Zyxel port forwarding help please..

Spuddy · 10 Feb 2016 at 18:13

Ok so Im a bit (a lot) of a network novice. Need to open some ports for Steam as Im having trouble matchmaking in some games and other issues. Router is Zyxel AMG1302

So for example, I need to open ports 27017 - 27030 UDP for matchmaking.

I presume these numbers go in the external port boxes? But then what do I put in the open port boxes? This is very different to my old trusty Netgear.

Also whats the server IP address, is that the device IP? aka my PC. What if I wanted to open these ports for all devices on my network automatically, can that be done?

Terrier_Jimlad · 10 Feb 2016 at 19:16

So the External Start Port would be 27017 (better to start at 27015 imo for steam) and the External End Port would be 27030. Server IP would be the device you want to forward the ports to such as your PC, Protocol will be UDP and then some routers you just leave the open ports or just replicate the same ports as external.

In terms of opening ports for all devices, thats no longer port forwarding as you're not forwarding the port to a specific PC/Laptop, what you need to do there is a blanket incoming firewall rule for those ports

Spuddy · 10 Feb 2016 at 23:58

Thanks for your help.

Another dumb question, how do I get the PC's IP?

Also to create a firewall rule, I have the following options of which I need to select one to open the ports to all devices.

"Packet direction:

LAN to Router
LAN to WAN
WAN to Router
WAN to LAN "

Which one would it be...?

Avalon · 11 Feb 2016 at 10:10

Any reason you've not just let upnp do it's thing and sort this for you?

Terrier_Jimlad · 11 Feb 2016 at 13:08

Spuddy said:
Another dumb question, how do I get the PC's IP

On the PC itself, if you open a command prompt you can type "ipconfig" which will display the IP address, it will be something along the lines of 192.168.1.xxx or 192.168.0.xxx

The problem you face it, if your PC's are on DHCP then it could (not often) change, and then your port forward rule will be going to another device. I would suggest you either use static IP addresses on your PC, or tell the Zyxel to give your PC a specific IP every time, commonly known as a DHCP Reservation.

Spuddy said:
Also to create a firewall rule, I have the following options of which I need to select one to open the ports to all devices.

"Packet direction:

LAN to Router
LAN to WAN
WAN to Router
WAN to LAN "

I would hazard a guess at WAN to LAN

I would be cautious though with doing a rule, as Avalon has said, using UPnP might be your saviour. What it essentially does is tells the router to allow all incoming ports to that IP address which generated the outgoing traffic, so for example if your PC fires up steam and starts sending out traffic on 12075, the router will allow all incoming 12075 traffic back to the originating IP - almost like a stateful rule if i've explained that easy enough for you?

Jamesyboyjim · 11 Feb 2016 at 15:19

Avalon said:
Any reason you've not just let upnp do it's thing and sort this for you?

+1 to this!

If you are a network novice just browse your routers config settings and enable upnp. This way the router will automatically open the ports it needs.

Spuddy · 11 Feb 2016 at 20:02

Ok thanks guys, I've just browsed the router settings and upnp is already enabled however it doesn't seem to be doing its job properly.

Ever since switching to this new Zyxel router I can't matchmake on games, CS:GO for example, it just endlessly searches for a game. DOTA 2 was the other I tried a few days ago IIRC.

:/

I've also found some google results commonly of certain Zyxel models not actually opening the ports that have been forwarded. Seems like these routers are maybe a bit pants!

Jamesyboyjim · 11 Feb 2016 at 21:12

Spuddy said:
Ok thanks guys, I've just browsed the router settings and upnp is already enabled however it doesn't seem to be doing its job properly.

Ever since switching to this new Zyxel router I can't matchmake on games, CS:GO for example, it just endlessly searches for a game. DOTA 2 was the other I tried a few days ago IIRC.

:/

I've also found some google results commonly of certain Zyxel models not actually opening the ports that have been forwarded. Seems like these routers are maybe a bit pants!

try rebooting it after re-enabling upnp. Failing that maybe there is a firmware update you could apply?

Avalon · 12 Feb 2016 at 11:01

As above a power cycle can sometimes work wonders, check options and firmware situation. I'm assuming the Zyxel forums would be full of similar reports if it was a bug as CS:GO isn't exactly niche.

Spuddy · 12 Feb 2016 at 12:17

Just got home from Uni and my MacBook connected to the internet but my PC didn't.

Checked the available wireless connections and only had two, one was "Zyxel_F14" and the other was the school down the street, my wireless was nowhere to be found. Tried restarting the PC and disabling and enabling the wireless, still couldn't find my router.

So I checked which network my MacBook was connected to, sure enough it was the Zyxel_F14 and internet was working perfectly. I originally thought it must have been a neighbours router.

Very odd that it had changed its SSID, so tried joining that one on my PC with my password - nope, incorrect key apparently. So logged in through the MacBook and not only has the router magically changed its SSID, it had also changed the wireless key to something random and reverted the actual login settings on the 192.168.1.1 access page back to default.

It was fine last night when I turned my MacBook off before bed? The heck is going on with this? Is the router a duff one??

And how on earth did my MacBook gain access to this "new network" ?

Jamesyboyjim · 12 Feb 2016 at 13:03

Spuddy said:
Just got home from Uni and my MacBook connected to the internet but my PC didn't.

Checked the available wireless connections and only had two, one was "Zyxel_F14" and the other was the school down the street, my wireless was nowhere to be found. Tried restarting the PC and disabling and enabling the wireless, still couldn't find my router.

So I checked which network my MacBook was connected to, sure enough it was the Zyxel_F14 and internet was working perfectly. I originally thought it must have been a neighbours router.

Very odd that it had changed its SSID, so tried joining that one on my PC with my password - nope, incorrect key apparently. So logged in through the MacBook and not only has the router magically changed its SSID, it had also changed the wireless key to something random and reverted the actual login settings on the 192.168.1.1 access page back to default.

It was fine last night when I turned my MacBook off before bed? The heck is going on with this? Is the router a duff one??

And how on earth did my MacBook gain access to this "new network" ?

sounds as though the router reverted back to default settings somehow.

I bet the firmware is buggy.

Maybe your mac book connected because you previously joined the network on it before you configured the router so it remembers the default settings still.

look into firmware upgrades!

Spuddy · 12 Feb 2016 at 17:07

Ok so just checked firmware, according to my router...

Current Firmware Version: V2.00(AAJC.0)I0_20131004

That version literally matches none of the released ones on this page.

http://www.zyxel.com/uk/en/Download...pid=20130222185809&tab=Firmware&submit=Search

Also, every time I access the router settings page and have to login, the password is resetting itself to default "1234", and then asking me to setup a new password before being able to proceed. Which I do, yet every time I log back in the password is back the the default again.

This router is annoying to say the least.

Spuddy · 12 Feb 2016 at 17:40

Updated to the latest firmware anyways - will test it out later on Steam. See how it goes.

UPDATE: Everything working perfectly now, guess it was dodgy firmware version.

Thanks chaps