how configure Linksys ADSL router firewall

[freako]

I have a Linksys 4 port ADSL modem.
How do I set up the firewall so that all computers on my network can
access certain TCP ports?
I can't find any way to configure more than 1 local IP address at a
time for each port I need. If I try to put a wildcard (*) into the IP
fields it just complains that it wants a number from 0 to 99.
There is a game I am running which uses single tcp ports 13139, 27900,
28900 and 29900 and UDP + TCP port range 60876 to 60976.
I configured single port forwarding and port range forwarding for this,
but is only allows me to put in 1 IP address for the packets to be sent
too, so only that computer on the network will work with the game, and
if I want to use the game on another network machine I have to change
all the numbers on the firewall to point to that computer's IP address.
Is there an easy way to let every computer on the network open the
necessary ports?
What does "Port Triggering" do? Does that do what I am wanting? Is
using the single port and port range forwarding the wrong way to do
this?

 

[Chuck]

I have a Linksys 4 port ADSL modem.
How do I set up the firewall so that all computers on my network can
access certain TCP ports?
I can't find any way to configure more than 1 local IP address at a
time for each port I need. If I try to put a wildcard (*) into the IP
fields it just complains that it wants a number from 0 to 99.
There is a game I am running which uses single tcp ports 13139, 27900,
28900 and 29900 and UDP + TCP port range 60876 to 60976.
I configured single port forwarding and port range forwarding for this,
but is only allows me to put in 1 IP address for the packets to be sent
too, so only that computer on the network will work with the game, and
if I want to use the game on another network machine I have to change
all the numbers on the firewall to point to that computer's IP address.
Is there an easy way to let every computer on the network open the
necessary ports?
What does "Port Triggering" do? Does that do what I am wanting? Is
using the single port and port range forwarding the wrong way to do
this?

Port Forwarding and Port Triggering let one computer on your LAN act as a
server, and participate in online games. Both require fixed IP addressing, and
both allow only one computer at a time to service the ports involved (you can
only forward each port to one computer - that's what forwarding does).

If you want to play online games with more than one computer, thru the router,
the game, and the router, have to support UPnP. UPnP lets the software (such as
a game) tell the router to forward ports to a specific computer. It can even
change the port number, or IP address, on the fly, thereby supporting multiple
computers using DHCP.

 

[freako]

Port Forwarding and Port Triggering let one computer on your LAN act as a
server, and participate in online games. Both require fixed IP addressing, and
both allow only one computer at a time to service the ports involved (you can
only forward each port to one computer - that's what forwarding does).

ok, so are you saying port triggering might work from any computer on
the LAN, but only from one computer at a time? If this is right then
that is OK as I don't need more than one computer to have access at a
time. It's just a pain to have to change all the port settings every
time I want to play from a different computer on the network.

If you want to play online games with more than one computer, thru the router,
the game, and the router, have to support UPnP. UPnP lets the software (such as
a game) tell the router to forward ports to a specific computer. It can even
change the port number, or IP address, on the fly, thereby supporting multiple
computers using DHCP.

I have no idea if the game supports UPnP or even how that would be
implemented.

thanks for your help

 

[Chuck]

ok, so are you saying port triggering might work from any computer on
the LAN, but only from one computer at a time? If this is right then
that is OK as I don't need more than one computer to have access at a
time. It's just a pain to have to change all the port settings every
time I want to play from a different computer on the network.

Well, according to the PT applet on my SX41, you specify a range of triggering
ports, and a range of ports to be opened. Which makes it appear like it would
have to support dynamic IP addresses, as you don't specify an IP address in the
triggering entry. Other router models, and makes, may vary.

I have no idea if the game supports UPnP or even how that would be
implemented.

thanks for your help

This is where we're both learning here. I suspect that PT, using one computer
at a time, should get you what you're looking for. Please let us know what you
experience.