---
updatedAt: 2025-11-11T01:53:26.000Z
agentTools:
  projectIndex: https://docs.formant.io/llms.txt
---

# Port forwarding via fctl

Port forwarding creates a bridge between the Formant web application and your robot, where a port you specify is bridged across the two devices.

# Prerequisites

## Install the Formant agent to your device

Follow the steps in [Install the Formant agent](https://docs.formant.io/docs/getting-started-install-the-formant-agent) to install the agent to your device.

## Install `fctl`

Follow the steps in [fctl overview and installation](https://docs.formant.io/reference/fctl-overview-and-installation) to install the `fctl` command-line tool.

# Step 1: Set up port forwarding for your device

To set up port forwarding between your computer and your robot, use the `ssh` command with the following syntax:

```shell
ssh -NT -L <device-port>:localhost:<robot-port> <user>@<formant-device-name>.formant
```

...where the parameters are used as follows:

| Parameter               | Usage                                                                                                                                             |
| :---------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `<device-port>`         | The port on your computer which should receive bridged data from your robot. This port will receive data seen on `<robot-port>`.                  |
| `localhost`             | This specifies that the receiving port is on the local host.                                                                                      |
| `<robot-port>`          | The port on your robot whose data should be forwarded to your computer. This port will forward all data to the port specified in `<device-port>`. |
| `<user>`                | The name of the user of this device. Must match an existing username on this device.                                                              |
| `<formant-device-name>` | The name of your device. Must match an existing device in your Formant organization.                                                              |

# Example

Suppose you have a user `ubuntu` on a device `delivery-tractor-1`. You want to forward all data seen on `delivery-tractor-1`'s port `8000` to your computer's port `8080`. You would run the following command:

```shell
ssh -NT -L 8080:localhost:8000 ubuntu@delivery-tractor-1.formant
```

After running this command, port `8080` on your computer will receive the same data as port `8000` on `delivery-tractor-1`.

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