How do I open ports?

Question

My head is not getting this at all!

I'm trying to download torrents etc, but I keep getting told that my port (whatever that is.) is closed. I'm new to this and I havn't got the foggiest idea what this is all about and how to fix it. Help!

In case it's relevant, my torrent client is Vuze and I've got one of those USB plug in mobile internet modems. Can I even do it with this stuff?

Answer 1

Think of a port in the same way you think of different entrances to a building. There may be an employee entrance, a delivery entrance, a visitor entrance, etc. Your computer has serveral entrances to it. Your web browser uses port (entrance) 80, your email uses port 25, etc.

Bit torrent has several ports that it uses to communicate with the outside world. My guess is, since you are using a mobile internet modem, the ports for Bit torrent are blocked. Using mobile internet is meant for just standard internet use. Bit torrent requires a lot of download and upload. Most mobile internet providers do not want that much bandwidth (bandwidth is like a road. only so many cars can use the road at one time and only so much stuff can be downloaded at one time) used so they do not allow the bit torrent ports to be used.

Answer 2

If you are using Windows Firewall, the default, go to Control Panel > Windows Firewall, under where it says Windows Firewall is Helping to Protect Your Computer click Change Settings, go to the Exceptions tab and find your Bittorrent program and check its box, then apply all settings and it should then work. Also in Vuze's settings it may say what port it uses, if it does, in Windows Firewall exceptions you can choose Add Port, and enter it in there.

Answer 3

ports are a predefined set of numbers that some programs use to pass through firewalls. To open ports you have to do what is called "port forwarding" in your router. you can find information on how to do port forwarding at http://www.portforwad.com

Basically a port needs to be "opened" or passed through the firewall to work properly, or work at all.

The internet uses port 80. that is usually always opened by the provider.

Say you have a program like for example blah blah. Blah Blah uses ports 8999. Therefore you must forward that port number to the ip address of your computer.

Port forwarding is done in routers and not modems. Modems should have all ports opened anyway.

Find out the port numbers your program uses, and you must log onto your router and find whre in the router it does the port forwarding at.

please see messasge above with the website i gave for general help on most routers.

Answer 4

Generally those plug in USB modems will make your PC have a direct connection to the internet (DMZ) which will mean that ALL ports will direct to the PC so there is no need to configure port forwarding etc.  The problem will lie with whichever firewall software you are using.  Try and work the settings in the firewall out, or check the company website for information on how to configure as you haven't specified what firewall you are using.