Should I use Docker bridge mode or host networking for this application?

Host networking usually isn’t necessary for this. Keep the container on a bridge network and publish only the ports that need to accept inbound connections, for example with Docker’s port mapping options. Outbound connections from a bridged container should normally work without mapping every destination port. If some same-subnet hosts are unreachable, investigate routing, firewall rules, return routes, and whether the LAN rejects traffic from Docker’s private subnet rather than switching network modes immediately.

For several related containers, create a user-defined bridge network and attach the relevant services to it. You can still expose the public HTTPS port through a reverse proxy or explicit port mapping while allowing the application to make outbound connections. If internal hosts need to return traffic to the container, make sure they have a route back to Docker’s subnet, or configure the host firewall/NAT appropriately. A packet capture on the host and on the destination network can show whether packets are being blocked, NATed incorrectly, or simply receiving no return route.

Bridge mode is generally the better default because it preserves isolation and lets Docker manage NAT and DNS. Host mode removes that isolation and also means the container shares the host’s interfaces and ports, so normal port publishing no longer applies. If host mode loses Internet or DNS access, check the host’s routing table, resolver configuration, firewalld forwarding policy, and container application settings instead of assuming host mode will solve the underlying routing issue.