How to Open the Port on Belkin

Opening ports on a Belkin router allows you to host applications and access your network remotely. Opening ports goes hand-in-hand with port forwarding. A port is opened on the router and forwarded to the intended recipient of the request. For instance, if you host VPN services on your network, a port is opened on the Belkin router and forwarded to the VPN server. Configuring open ports on a Belkin is accomplished by using the router's graphical interface console.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Open a browser window and type the IP address of the Belkin router. Normally, the default IP is 10.1.1.1 for larger networks or 192.168.1.1 for small networks.

2. Enter the password to access the console.

3. Click the "NAT" tab on the left side of the screen.

4. Select the "Enable" radio button in the details page and click "Save." This prompts a new link under the "NAT" tab that is labeled "Port Forwarding." Click this link.

5. Enter the IP address of the computer to forward traffic and select the "Enable" checkbox. For instance, if you host an FTP server on your network, enter the server's IP address. Choose "TCP/IP" and enter the program's port number. FTP port numbers are 21 by default. Web services are normally port 80.

6. Click "Add" and exit the console.

References

• PortForward.com