WebUI and external port: why should I use it?

[Vano89]

Maybe it's a stupid or already asked question but I can't find out why I should use an external port for connecting to webUI....if I use the already forwarded utorrent tcp/udp port there are any problems? Like reduced speed or security risks?

Thanks guys!

[Ultima]

If you're referring to the alternative port option... well, that's just for privacy purposes. If you don't use an alternative port, any peer connected to you can easily attempt to visit http://ip:port/gui based on what they see in the Peers tab and attempt to brute-force guess your login. I mean, they could still guess the alternative port, but they'd first have to assume you were using WebUI in the first place, and then they'd have to run through the possible ports trying to hit a connection. So alternative port is just a deterrent against potential casual snoopers.

[Vano89]

Wow, my first post and I get replied by an admin thanks! And yes I meant alternative port, in the italian translation of utorrent I was sure it was called external

Btw the port I should open must be tcp, udp or both?

And.... That's something I always wondered....Starting from my external ip and the utorrent port can somebody get access to my pc? It should be incredibly easy, using a forwarded port you should be able to fool firewalls in the router and pc.... I hope it's not so easy...

[Ultima]

Probably TCP only, but shouldn't really hurt to make the rule for both.

Knowing the IP doesn't make a machine inherently secure. You can find out the IP of any website you visit -- doesn't mean they're all insecure. Security on a forwarded port is down to the security of the application listening on that port.