Most routers including the D-Link DSL-500 router have a basic firewall that helps protect your home network from unwanted Internet access. A firewall does this by blocking incoming and outgoing connections unless otherwise specified. Some online games and programs run much smoother if additional connections are open for the application. To do this you need to create what is frequently called a port forward.
In this guide you will be shown exactly how to find and enter the port forwarding information for the D-Link DSL-500 router. The steps we will cover are:
- How to setup a static IP address on the device you want to port forward these ports to.
- How to login to the D-Link DSL-500 router.
- How to find the port forwarding section of the router.
- How and what information to enter in your router to get your ports forwarded.
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Step 1
It is important to setup a static ip address in the device that you are forwarding a port to. This ensures that your ports will remain open even after your device reboots.
- Recommended - Our free Static IP Setter will set up a static IP address for you.
- Another way to get a permanent IP address is to set up a DHCP reservation.
- Or, manually create a static ip address with our Static IP Guides.
This step is important because you want a permanent IP address in your device. If you do not set up a permanent IP address in your device, then when you device reboots it may get a new IP address.
Use a VPN Instead
Have you considered using a VPN instead of forwarding a port? For most users, a VPN is a much simpler and more secure choice than forwarding a port.
We use and recommend NordVPN because not only is it the fastest VPN, it includes a new feature called Meshnet that makes forwarding a port no longer necessary for most applications. With NordVPN Meshnet, you can connect to your devices from anywhere in the world, completely secure, over a highly encrypted VPN tunnel.
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TIP: Write this new static IP address down. You need it a little later in this guide.
Step 2
It is time to login to the D-Link DSL-500 router. This router along with most, use a web interface. This means you need to use a web browser to access the router setup pages.
Go ahead and pick the web browser you are the most familiar with. Some common options are Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Internet Explorer. It typically does not matter which browser you decide to use.
Go ahead and up open up the chosen web browser. Then look for the address bar. This is normally at the top of the page like this:
Above is an example of what a web browser address bar looks like. Find the address bar in your router and type in your router's IP address.
The default D-Link DSL-500 IP Address is: 192.168.0.1
Now that you have entered the router's IP address in the address bar, click the Enter key on your keyboard. If the correct IP address was entered in the address bar, you will see an authentication window or box.
If you don't see the screen above or a similar one, the wrong IP address was used. To find out what the router's IP address is currently, follow the directions on this How To Find Your Router's IP Address page.
You should see a box prompting you for your username and password.
- The Default D-Link DSL-500 Router Username is: admin
- The Default D-Link DSL-500 Router Password is: password
Enter your username and password, and then click the OK button to log in to your D-Link DSL-500 router.
Having Trouble?
This is an extremely common place to get stuck. Here are a few things you can try:
- If you have a slightly different firmware version you might have a different username and/or password. It is a good idea to try other common D-Link password combinations as well. Here is our list of Default D-Link Router Passwords.
- If that didn't work, the next thing I suggest is to guess what you may of changed the password to. Need help? Try out our Router Password Cracker. It automates the guessing process for you, making owning a router a lot easier.
- Finally, if neither option above worked, you may want to consider a factory reset. This is not recommended unless you have exhausted all other troubleshooting options. A factory reset erases all previously configured settings. Be aware you will need to reconfigure your router after the reset is complete...(but the password and username will be reverted back to default).
Step 3
It is now time to login to the D-Link DSL-500 port forwarding section of the router. To do that, you start from the first page of the router:
First, you need to click the Port Redirection link in the left sidebar of the page.
Now, click the Add button towards the right side of the page.
You are now on the correct page of the router to begin port forwarding.
Step 4
Here are the ports to forward for Xbox Live:
- TCP Ports: 3074
- UDP Ports: 3074
If you are looking for the ports for a different application you can find it by either:
- Browsing our List of Games
- Check out our our List of Games by Genre
- See our List of all Applications
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Create a name for this forward and put it in the Comment box. The name is only used as a reminder and has no effect on the port forward.
Put the same port number into both the Internet Port and the Local Port boxes.
Use the Protocol dropdown box to select the protocol type of the ports you are forwarding.
You need to enter the IP address that you are forwarding ports to in the Local Computer box. It's possible for this to be either the IP address of your computer or any other IP address on your network that you want ports forwarded to.
Click the Ok button when you are done.
Click OK after each entry.
Then select the Save Changes link in the left sidebar.
When you see the page above, click the button labeled Save Configuration at the bottom of the page.
Test if Your Ports are Open
After the ports are forwarded on the D-Link DSL-500 router you need to test them to see if they forwarded properly.
In order to test if the ports forwarded properly, you can use our Network Utilities tool, which includes a free Open Port Checker. Our Open Port Check tool is the only online port checking tool with Guaranteed Results.
Additional Information
Here at portforward.com we believe port forwarding should be easy. If you are having troubles, we highly recommend using our Port Forwarding Software. Our software troubleshoots, diagnoses, and fixes all your port forwarding problems.
Did you know we have more than just port forwarding guides here? We have networking, software, and gaming guides as well. Check them out here.
If you are more interested in setting up your router so it is truly secure and you are in control of the settings, check out our huge and growing selection of router guides at setuprouter.com.
