One router, 2 PCs and the same port.

lykos92 · 05-16-2009, 09:31 AM

Hi, I have two PCs connected to the same router, with the same internet connection. I want to play Age of Empires II, which uses three ports. I forwarded these ports to the first PC, but I cannot forward them to the second PC. I use "Port Detective", a free tool that says if a port is open. On the first PC, all is OK. But on the other, I can't open any of these three ports. Is this how routers work or do I have a prob? Thx.

johnwill · 05-16-2009, 12:00 PM

Correct, you can only port forward to a single machine behind the NAT layer.

Think about it, how would the router know which address to route the incoming packet to if you could forward the same port to multiple machines?

05-16-2009, 09:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
lykos92 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Salonica, Greece Posts: 37 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate x64 SP2	One router, 2 PCs and the same port. Hi, I have two PCs connected to the same router, with the same internet connection. I want to play Age of Empires II, which uses three ports. I forwarded these ports to the first PC, but I cannot forward them to the second PC. I use "Port Detective", a free tool that says if a port is open. On the first PC, all is OK. But on the other, I can't open any of these three ports. Is this how routers work or do I have a prob? Thx. __________________ "What are you doing, Akane?" "Nothing." "Let's go!" "Okay."

05-16-2009, 12:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,079 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: One router, 2 PCs and the same port. Correct, you can only port forward to a single machine behind the NAT layer. Think about it, how would the router know which address to route the incoming packet to if you could forward the same port to multiple machines? __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience