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Former England Under-21 striker Forster, who has spent most of the season frustrated in a wide midfield position, revelled in his favoured position up-front against a flat-footed Ipswich defence.
Having broken his duck in Reading's previous game, a 3-0 win at Grimsby, Forster was quickly back into the goalscoring habit.
His first came on 28 minutes when Ricky Newman's sweet free-kick was flicked home by the alert striker, who rose highest in a crowded penalty area.
Ipswich had chances to cancel out the opener, but found Reading's American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann in fine form.
The bald-headed shotstooper particularly caught the eye when he superbly pushed away Matt Holland's free header as Reading were for once caught out at the back in the first half.
But the home side dominated and deserved their two-goal half-time lead, which came courtesy of a stunning strike from Forster.
The striker picked up a pass from Anthony Rougier and left John McGreal standing as he cut inside and fired into the far corner of the net, from out on the right flank, beyond the desperate dive of Andy Marshall.
Caretaker manager Tony Mowbray clearly had harsh words to say at half time as Ipswich came out fighting after the break.
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Hat-trick hero Forster had been perhaps wrongly adjudged to have fouled Jamie Clapham, Royals fans certainly weren't happy with the decision.
But that fighting spirit was taken too literally by Spanish striker Pablo Counago, whose petulant shove on Adie Williams was punished by an instant red card. Two minutes later Ipswich's brief comeback was over as Reading but the game beyond the ten man Tractor Boys reach.
James Harper, who had an excellent game, played a neat ball through a sleepy Ipswich defence and Forster was on to it in a flash, shrugging off appeals for offside to beat Marshall with a neat, low finish.
The final few minutes were played out with few chances of note, Reading fans contented with a massive victory to bolster their so-far successful Division One campaign.