How to Configure Your Linksys Wireless Router for Port Forwarding

Enabling your linksys wireless router for port forwarding is actually quite a simple task. Since most routers have a built-in firewall installed, it is sometimes necessary to configure port forwarding in order to gain full access to computer programs and games that require you to connect to a network or peer.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. First, you need to find out your IP. Go to Start > Accessories > Run. Type 'cmd' or 'cmd.exe' and hit enter. An MS-DOS screen will pop up. Type 'ipconfig' and hit enter. Several lines of data should appear.

2. Locate the line 'IPv4 Address'. Your IP address should be in this format: '192.168.1.XXX', with 'XXX' being your computer's designated IP number. Write this number down and exit out of the command prompt.

3. Open a new tab or window in your internet browser and connect to your Linksys wireless router's admin set-up page. Typically the address is 192.168.1.1. Type your username and password if necessary.

4. Click on the tab 'Applications & Gaming'. If your Linksys router is a newer model, you will have the choice between 'single port forwarding' and 'port range forwarding'. Both are fairly self-explanatory: 'single port forwarding' enables you to open one port, whereas 'port range forwarding' will open a range of ports (such as 1000-1050). It depends on your application, but most programs will require you to open a range of ports. Applications such as BitTorrent (6881-6889) and World of Warcraft (6881-6999) are examples of applications using a port range.

5. Decide whether or not you need to open a range of ports, or just a single port. To find out what ports you need, you can either go to the product's website and search the FAQ, or you can use the resources in this how-to and click the link 'List of TCP and UDP port numbers' and search for the application's ports there.

6. For a single port, enter the number in the 'external port' and 'internal port' fields. For a port range, enter the first range of numbers in the 'start' field, and the last range of numbers in the 'end' field. Then, using the drop-down menu under 'Protocol', select 'UDP', 'TCP' or 'Both'. You can use the link in this how-to's resources to find out which protocol to use.

7. Type in the last 3 digits of your IP address that you were instructed to write down at the beginning of this how-to. Check 'Enabled'. Scroll to the bottom of the page and hit 'Save Settings', and you're done.

Tips & Warnings

• You can typically only enable one IP address at a time, per single port or port range.

Resources

• List of TCP and UDP Port Numbers

[williamfjordan]

on 11/3/2009 well written and easy to follow steps on replacing a hard drive ... 5* plus a recommend

[danielgardner]

on 7/15/2009 I've run into this problem...great article and info!