The purpose of port forwarding in a network is primarily to enable external access to internal services. This process involves configuring a router or firewall to redirect specific port traffic from the internet to a designated internal IP address and port on a local network.
For instance, if a user wants to run a web server or a game server on their internal network, port forwarding makes it possible for external users to connect to these services by sending requests to the public IP address of the router. The router then forwards those requests to the correct internal device, ensuring users can access the service despite it being housed within the local network. This is particularly crucial for applications that rely on inbound connections, such as hosting websites or providing remote access to file servers.
Thus, option B is the correct choice as it accurately reflects the essential role port forwarding plays in facilitating external access to internal services within a network.