Forwarding one port to multiple PCs

Fab · 11-16-2002, 07:58 AM

I have a Linksys router with a firewall to connect my wife's an my computers to a single cable line. I'd like both PCs on the LAN to be able to connect to the same external server in order for us both to play the same game online. The problem is, I can only forward the port to one of the internal IP addresses. Either I can play, or she can play, but not both of us.

Now I understand why this is a problem, but is there absolutely no way to get us both using the same port? Is there any software available that could somehow enable us both to use the same port on the firewall so that we could both be connected to the same external server at the same time? It seems to me I'm not the first person to run into this problem, but I would think someone would have come up with a solution by now.

I'm running Win98se while my wife has Windows ME, with a Linksys BEFSR41 router. I'm not sure what other information could be pertinent to the problem, or the solution. Any help would be great. Thanks.

**Pseudocyber** · 11-16-2002, 01:23 PM

Hmm. So you have it set up to forward the port to both your IP addresses, but it only does it to one at a time?

I can see where this would be a problem. I would venture that you have this problem because the Linksys isn't really a firewall.

In a real firewall, there would be a rule stating that port X is allowed to your whole network. Then a socket would be opened to your individual computers specifying IP address and port number.

However, since the Linksys is not a firewall, the only capability it has is to foward the port to a specific IP address.

I happened to work with a dLink router yesterday that acted much more like a firewall, as I described above. I would think this would meet your needs.

Another option is a proxy server that you could specify to forward the ports to and then the proxy server could work out the specifics about which computer to get the traffic to.

HTH

Fab · 11-17-2002, 08:57 AM

I downloaded the newest firmware for the Linksys and it seems (knock on wood) to have solved the problem. So at least for now, it looks like it's working. But I will keep the dLink in mind for the eventual replacement of my current router. Thanks for the advice, Pseudocyber.

11-16-2002, 07:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
Fab Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 17 OS: Win2k	Forwarding one port to multiple PCs I have a Linksys router with a firewall to connect my wife's an my computers to a single cable line. I'd like both PCs on the LAN to be able to connect to the same external server in order for us both to play the same game online. The problem is, I can only forward the port to one of the internal IP addresses. Either I can play, or she can play, but not both of us. Now I understand why this is a problem, but is there absolutely no way to get us both using the same port? Is there any software available that could somehow enable us both to use the same port on the firewall so that we could both be connected to the same external server at the same time? It seems to me I'm not the first person to run into this problem, but I would think someone would have come up with a solution by now. I'm running Win98se while my wife has Windows ME, with a Linksys BEFSR41 router. I'm not sure what other information could be pertinent to the problem, or the solution. Any help would be great. Thanks. __________________ There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who don't.

11-16-2002, 01:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
Pseudocyber NetEngr/Geek Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Earth\US\NC\Charlotte Posts: 1,394 OS: Win2K	Hmm. So you have it set up to forward the port to both your IP addresses, but it only does it to one at a time? I can see where this would be a problem. I would venture that you have this problem because the Linksys isn't really a firewall. In a real firewall, there would be a rule stating that port X is allowed to your whole network. Then a socket would be opened to your individual computers specifying IP address and port number. However, since the Linksys is not a firewall, the only capability it has is to foward the port to a specific IP address. I happened to work with a dLink router yesterday that acted much more like a firewall, as I described above. I would think this would meet your needs. Another option is a proxy server that you could specify to forward the ports to and then the proxy server could work out the specifics about which computer to get the traffic to. HTH __________________ AM = :coffee: PM = :cheers: CCNA, NNCSSx2, MCSE (NT), A+, CNA

11-17-2002, 08:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
Fab Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 17 OS: Win2k	I downloaded the newest firmware for the Linksys and it seems (knock on wood) to have solved the problem. So at least for now, it looks like it's working. But I will keep the dLink in mind for the eventual replacement of my current router. Thanks for the advice, Pseudocyber. __________________ There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who don't.