Introduction to Port Forwarding

Guide to opening up your router to allow P2P and file-sharing programs like BitTorrent to function properly.

For those just getting started with downloading and uploading files via a router, there’s nothing more annoying that staring at poor speeds on your BitTorrent client. To many, it’s a trial in humility to both ask for and understand the help necessary to make your downloads actually work.

(Updated August 9th, 2008)

Introduction

LINKSYS Router Port Forwarding Guide

• Accessing the Router
• Port Forwarding Configuration Page
• Adding Ports

Netgear Router Port Forwarding Guide

• Accessing the Router
• Port Forwarding Configuration Page
• Adding Ports

INTRODUCTION

For those of you looking to at last find out how to make that darn router work and finally “forward” those darn “ports,” I’ill walk you through the process step by step using language and pictures that will make even the most basic of users able to understand the process.

Now there are a variety of different routers out there, each of course having a different user interface that one must access to make changes to the router. The two most common routers used by individuals are the Linksys and Netgear models. As such, these are the two models I intend to cover, but with a basic detail of how to access and port forward them all.

LINKSYS

The first step in port forwarding is accessing the router. The IP address varies from router to router, so check the manufacturers website or the handbook that was included when purchased. Next open your internet browser and type in the proper IP address according to the directions below.

For LINKSYS the IP address is 192.168.1.1 and the default logins are as follows:

username = admin
password = admin

Also, remember to change the passwords for your router after logging on if you haven’t done so already. Since the user defaults are widely known, and are exactly that–defaults, anyone can log on to your router and leech off your bandwith, or even worse, monitor your web traffic and perhaps even block you from logging on period. So it cannot be stressed enough to change your passwords after logging on.

Okay now for the fun part, forwarding those pesky ports.

After logging on, you will see the main setup page. Click on the Applications & Gaming tab at the top of the page.

This will bring you to the Port Range Forward page. Here is where we will actually forward the ports as the page name implies.

In the first box you will enter the name of the application this will apply to, be it BitTorrent, eMule , eDonkey, or whatever. For arguments sake we will apply it here as BitTorrent, with the specific BitTorrent client to be Azureus. So for Application type “Azureus.“

For the Start and End Port, we’ll be select a port from the reccomended 49152 – 65535 range (For BitTorrent only, and be sure to apply this port number to the Azureus client as well.). Keep in mind that ports used are program specific so check which ones the program requires to be forwarded. Type the port number or range in both boxes.

In the IP Address box type the name of the computer’s Ip address to which this is to apply. If your not sure what the IP address is, follow these easy steps:

• Open the Run dialogue box

• Now type “cmd”

• Lastly, type “ipconfig”

At the risk of stating the obvious, if you’ll notice your IP address will be listed there at the top where it says “IP Address.” This is the address for the compueter whose ports you are forwarding.

To finish last thing you want to above in the Port Range Forward page is to check the “enable” box. You’d be surprised at how a lot of people forget to do this simple task. Now click Save Settings at the bottom of the page and were all done. Presto, your ports are now forwarded.

NETGEAR

For NETGEAR the IP adress is 192.168.0.1 and the default logins are as follows:

username = admin
password = password

Also, remember to change the passwords for your router after logging on if you haven’t done so already. Since the user defaults are widely known, and are exactly that–defaults, anyone can log on to your router and leech off your bandwith, or even worse, monitor your web traffic and perhaps even block you from logging on period. So it cannot be stressed enough to change your passwords after logging on.

After logging on, you will arive at the main setup page. Click on the Port Forwarding / Port Triggering tab on the bottom left hand-side of the screen.

This will bring you to the Port Forwarding page.

We’re going to “Add Custom Service,” so click this tab at the center of the page.

In the first box, Service Name, you will enter the name of the application this will apply to, be it BitTorrent, eMule , eDonkey, or whatever. For arguments sake we will apply it here as BitTorrent, with the specific BitTorrent client to be Azureus. So for Application type “Azureus.“

For the Start and End Port, we’ll be select a port from the reccomended 49152 – 65535 range (For BitTorrent only, and be sure to apply this port number to the Azureus client as well.). Keep in mind that ports used are program specific so check which ones the program requires to be forwarded. Type the port number or range in both boxes.

The Server IP Address is the IP address of the computer this is to apply to.

If your not sure what the IP address is, follow these easy steps:

• open the Run dialogue box

• Now type “cmd”

• Lastly, type “ipconfig”

At the risk of stating the obvious, if you’ll notice your IP address will be listed there at the top where it says “IP Address.” This is the address for the compueter whose ports you are forwarding.

To finish, click the Add tab, and then the Apply tab on the port forwarding main page. Presto, your ports are now forwarded.