Preliminary operation
Before explaining what are the steps that must be taken to be able open the router ports, there are some preliminary operations that you have to do, to make sure that everything goes the right way. To be precise, what I am referring to is access to the configuration panel appliance.
That said, the first step you need to take is to start the browser you usually use to surf the Net (eg. Chrome), type theIP of the router in the address bar and press the button Submit sulla tastiera of the computer.
Typically, the router's IP address matches 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, but it can also be different. Either way, you should find the information in question reported on thelabel stuck directly on the device (usually on the back) or on the relative User Manual.
If the data I have provided you just now turns out to be incorrect and if you cannot trace the right IP address as I have just explained, you can obtain the latter by acting from the computer, as indicated below.
- If you are using Windows, april il Command Prompt, by clicking on the button Home (I cheer with the windows flag) che trovi nella part in fund to sinistra della taskbartyping cmd in the search bar and selecting the suggestion relevant. Then enter the command ipconfigschiaccia il tasto Submit and take note of the value you find corresponding to the item Default gateway: that is the address you have to type in the browser to access the router.
- If you are using macOS, click on the icon System Preference (Quella a forma di ruota d'ingranaggio) that you find on Dock bar and, in the window that opens, select the item Network. Next, select the connection name in use from the left sidebar (ex. Wi-Fi), click on your button Advanced at the bottom right and select the tab TCP / IP from the window that opens: the IP address to be entered in the browser is the one present in correspondence with the wording Router.
Furthermore, to enter the router configuration panel, you may be asked to type username and password. If you haven't changed your device login information, you may need to log into its admin panel using the combination admin/admin or admin/Password. In any case, you should also find the login credentials on the User Manual of the appliance. If not available, you can try to fix it by following the instructions you find in my guide on how to see the modem and router password.
In case the default device password doesn't work, try running the reset router and log in again. To reset the appliance, all you have to do is locate the appropriate one touch located on the back of the device and hold it down for a few seconds (the key is usually recessed, so to be able to press it you have to use a pen or other pointed object).
How to open the router ports
Once logged into the router management panel, go to the menu relating toPort forwarding (port Forwarding in English) or in the one dedicated to Virtual Server, start creating a new rule or of an new virtual server and fill out the form that is proposed to you in this way.
- Internal door/External door (Or Initial port/Final door) - in these fields you must enter the number of the door to open. The same value must be entered in all fields.
- Destination IP (Or Server IP address) - in this field you have to type the local IP address of your PC, or rather, of the computer on which you intend to use the program which is now having connection problems. If you don't know what the local IP address of your computer is, you can find out how to trace it by reading my guide on how to view the IP address.
- Your name - in this field you have to type the name you want to assign to the rule you are creating. You can type any name (e.g. eMule, uTorrent).
- Door type (o Protocol) - in this field you must specify if what you are opening is a door TCP o UDP.
Once you have filled out the form, click on the button Save / Apply to save the changes and repeat the operation for all the ports you intend to open in the router.
Unfortunately I cannot be more precise in my indications, as each brand of router has a management panel structured in a different way. You have to be good enough to identify the right options by taking "cue" from what I have just illustrated to you.
To make the task even easier for you, below you will find practical examples relating to some famous brands of routers and to those that are the main models distributed by telephone operators that offer proprietary routers.
Open the ports on the D-Link router
If what you have is an appliance D-Link, to open the router ports you have to go to the tab Advanced (Advanced) located at the top and you have to select the item Port forwarding (Port forwarding) from the left sidebar. After that you have to click on the button Add (Add) and fill in the form that is proposed to you in this way.
- WAN Connections (WAN connections) - you must enter the name of the Internet connection in use, then leave the value set by default.
- Server Name - you must enter the name to be assigned to the rule.
- Schedule - set this menu to alwaysotherwise the rule will not always be active.
- Server IP Address - you must enter the local IP address of the computer.
- External Port Start, External Port End, and Internal Port (external starting port, external ending port, and internal port) - you must enter the number of the door to open.
- Protocol - you must indicate the type of door to open, choosing between TCP e UDP.
After completing the form, click on the button Apply (apply) to save the changes and that's it. More information can be found in my guide on how to configure D-Link modems.
Open the ports of the TP-Link router
To open the router ports TP-Linkinstead, select the items Forwarding e Virtual Server from the side bar of the sinistra, click on the button Add new and fill out the form that is proposed to you following the instructions you find below.
- Interface - you must indicate the name of the Internet connection currently in use. Leave the default value active.
- Service Port/Internal Port - you must indicate the number of the door to open.
- IP address - you must indicate the local IP address of the computer.
- Protocol - you must indicate the type of door to open, choosing between TCP e UDP.
- Status - you need to set this menu to Enabled to make the rule active.
To conclude, click on the button Save and the changes will be applied instantly. In my tutorial on how to set up a TP-Link router you can find more details on the whole procedure.
Open the ports of the Netgear router
You have a router Netgear? In this case, you need to go to the tab Advanced in the admin panel of the device and you must first select the item Advanced configuration and then that Port forwarding / activation from the left sidebar. Then click on the button Add personalized service and fill out the form that is proposed to you following the instructions you find below.
- Service name - you must enter the name to be assigned to the rule.
- Protocol - you have to choose from the appropriate menu whether to open the doors TCP o UDP.
- Initial port/External door/Internal initial door - you must enter the number of the door to open.
- Internal IP address - you must enter the local IP address of the computer.
To save the changes, click on the button Apply. The doors will be opened instantly. For more information, read my guide on how to configure Netgear routers.
Open the ports on the Apple router
If you have one AirPort Extreme or a AirPort Time Capsule, you can open the router ports using the AirPort Utility that you find pre-installed on MacOS or that you can download for free Windows from this web page.
The procedure to follow is very simple. All you have to do is start the utility, select thebase station icon and click on the button Modification present in the menu that appears (you may have to type the password of the wireless network to change the device settings). After that you have to go to the tab Network, you have to press the button capacitor positive (+) lead located in the box Port settings and you have to fill in the form that is proposed to you following the instructions you find below.
- Description - you have to type the name of the rule.
- Public UDP port (s) - you must enter the port number to open, if you want to open a UDP port.
- Public TCP port (s) - you have to enter the port number to open, if you want to open a TCP port.
- Private IP address - you have to enter the local IP address of the computer (it should be filled in automatically).
- Private UDP port (s) - you must enter the port number to open, if you want to open a UDP port.
- Private TCP port (s) - you have to enter the port number to open, if you want to open a TCP port.
Once completed, click on the buttons Save e Update and after a reboot of the base station, the changes will take effect.
Open the doors of the Home & Life router
If you own the router Home & Life, which is the owner of WINDTRE (Infostrada), click on the button with the lines horizontally located at the top right, then select the item first Network and then that NAT from the menu that appears. Now, select the menu Port Triggering at the top, click on the wording Add New Rule and fill out the form that is proposed to you as follows.
- Service name - you have to enter the name of the service for which you want to open the doors.
- WAN interface - select the option default to take advantage of the default Internet interface of your Internet connection.
- Initial port - you have to enter the initial port number you want to activate.
- Final door - enter the final port number you want to activate.
- Initial Translation Port - you must enter the initial open door number.
- Final Translation Door - you must enter the final open door number.
- Server IP address - you must indicate the local IP address of the device on which you want to exploit the rule you are about to create.
- Protocol - you have to choose between UDP e TCP.
Finally, carry on ON l'interruttore Active at the top, then click the button OK, in order to save the newly created door opening rule. If you need more information about the operation of Infostrada routers in general, you can consult my guide on how to configure Infostrada routers.
Open the doors of the TIM / Alice router
If you have one of the routers on loan for use by TIM, in order to open the doors, select the item Port mapping from the left sidebar, locate the section port Forwarding located to the right, click the button Add and fill out the proposed form as illustrated below.
- Internal door / External door - you must enter the number of the door to open.
- Your name - you have to type a name to assign to the rule.
- Door type - you have to choose between TCP o UDP, depending on the type of door you are opening.
- Destination IP - you must enter the local IP address of the computer.
Once completed, click on the buttons Attiva e NEXT, to save the settings, and that's it. If any step is not clear to you, consult my specific tutorial on configuring TIM modems, in which I have dealt with the matter in more detail.
How to open the ports of the Vodafone router
Now let's see how to open the ports of the router distributed by Vodafone. To succeed in your intense, select the option Expert user mode from the drop-down menu located at the top right, then click on the item Internet present in the red bar at the top and select the wording Door management from the left side menu. Then click on the button capacitor positive (+) lead che trovi in corrispondenza della sezione Port association, on the right, and fill in the proposed form as indicated below.
- Service - you must indicate the type of service among those listed or set a custom one.
- Service Name - you have to type the name of the service for which you want to open the ports (if you selected the option in the previous field custom).
- Device - you need to select the device for which you want to open the router ports.
- Local IP address - you must indicate the local IP address of the device for which you are going to open the ports in the router.
- Protocol - you must indicate the protocol you intend to use, choosing between TCP or UDP from its drop-down menu.
- Type doors - you must indicate whether it is an exact port or a range of ports.
- Public door - you must enter the reference public port number.
- Local port - you must enter the reference local port number.
When the changes are complete, click the buttons Save e Apply, to save the settings, and that's it. For more information, you can refer to my guide dedicated specifically to how to open the ports of the Vodafone router.
How to open the Fastweb router ports
If your manager is Fastweb and use a router distributed directly by the latter, in order to open the doors, click on the item Advanced found at the top of the device management panel and select the item Manual door configurationDopodiché by clicking on the button Associate new port mapping and fill in the fields on the screen using the following indications.
- Your name - you must type the name to be assigned to the new rule you are about to create.
- IP address - you must type the local IP address of the device on which to open the door.
- Protocol - you have to select the type of door you want to open, then TCP o UDP.
- External door - you must fill in the field in question by typing the number of the external door to open.
- Internal door - you must fill in the field in question by entering the number of the internal door you want to open.
Afterward, click the buttons Add e Save Changes. If you need more detailed instructions on what to do, I invite you to refer to my guide on how to install the Fastweb modem.
Open the ports of the Linkem router
If your manager is Linkem, in order to open the ports of the router provided by the latter you must select the item Network found in the main screen of the appliance management panel, click on the item Door management present in the side menu, then on the button Add and fill in the form that is proposed to you as follows.
- Protocol - you must indicate the protocol to be used from the appropriate drop-down menu, choosing between TCP e UDP.
- WAN Port Start / End - you must indicate the number of the external door to open in the appropriate fields.
- LAN Port Start / End - you must indicate in the fields provided the number of the internal door to open.
- LAN IP - you must indicate the local IP address of the device for which you intend to open the ports.
Finally, check the box Enable in correspondence with the fields just filled in and click on the button Apply. If you feel you need more information, you may find it convenient to consult my tutorial on how to get into Linkem modem.
How to open the router ports
