The software accepts connections on a particular TCP port, and establishes connections to a different TCP port to fulfill requests. This capability offers a solution to various network topology problems.

There are many network issues that can be solved using PortRemoter. For example, many ISPs block direct access to the SMTP port on e-mail servers. This allows them to monitor their customers' mailing habits, which may help them identify customers sending a large number of potentially unsolicited e-mails. Although this idea is useful in dealing with abusive customers, this network policy also prevents legitimate customers from sending e-mail directly to their own e-mail servers.

PortRemoter provides an easy solution to this situation. The software can be configured to listen for e-mail on an alternate, non-blocked port. Then, it can forward the e-mail to the standard SMTP port on your e-mail server. This solution allows e-mail to be sent from any location, regardless of the restrictions of the ISP in use.

Most Internet protocols are supported, not just SMTP. Other problems that can be solved include working around limitations of many hardware routers. PortRemoter can forward to ports on computers outside your local area network. It can also forward to ports with different local and remote values.

PortRemoter includes an administrative web interface that allows the monitoring of connection and data transfer statistics.

PortRemoter for Linux supports many features and abilities. These are some of them: