Router Port Settings for Linksys Routers

Have you noticed that ever since you got your router; be it wireless or wired, you P2P speed is always low? And you p2p applications like eMule complains about you getting lowID and asks you to check your network configuration? Or is Azureus always displaying NAT problem and DHT:Firewalled as well as all the smileys in yellow colors?

Well Good news!. If you're using a Linksys router, the following will help. If you're not on a linksys router, the settings to adjust is almost the same. Its just that different manufacturer have different steps taken to solve the issue. If you're not sure on how you can always google the answer out like "D-Link Port settings" or whatever brand router it is you have.

So you may ask. What causes this problem? What's in the router that's screws up my p2p speeds? Well the answer is that the newer routers have some built in firewall which manages the connection. It basically blocks any incoming ports that you do not earlier has an outgoing connection on that ports.

That makes it difficult for p2p cause the outgoing connection you do is to connect to the Server/Tracker and then from there the users connect to you. Therefore with this settings, the only connection you'll get is the ones which your p2p application finds and not the clients find you. Therefore, this will reduce the number of connection you'll have thus also reducing the speed incredibly.

Thankfully, there are solutions to it. For a linksys router, there are 3 ways to solve it but only one can be used at a time. They are:

1. Port Forwarding
2. Port Triggering
3. DMZ

Port Forwarding

The port forwarding method is basically telling the router to forward the ports to the designated computer instead of blocking them. So to enable Port forwarding:

1. Log into your router (default is: http://192.168.1.1)
2. Click on Applications and Gaming

Under Port Range Forwarding as seen on the image above we just enter the application name. For me I put "all" cause I will open all ports for all applications. Then, Under Start To, put 0 and end put 65535 which is the last port in a connection. Select Both for protocol and for the IP Address, put the IP which you're on.

You can check your IP by clicking Start -> Run -> Type "cmd".

And in that console, type "ipconfig"

Look under IP Address, remember that value and put it back at the port forwarding page. Once done, click enable and then click save settings. Voila! Its done.

Note: Your IP changes depends on who switches on the PC first unless you have set it to manually obtain that IP fixed. Cause on default, it will give the first IP to the first computer that connects to the router. So PC#1 may have 192.168.1.10 and you PC may have 192.168.1.11. If you have set your Port Forwarding to point to 192.168.1.10, you won't get the open ports.

Port Triggering

Port Triggering solves the problem of changing the IP every time if you're not on that IP. This is quite similar to the Port Forwarding except that it doesn't specify the IP it forwards to. It will automatically forward the ports all to the first guy who connects to the router. So if you're using this setting, you'll have to always be the first to connect to the router. That means that if you want to use p2p, you'll have to off the router, remove all the cables, plug in yours then turn on the router getting the first IP then plug the others back on.

Here is a screenshot showing the settings.

DMZ

DMZ works by automatically forwarding all ports to a designated IP. It simplifies the previous 2 steps. Simply enter the IP and click enable and Save Settings and then you're done.

Here is a screenshot showing how it looks like

IE 7 Beta 2 Review

So here it is, the second beta release by Microsoft. At first I had doubts like:

• Will it crash my PC if I install it? Its Beta after all
• Will I like it?
• Can I uninstall it if I really don't like it?
• Will it be a big change?

After installing the it, I was really faced with a dillema. I have mixed feelings. Its good yet sometimes its not good. Lets talk about the good parts

1. Simple to use design
2. Better looking Interface
3. Has tabbed browsing
4. Has auto check Webpage for phishing
5. Better support for
   tags in HTML
6. Has a delete All for clearing Temp Internet Files, Cookies and History

The bad parts however are:

1. Missing File Menu (could be turned on by selecting classic menu, but it will sit below the address bar
2. The clear Type Font they're experimenting for better readability has some issues.
3. Certain websites like Monash is a little messed up
4. With the Auto-Detect Phishing, page loading is a little slow
5. Seems to slow down with many IE Windows open
6. Websites like Yahoo and Google prompts to download their search bar everytime.

Here are some screenshots for you all to have a look at it.

All in all, its a good step forward for IE. It meets a lot of the improvements wanted for IE. There is also a plugin page for IE7 where users could download certain plugins for IE7. I haven't tried any of it yet but I saw there was a Download Manager for download. With this beta release being so much better than IE6, I can't wait for the real IE7 to come out. We'll wait and see if they fix the stuff I mention here.

Addendum

Monash website screenshot as requested

Antivirus Reviews as requested

This is done after Justin asked about McAfee or was it PC-Cillin? Oh well whatever. Here are the links to reviews already done by others.

• Top Ten Anti-viruses
  
• Norton Antivirus 2006 by CNET
  
• McAfee VirusScan 2006 by CNET
  
• PC-Cillin Internet Security by CNET
  
• AVG Antivirus 7.1 Pro by CNET
  
• Bitdefender 9 Internet Security by PC Magazine
  
• Bitdefender 9 Standard by PC World
  

Antivirus Review: Bitdefender 9 Internet Security

In this time, more and more trojans, viruses, spywares, adwares, malwares are being writen everyday. Most unfortunately is that they are writen to target Windows Operating Systems which is the most commonly used operating system. So the question is, do we really need an antivirus?

The answer is most certainly yes. This is because, despite of all the security updates on Windows, it is still vulnerable. Sometimes its because of an unpatched system or from the mistakes of the user itself by clicking yes to anything they see on the internet.

Downloading cracks or keygens from certain websites also open yourself to danger especially if you do not have an antivirus. So now i'll review an antivirus which i've been using and am quite happy about it.

Previously, I was using Norton Antivirus. I started with the NAV5.1 then followed by the 2003, 2004 and the 2005 version. I changed them merely because it became outdated. Unfortunately, each newer version brings me more dismay as it still sometimes does not pick up certain viruses/trojans when I have manually scanned a file. In addition to that, every version seems to just slow down the PC startup even more. It reached a point where I was so fed up that I googled for antivirus reviews.

What came up was surprisingly spectacular. On one particular site, Norton was rated top 5 and it wasn't the top. The top spot was taken by an antivirus which i've not heard about called the Bitdefender. The site claimed that it does not take up much loading time and also claimed that its one of the cheapest AV around. So, I took up the challenge and downloaded their trial 15 day version.

A screenshot of BitDefender's Antivirus settings

There was this file which I got earlier where norton said it was clean but upon running it, installed spywares, viruses, trojans and others all over my PC. With bitdefender, I downloading that same file and it was stopped right there! Didn't even finish the download. It passively scans files which are being accessed or being read. Even when you open a folder, it will automatically run a quick scan over its contents.

What amazes me even more is the updates. Its autoupdate works by checking itself every 3 hours (changeable) and somehow every 3 hours there will be an update. Unlike norton which releases updates on a 3 day basis, this works in hours. That really surprised me.

In addition to that, the new version, Bitdefender 9 Internet Security comes with a Firewall and AntiSpyware modules. Though the AntiSpyware is new, it detects and prevents installation of spyware. However, it may not completely remove an already infected PC. For that you'll have to use another software.

In summary the pros of this Antivirus:

• Really fast loadup time. A lot faster than Norton
• Does not drain much system resources
• Auto updates really work!
• Keeps an already clean PC, clean
• Better scanning and detection of viruses/trojans/worms

The cons:

• Updates will minimize full screen games which can be annoying but it also acts as a timer to stop playing
• Does not remove spywares completely
• Firewall's popups are annoying

Thats it for now. Please feel free to comment or write about what you think

And so it begins...

This blog is intended to draw visitors to view the latest tech release globally. I will try to source out gizmos, hardware and tech related stuff from all over. I hope that I will be able to draw in some people who are interested.

This blog will try to help educate people who aren't very good in computers. Here's what in store for the next few posts.

• Antivirus review
  
• Reviews on softwares like IE7 Beta
  
• Router port settings to get better P2P speed
  
• Identifying problems with PC
  
• Formatting a PC
  
• Do I really need all the mumbo jumbo firewall, antivirus, antispyware?
  
• How to tinker with registry to control your startup items
  
• How to perform maintainance on your PC
  

I hope those topics will interests you to check back on this site. If not, oh well there goes another wasted effort. Anyway, the frequency of posts on this site will vary depending on my free time. Besides I have my other site to maintain. However, if there are more support on this site than my geocities site, I will close that site and make it a storage for my pics and various files

Thats all for now
GLHF

-Leto-