How do I open a router port?

[Gbates]

I want to connect 2 computers one of them is connected to a router, and therefore it blocks unknown ports.

what do I do?

[Gbates]

18 views with no reply?

[sotoasty]

Not really a question for programming forums. You will need to check out the manual on your SPECIFIC type of router.

[Mutant_Fruit]

18 views with no reply

You wait more than 3 hours to get a reply

http://projects.qnetp.net/projects/show/mono-nat

[dglienna]

Use an OPEN port on the router. No program can change the router settings. But, all routers have SOME open ports turned on by default. Find one...

[Mutant_Fruit]

Originally Posted by dglienna

Use an OPEN port on the router. No program can change the router settings.

Both nat-pmp (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAT_Port_Mapping_Protocol) and upnp (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Plug_and_Play) would beg to differ.

[Gbates]

I want to connect 2 computers via C# with a component (like winsock in VB6) . For that I will have to get IP and port from the client, but when I tried To connect the 2 computers one of them (the computer which is connected to the router) couldn't connect because the router blocked the port.

[sotoasty]

Originally Posted by Gbates

I want to connect 2 computers via C# with a component (like winsock in VB6) . For that I will have to get IP and port from the client, but when I tried To connect the 2 computers one of them (the computer which is connected to the router) couldn't connect because the router blocked the port.

That is what most home routers are supposed to do. That keeps the rest of the world from breaking into your computer and installing crap like spyware, root kits and spambots.

As I stated above, you need to read the manual for the router and see how to open the ports on that SPECIFIC router. They are all different. We can't help you on this.

Now if you replace the router with a switch or hub, and are still having problems, then you need to check the firewall on the computers. And if you still have problems, check the AntiVirus/Network Security. Symantec, now has what is call "EndPoint Protection". Their version of the firewall and believe me, it sucks. After you go through all this, if there is a programming error, then we can probably help you.

[Mutant_Fruit]

As I stated above, you need to read the manual for the router and see how to open the ports on that SPECIFIC router. They are all different. We can't help you on this.

Erm... see both of my previous posts...

This is not possible, but there are standardised ways of doing this.

[sotoasty]

Originally Posted by Mutant_Fruit

Erm... see both of my previous posts...

This is not possible, but there are standardised ways of doing this.

Although it can be possible, you can not count on a router either implementing these features, or having them turned on. My particular router has UPnP, but is turned off by default. Each particular router is going to be different, so he has to start there. And for the most part, the easiest thing to do for computers communicating, is going to be open a port on the router, so the 2 computers can talk. Then, as in my post above, you will also need to check the Firewall, and the AntiVirus/Security Software to make sure those aren't stopping the communication.

[Mutant_Fruit]

Originally Posted by sotoasty

Although it can be possible, you can not count on a router either implementing these features or having them turned on.

Pretty much every router supports one of these protocols. The only ones which wouldn't would be extremely ancient ones, which I really doubt anyone still uses.

Each particular router is going to be different, so he has to start there.

Which is exactly why he should rely on upnp. This is why it was invented in the first place. If upnp is disabled, the user should be prompted to activate it. That would be much simpler for the user than trying to forward ports by hand, which can be quite a complex procedure. For example if they have a standard setup, their computer will get a dynamic IP. It's quite possible that this IP will be different every time they restart the router which means they'll have to reset the port mapping every time. If they can't or won't activate it, then they'll just have to forward the ports manually. There's no other way to automate port forwarding.

Then, as in my post above, you will also need to check the Firewall, and the AntiVirus/Security Software to make sure those aren't stopping the communication.

That's both operating system and user dependent and will have to be done regardless of whether you automatically or manually forward a port. Cutting manual port forwarding out of the loop will allow things to work automatically for quite a lot of people so why not do it.

Anyway, the question has been answered and there isn't really much else of use which can be added to the topic. Hopefully the above makes sense.

[Gbates]

So how does MSN, ICQ, SKYPE connects between computers even if they are connected to a router?

[Gbates]

I will be more than glad of you will answer my question abobe (how do ICQ,MSN,SKYE can connect 2 computers even if they are connected to a router)..

[monalin]

MSN and ICQ work differently than SKYPE. MSN and ICQ are both Client-Server applications meaning they don't connect each computer together to chat. They have a server that all the clients connect to and the server distributes the messages to the proper computer. SKYPE on the other hand is a Peer-to-Peer application which means that when you call someone on skype you host the call on your own computer.

The point is regardless of how you connect two computers the router shouldn't inter fear with the exception of maybe opening a port aside from that the router does nothing but filter the IP packets. If the port is open you don't need to touch the router in code. If it isn't open then you need to manually open it through the router.

[Mutant_Fruit]

Both MSN[0] and Skype [1] use uPnP to open ports in the router if it is available. I've attached a screenshot of the ports they've opened. As you can see i have a dynamic IP uPnP is what allows you to get fast file transfers in msn, there is no other way to configure the port it uses.

[0] http://url.ie/2d5f
[1] http://share.skype.com/sites/garage/...windows_b.html