Port Forwarding...

[threelions00]

ok...not sure if this is in the right section but anyways...what is port forwarding and would it benefit me? how easy is it to do? sorry if this has already been covered elsewhere...

[Twist3r]

it will open ports that programs need example Bittorrent, and hosting a FTP server

[threelions00]

ok...maybe that has scratched the surface...anymore indepth explanations??? but please keep it quite simple...

[tesco]

google it for more detailed info...

basically, a program, to access the internet, needs to use some port to communicate with the server. Firewalls close ports to be more secure (so people can't hack you) and routers do to. Port forwarding makes a port on your router automatically be sent to your computer, instead of being blocked by teh router. Once sent to your computer, the proper progrram will be able to communicate through it...


get it? no need to really know much about what it is unless you are having problems with some programs....

[Peerzy]

This is proberly more software or the certain download program you are trying to forward ports to, but yeah as Rossco said every program that connects to the interweb uses your ip address a protical and a port.

Examples are:

Bittorent: 6887-6889
IRC: 6660-7000
Slsk : You choose the port

If your internet suppliers see say 3gb of traffic coming from port 9887 and its a well known bittorent/download port there going to try and stop you using it, forcing you to use a different port, some ISP's in an attempt to stop your using so much bandwidth 'throttle' those ports. This means little bandwidth is able to go through these, rendering your download speed to a stupid 2-5kb/s usually.

[threelions00]

would it help my downloads speed if i fiddled with this option? i usually get anywhere between 10 (most common) and 40 (very rare)

you took ya time answering too rossco....

btw the way rossco...ever thought how you could make some cash with your knowledge...i know you're a youngen but gifted in this field...

[lee551]

the only reason to forward ports is to speed up downloads through p2p programs like bittorrent, kazaa, overnet etc. and to allow for certain apps to work like webservers & such. if you have your ports blocked, it makes it hard to connect to other people that have ports blocked, thus slower speeds & fewer connections.

[tesco]

Originally posted by threelions00@28 June 2004 - 17:31
would it help my downloads speed if i fiddled with this option? i usually get anywhere between 10 (most common) and 40 (very rare)

you took ya time answering too rossco....

btw the way rossco...ever thought how you could make some cash with your knowledge...i know you're a youngen but gifted in this field...

nahh, won't make it any faster. Think all it will do is make the difference between a program connecting and not connecting.

how do you propose I make cash with my "knowledge"?

[threelions00]

build custom pc's...all you need is a little capital upfront...add on a bit for your trouble...

and how many people do you know with a pc? they must want to upgrade but not sure how to or maybe need it fixing, they supply the parts, you do the work, add your own expenses for your trouble...same principal as a car mechanic...anyone can buy the parts, not everyone can fix it

it costs hardly anything to advertisement in a shop window...then its word of mouth...you need just one person to give you a good reference and you could be flying

also just seeing from what you write, i'm sure you could sort stereos etc...let me know what you think...for the price of advertising in a shop window or local newspaper, it would be worth a shot and if you want to go into computers later on in life, this would look great on your CV

[threelions00]

one more thing rossco...give tutorials maybe too, one on one stuff...i went to a shop the other day and they said they charge to reformat a hard drive...1 cd it takes and a few clicks of a button and people pay for this....could call it exploitation or technophobic...i call it as ignorance is bliss in this case