I can't find a way for port forwarding for my router

[loveknight]

I have a comtrend ct-5611 combo router
but there's no site explaining how I can set the configuration to forward port.
damn this problem is making me real crazy.

[zigozag]

Don't worry, it's a bit cumbersome but doable if you take your time and follow the instructions.
First, you'll need to set a static local IP address for your computer so that it's local IP won't change. This is explained rather well on http://portforward.com/networking/staticip.htm (no need to install their application).

Once you set a static IP, you'll need to connect to your router's administration interface and play a bit. Grab the user manual of your router from http://download.comtrend.com/CT-5611.pdf (1.9 Mb pdf file). Then fire up your browser and go to http://192.168.1.1/ and enter your login and your password (root and 12345 if you use the default values, I suggest you later change them for security reasons).
Then on the left side of the page, click on Advanced Setup, then on NAT and finally on Virtual Servers. (These settings are explained on page 50 of the user manual, the part beginning with "6.3.1 Virtual Servers", refer to it in case something isn't clear.)
There, click on Add, and then do the following:
Click the Custom Service radio button and enter ShareazaTCP in the box next to it as the service name. The Server IP Address you'll have to enter is the one given by the ipconfig command you used when you set a static local IP for your computer. It should look like 192.168.1.x, with x>1 (192.168.1.1 is the IP of your router, so the local IP of your computer needs to be different).
There, for External Port Start enter 6346
for External Port End enter 6346
for the Protocol choose TCP
for the Internal Port Start enter 6346
for the Internal Port End enter 6346
Click Save/Apply. You now have the port forwarding for TCP done.
Click on Virtual Servers on the left side again, and then on Add, and then do the following:
Click the Custom Service radio button and enter ShareazaUDP in the box next to it as the service name. The Server IP Address is the one you used for the previous entry.
There, for External Port Start enter 6346
for External Port End enter 6346
for the Protocol choose UDP
for the Internal Port Start enter 6346
for the Internal Port End enter 6346. Click Save/Apply. The port forwarding is now done.

At this point disconnect Shareaza from the P2P networks and then reconnect it (a radical way of doing this: quit Shareaza -I mean close it, not just minimize- and restart it). Finally, click on the Help menu and there on Connection Test to see if everything's OK.

Feel free to reply if something isn't clear (and tell which version of Windows you're using). If what I told above really sounds like Chinese, you can also tell your timezone in private so that we can find a moment to meet on IRC and get this sorted out.

[loveknight]

[old_death]

Then just rerun the WAN setup (you will most probably need the login information your ISP provided you with, when you got your modem).

[zigozag]

My fault, the user manual clearly states that NAT is disabled by default, I should have seen this. The funny thing is that you said you had disabled the firewall, had no antivirus suite which could have come with a built-in firewall and NAT wasn't enabled on your router, so I wonder why the Connecion Test reported a problem... Looks like I need some sleep (anyway, don't forget re-enable your firewall and install an antivirus when you're done with these settings).

My suggestion is that you read page 32 (5.1 Auto Quick Setup). There should be an option that allows you to enable NAT. If not, you'll have to switch to manual setup, and read the following pages of the manual to see different values that you'll need to ask to your ISP, then you'll have to call them and battle with their hotline.

PS: with your next post could please make clear which version of Windows you're using, whether your PC is connected to the comtrend modem/router via USB or Ethernet, and any other information about your configuration that you think could be useful to fix the issue? Thanks in advance.

[loveknight]

[loveknight]

dear is there any way getting out of this problem by using a vpn account?

[zigozag]

Sorry for the delay. A VPN is basically a tunnel that encrypts your communications and routes them through the VPN service provider so that the public IP address that is attributed to you by your ISP is replaced by the VPN service provider's IP. It's good for privacy but it's not going to fix the port forwarding issue. I can't say much more than that since I didn't use such a service so far. My suggestion would be that you call your ISP and ask them detailed information about port forwarding. You wouldn't be asking them a favour, this is part of the service they're providing (a complete, unfiltered access to Internet).

[ailurophobe]

I did a quick look around the manual and it seems there is a checkbox for enabling NAT (and NAT configuration) somewhere (varies depending on connection type?). But I am not sure that is useful since the manual also said the NAT defaults to being disabled, which means your problem is rather unlikely to be caused by bad NAT configuration or fixable by a port forward. Have you tried contacting your ISPs support?

And you never mention (that I remember, I don't have a very good memory, though), why you need to do NAT configuration. Are you sure your problem is NAT related?