • Use templates: Define port configurations in templates for consistent deployments across multiple Pods.
  • Test thoroughly: Verify your port configurations work correctly before deploying production workloads.

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Common use cases

Different types of applications benefit from different exposure methods:
  • Web APIs and REST services: Use HTTP proxy for automatic HTTPS and simple configuration.
  • WebSocket applications: TCP exposure often works better for persistent connections that might exceed timeout limits.
  • Database connections: Use TCP with proper security measures. Consider using Runpod’s global networking for internal-only databases.
  • Development environments: HTTP proxy works well for web-based IDEs and development servers.

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Troubleshooting

Try these fixes if you’re having issues with port exposure:
  • Service not accessible via proxy: Ensure your service binds to 0.0.0.0 (all interfaces) not just localhost or 127.0.0.1.
  • 524 timeout errors: If your service takes longer than 100 seconds to respond, consider using TCP or restructuring your application for faster responses.
  • Connection refused: Verify your service is running and listening on the correct port inside the Pod.
  • Port already in use: Check that no other services in your Pod are using the same port.
  • Unstable connections: For Community Cloud Pods, implement reconnection logic to handle IP address changes.

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Next steps

Once you’ve exposed your ports, consider:
  • Setting up SSH access for secure Pod administration.
  • Implementing global networking for secure Pod-to-Pod communication.
  • Configuring health checks and monitoring for your exposed services.