6 802.11n Wireless Router User Manual
triggering so that the modem’s firewall won’t block the other
players from your system during your gaming. The main
difference between the three methods is the amount of access
someone has to your system.
A virtual server will allow access to your computer or gaming
station on certain ports. A port is a channel that is used by
applications (such as games) for communication. For example,
the directions for the game you want to play over the Internet
might tell you to open up port 6000.
Port triggering works by sensing when data is sent out on the
predetermined outgoing port and then automatically opening up
the corresponding incoming port(s). It will automatically forward
the traffic on the incoming port to the computer that accessed the
outgoing port. If your game uses one port to send outgoing data
and a different port (or ports) for incoming data, you may want to
use port triggering. The advantage of port triggering is that it is
more secure than setting up a virtual server since the incoming
port is only open when you are using it, and since it tracks which
computer sent the outgoing data. Port triggering can also be
easier to set up because you do not need to know the IP address
of your gaming station. The disadvantage of port triggering is
that only 1 host can be accessing the port at one time, so if you
have two computers or game stations playing the same game on
your network you will need to use a virtual server or DMZ.
A DMZ differs from a virtual server in that it allows access on all
ports of the computer. Because of this, DMZ's are less secure
and should be used with caution on your computer. However
DMZ’s work well with your gaming stations since security is not
as much of an issue for gaming stations as it is for computers.
Once you’ve decided what type of security to use for gaming,
you can set up that security using the appropriate section of this
manual:
•DMZ: For instructions on how to set up a DMZ, please
refer to page 35.
•Virtual Server: For instructions on how to set up a
virtual server, please refer to page 33.
•Port Triggering: For instructions on how to set up port
triggering, please refer to page 36.
