I’ve been trying to set up a static IP address for port forwarding for BitTorrent but the little icon telling you if your NAT configuration is OK stubbornly stays yellow so there is still a problem, although it continues to download anyway, just at a slower speed than I would usually expect.
The problem may lie with the fact that IPconfig and Windows both tell me two different DNS Servers to the Primary and Secondary DNS Servers listed when I log into the router. Is one set of two DNS Servers for the WAN and one for the LAN? Which ones should I enter in the IPv4 properties boxes?
Also, is it safe to use port 80 for BitTorrent? I seem to get my best speeds using port 80 rather than one of the higher ones for some reason.
You should use the DNS server addresses recommended by your ISP. Alternatively, you can use OpenDNS DNS servers (208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220) or Comodo’s SecureDNS servers (156.154.70.22 and 156.154.71.22)
Also, is it safe to use port 80 for BitTorrent? I seem to get my best speeds using port 80 rather than one of the higher ones for some reason.
I wouldn’t. Port 80 is used for HTTP traffic. Best to keep separate data streams on separate ports. I’d use one of the ports above 1056. Remembedr you’ll need to have this port opened and forwarded on your router to your PCs IP address.
I used the Comodo DNS Servers you listed below although I didn’t know they were COMODO’s, they were already there so I presumed they were the default. So what are the different DNS servers listed as the Primary and Secondary DNS Servers in my router setup?
So my port forwarding is set up completely correctly as far as I can see, but BitTorrent still says the NAT config isn’t correct, Port Checker says it’s closed and it still downloads slower than I can get through port 80. Is it safe to configure a NAT Virtual Server for port 80 and use that port? Is it actually dangerous in any way to use port 80 if BitTorrent is the only thing running due to port scanners and such like? I only very rarely use the Internet and BitTorrent at the same time since I’m only on a slow connection.
Change the DNS settings in your router to the addresses of the DNS server you want to use AND change the DNS settings on your PC to be the IP address of your router. Your workstation will treat your router as its DNS server and the router will forward the DNS request to the servers in its config.
Leave the router DNS settings alone and change your PCs DNS settings to the address of your router. This means your PC will treat your router as its DNS server and the router will use (I assume) your ISPs DNS servers.
So my port forwarding is set up completely correctly as far as I can see, but BitTorrent still says the NAT config isn't correct, Port Checker says it's closed and it still downloads slower than I can get through port 80.
This would seem to indicate your port forwarding isn’t set up right. Check out the guides at www.portforward.com for detailed instructions on how to set it up.
Is it safe to configure a NAT Virtual Server for port 80 and use that port? Is it actually dangerous in any way to use port 80 if BitTorrent is the only thing running due to port scanners and such like? I only very rarely use the Internet and BitTorrent at the same time since I'm only on a slow connection.
I wouldn’t, if it were me. It would simplify troubleshooting if the data streams were on separate ports.
My advice would be to firstly make sure that your PC is using a static IP address. This is required to ensure that the port forwarding rule in your router (when it’s set up correctly) is forwarding traffic to the PC you intend it to.
I’ve changed the DNS settings in the router but I’m not sure about the changing IP address bit on the PC. Under IPv4 properties, should I put in my static IP I want for my LAN in the IP Address box or my router’s IP? What goes in the default gateway? The same figures as before changing the DNS settings in the router?
If I put the WAN’s IP address as my static IP address, am I not bypassing the router security?
I’ve already followed all the www.portforward.com instructions to the letter but shields-up and bittorrent both still say whatever port I choose is closed.
You put the Static IP under IPv4 properties. Sometimes your router may facilitate a static IP address (mine set the lease time to 50 days and call that static…).
The default Gateway address is usually the same as the address of the web interface. To be sure open the command prompt ( Start → Run → cmd → enter) → ipconfig /all → and lok up the address for the default gateway.
You also need to open ports in CIS for incoming traffice. Follow this for reference on how to do so.
To open the port TCP 1723 for example
First step is to determine the MAC or Physical address of you network connector. Go to Start → Run → cmd → enter → a black box will show up and enter the following → ipconfig /all (notice the space before /all) → enter → now look up the Physical address and write it down.
Notice that Physical address = MAC address
Firewall → Advanced → Network Security policy → Global Rules → Add → fill in the following:
Action: Allow
Protocol: TCP
Direction: In
Description: Incoming Port
Source address: Any
Destination Address: Choose MAC address and fill in the found MAC/Physical address
Source Port: Any
Destination Port: 1723
Then push Apply → Now make sure that the new rule is somewhere above the basic block rule(s) as the bottom (the block rules have red icons); you can drag and drop the rules → Ok.
In the IPv4 settings I should put whatever static LAN IP address I want, such as 192.168.1.*** yes?
So where do I put the router’s IP address as per panic’s option 1? I’ve set the DNS settings on both the router and the PC to COMODO’s SecureDNS settings but panic says I also need to change the DNS settings on my PC to the router’s IP address…
Thanks EricJH. I’ll try the physical address route you describe, it’s an option I haven’t heard before, hopefully I can finally get it all working OK!
The static IP address I was referring to is the IP address of your PC - nothing to do with LAN, WAN or THANKYOU M’AAM.
You can use any address you like, with 3 caveats;
It must be in the same subnet as your router - if your router’s LAN address is 192.168.1.X, then your PC’s address also must start with 192.168.1
You cannot use the same address as your routers LAN address
You cannot use an address ending in 255 (e.g. 192.168.1.255)
My rule of thumb is - comms devices use 1-99 (e.g 192.16.1.1 - 192.168.1.99), computers use 100-199 (e.g. 1921.68.1.100 - -192.168.1.199) and other devices use 200-254 (e.g. 192.168.1.200 - 192.168.1.254). Using this method can make it easier to troubleshoot what traffic is going where and from who.
