port forwarding question - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

aa1037 · 05-31-2005, 12:10 PM

So I'm going to be living in a house next year with 5 roommates (yay junior year in college) and I'm going to be setting up internet connection sharing through a hardware router, most likely something along the lines of a linksys router connected to a switch. I'm curious how to configure port forwarding on the device so that multiple users can utilize the same software.

To be more clear: Let's say Person A and Person B want to use BitTorrent. BT uses ports 6881-6999. On most routers, it allows you to add ports and route them to a specific IP. example:

6881 to 6889 192.168.1.____

How can I set this up so everyone can utilize these ports? I heard you could use a asterisk? So 192.168.1.*

But that doesn't make much sense to me. Or maybe I'm a little confused about what port forwarding does.

I'm also going to probably be setting up static IPs using that or a similar SOHO router. Anyone have any great guides for network configurations?

MikeSty · 05-31-2005, 12:19 PM

Port triggering - it makes it so any IP on the on the network is open to those ports. The problem is, apparently they can't all use it at once.

I guess you just have to adjust what ports it uses. It doesn't HAVE to be port 6881-6999, just w/e you configure bittorrent to.

catback · 05-31-2005, 02:23 PM

In the networks I've set up I've never had to setup port forwarding or triggering for anything except a few servers. NAT (Network Address Translation) pretty much handles the task. Unless you run a server program that waits for clients to access it you pretty much don't need to mess with port settings on the router.

ratbastid · 05-31-2005, 04:25 PM

What you want is UPnP. Current models of Linksys routers all do it. A UPnP-enabled application (like, say, Azureus) can "claim" the ports it needs, rather than having an interal IP manually and statically configured on those ports.

It's true, though, that a port can only forward one place at a time.

aa1037 · 05-31-2005, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratbastid

It's true, though, that a port can only forward one place at a time.

Ha I was afraid of that, but I will look into some uPnP

Bratwurst · 06-01-2005, 04:04 AM

You could do this since it is only a couple people, it wouldn't take too much time and I think it would work (correct me if I am wrong).

give the users static addresses

fwd ports 6881-6899 to person a.
fwd ports 12012 - 12032 to person b.

Configure bittorrent client to use 12012 - 12032 on person b's machine.

guthmund · 06-01-2005, 12:11 PM

I did something similiar at home, worked brilliantly.

It's true that a port can't forward to two different places at the same time, you can forward as many ports as you like as far as I know. It's relatively easy to set up the client (I use tornado's and on rare occasions, Azereus' ) the hard part would be the router, but it looks like you've got a handle on that.

Bamrak · 06-01-2005, 01:09 PM

keep in mind if you set up a home network, you shouldn't have to forward ports to surf nor to game unless you are acting as a host. when you send packets, it contains your mac address, which allows for the routing back to your pc.

aa1037 · 06-01-2005, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamrak

keep in mind if you set up a home network, you shouldn't have to forward ports to surf nor to game unless you are acting as a host. when you send packets, it contains your mac address, which allows for the routing back to your pc.

I do like to have the port forwarding set up for best utilization of BitTorrent, DC++, and the like, tho

Bratwurst · 06-01-2005, 06:50 PM

I'm sure between you and all your roommates someone has an extra older pc. Load it up with linux, put a second NIC in it, and use it as your router and firewall. $20 for an extra NIC.

Or go buy a 10 user license Cisco PIX 501. A little over $300.

In either case, you'll have 500 X more functionality and options at your fingertips and if you don't already have the know how, you'll get a good opportunity to learn something that can be used in the real world as a marketable skill.

05-31-2005, 12:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
aa1037 Insane Location: New York	port forwarding question So I'm going to be living in a house next year with 5 roommates (yay junior year in college) and I'm going to be setting up internet connection sharing through a hardware router, most likely something along the lines of a linksys router connected to a switch. I'm curious how to configure port forwarding on the device so that multiple users can utilize the same software. To be more clear: Let's say Person A and Person B want to use BitTorrent. BT uses ports 6881-6999. On most routers, it allows you to add ports and route them to a specific IP. example: 6881 to 6889 192.168.1.____ How can I set this up so everyone can utilize these ports? I heard you could use a asterisk? So 192.168.1.* But that doesn't make much sense to me. Or maybe I'm a little confused about what port forwarding does. I'm also going to probably be setting up static IPs using that or a similar SOHO router. Anyone have any great guides for network configurations?

06-01-2005, 04:04 AM	#6 (permalink)
Bratwurst Insane Location: La la land	You could do this since it is only a couple people, it wouldn't take too much time and I think it would work (correct me if I am wrong). give the users static addresses fwd ports 6881-6899 to person a. fwd ports 12012 - 12032 to person b. Configure bittorrent client to use 12012 - 12032 on person b's machine. __________________ 40

06-01-2005, 12:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
guthmund big damn hero	I did something similiar at home, worked brilliantly. It's true that a port can't forward to two different places at the same time, you can forward as many ports as you like as far as I know. It's relatively easy to set up the client (I use tornado's and on rare occasions, Azereus' ) the hard part would be the router, but it looks like you've got a handle on that. __________________ No signature. None. Seriously.

06-01-2005, 06:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
Bratwurst Insane Location: La la land	I'm sure between you and all your roommates someone has an extra older pc. Load it up with linux, put a second NIC in it, and use it as your router and firewall. $20 for an extra NIC. Or go buy a 10 user license Cisco PIX 501. A little over $300. In either case, you'll have 500 X more functionality and options at your fingertips and if you don't already have the know how, you'll get a good opportunity to learn something that can be used in the real world as a marketable skill. __________________ 40

05-31-2005, 12:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
MikeSty The Computer Kid :D Location: 127.0.0.1	Port triggering - it makes it so any IP on the on the network is open to those ports. The problem is, apparently they can't all use it at once. I guess you just have to adjust what ports it uses. It doesn't HAVE to be port 6881-6999, just w/e you configure bittorrent to.

05-31-2005, 02:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
catback Psycho Location: North America	In the networks I've set up I've never had to setup port forwarding or triggering for anything except a few servers. NAT (Network Address Translation) pretty much handles the task. Unless you run a server program that waits for clients to access it you pretty much don't need to mess with port settings on the router.

05-31-2005, 04:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	What you want is UPnP. Current models of Linksys routers all do it. A UPnP-enabled application (like, say, Azureus) can "claim" the ports it needs, rather than having an interal IP manually and statically configured on those ports. It's true, though, that a port can only forward one place at a time.

06-01-2005, 01:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
Bamrak Enter Title Here Location: Tennessee	keep in mind if you set up a home network, you shouldn't have to forward ports to surf nor to game unless you are acting as a host. when you send packets, it contains your mac address, which allows for the routing back to your pc.