DSL Router configuration question....

[greybyrd]

This may be the wrong forum, but I gotta start somewhere. I can't find an understandable explanation of how a peer to peer XP Home network running on a Westell 327 router should be set. I don't understand the NAT/GAMING, the IP Passthrough, or the Static NAT. My computer (DELL P4 dual core - 2 Gb RAM) works fine with ut as long as no one else is on line. I'm not using any firewalls except the basic setting on the router. The router settings tell me to set the port forwarding to "dynamic" to receive incoming connections. I know that everything has to pass through the router, but what's the best way to set it up so users on other computers can at least check their email when I'm downloading a torrent? Thanks in advance. IP provider is ATT.

[thelittlefire]

Uhm I found http://www.portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Westell/Versalink327W/Utorrent.htm ... double check nothing matches closer @ http://www.portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/routerindex.htm

As far as the procedure.. you don't want IP Passthrough I don't think. And NAT/GAMING sounds a bit... off. Is there any place directly for "virtual server" or just "port forwarding".

The main impact on your line while torrenting would be the settings you use so I'd recommend starting with http://utorrent.com/setup_guide.php and then getting the manual from http://utorrent.com/download.php or if you're using uTorrent 1.8, just press F1.

Feel free to respond with success/updates :/

[greybyrd]

This router's setup looks like a bunch of cartoons. The only place I can find to forward ports in in the NAT/Gaming section of the wireless setup. I've got the port forwarded for my computer correctly - at least it works fine as long as nobody else is online. I'm not using UPNP or static NAT, but I am using DCHP in Dynamic mode. I'm choking the router down, I know that much.

I have to set a "custom service" under NAT/Gaming to forward ports. I've got both TCP and UDP set to the same port. That may be a mistake. Then my kids start screwing around with it. We've got an i-touch, a Tivo, and 2 computers on the router.

I can't find anything that tells me the difference between "IP Passthrough" and "Static NAT" except that they're mutually exclusive. Right now, my son's got his i-touch set up static, and I'm about to go clock him!!!!!!

Question: Is the WAN on the router where my static IP is located? Or is it on one of the devices, or is it up to me to choose? The router tells me that if I disable the DHCP, then I've got to assign static IP's to all the devices. My head hurts!!!!

[thelittlefire]

OK, to start at the beginning.. a techy parent? Congratulations on being a decade behind your kids

Secondly, don't break the iTouch or you'll have to buy a new one. Finally Don't Panic!

With that out of the way, here's what a router does. It creates two "zones" if you will... the WAN, and the LAN. The WAN you can think of as all the internet, and the LAN is everything you've got (tivo, 2 PCs, iTouch) all masquerading as the same IP as far as the internet (WAN) is concerned.

So.. it looks like you've probably got two problems, 1) the settings in your uTorrent are bogging down the internet for others and 2) the setup for the router was made by people your kids' ages

From some looking around it sounds like you need to set at least your computer to static NAT. IP passthrough is apparently "DMZ" http://www.dslreports.com/faq/7073 is what I found on the issue... so that certainly sounds like why when you're on, noone else can get internet because the westell is ONLY setup for your computer when you're doing your utorrent. If you could make pictures using PrintScreen, paste it into mspaint, and upload them to http://imageshack.us I think it would greatly speed up the troubleshooting process.

Also, to answer the last part, DHCP is a fancy acronym which basically says, plug your device in, and I'll get it online for you.. no configuration necessary. This was a BOON back when you needed to configure everything by hand in a terminal window to get your network card working over the wire.

[greybyrd]

You could say that, but I taught my kids how to use utorrent - and had to configure their ipods for them. I've also been building computers from pieces and configuring networks since the internet was born. I've still got a copy of Windows 1.0a on 360k floppies, so I'm not exactly a rookie. Our network at my office uses a VPN, and I can configure it in my sleep. ;-)

Ok, I was a little hasty. I am frustrated with the lack of options on the router, but I can't afford another one right now.

One more question: I've "purchased" one static IP address from ATT. Can that be assigned to one computer on the LAN? Or is it set for the WAN? The router won't let me assign a static IP to just one computer - I'd have to do it for all of them. Since they're behind the router, can I pick an IP for each machine/device? That would solve the problem. My only gripe is having to close utorrent every time somebody else wants to use one of the other devices.

I can do the screenshots, no problem, if that will help.

Thanks a bunch!!!

[Switeck]

Sadly, you needed a static LAN ip for your computers and router...your internet ip does not need to be static. A router's DMZ ability should route all traffic to one computer, but it's still not exactly the same as giving that 1 computer the internet ip...and it's a security risk the same as directly connecting to the modem is.

[thelittlefire]

Well, I was more prodding you in a "go get them" kind of way actually. As far as your situation, wow! so I think we can skip the preliminaries and if you'd post all that you can configure on that router it may become the new guide for "Westell 327"

As Switeck says, your static IP from AT&T is not necessary as the "static" or persistent part needs to be in the LAN behind your router (in all implementations I know of) to get the forwarding rule to work.. either through auto-discovery (UPnP on most hardware, NAT-PMP on Apple and its derivatives) OR (the usual method) manual forwarding, which is the bugger at the moment.