Fastest Linksys WRT54G Router Port Forwarding Instructions

In this guide we will be covering the basics to port forwarding the Linksys WRT54G router. Most routers have a built in firewall created to protect your home network from unwanted Internet access. The Linksys WRT54G router is no different. There are times when you need access from the Internet (open a port) in order to play some games or use certain applications. To allow connections to and from the Internet is to create an open port or port forward.

To open a port on the Linksys WRT54G router you:

1. Setup a static IP address for the computer or device you are forwarding ports to.
2. Login to your Linksys WRT54G router.
3. Navigate to the port forwarding section.
   • Click the Applications & Gaming link.
   • Click on Port Range Forwarding.
4. Create a port forward entry.

If this sounds difficult, don't worry, we will walk you through each step.

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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.

Every time you click on one of our affiliate links, such as NordVPN, we get a little kickback for introducing you to the service. Think of us as your VPN wingman.

Step 2

Next, you need to login to the Linksys WRT54G router. Routers use a web interface in order to make changes to the router. This means you need to use a web browser to login to your router setup pages. It doesn't matter what browser you use. It can be Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc...

Open the web browser of your choice and find the address bar located at the top of the page. It will look something 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 Linksys WRT54G IP Address is: 192.168.1.1

NOTE: This IP Address is NOT the same as the one you setup in Step 1.

Once you have typed the router's IP Address in the address bar, simply click the enter button to open a screen that looks like this:

Do you see a box prompting you for the username and password?

• The Default Linksys WRT54G Router Username is: blank
• The Default Linksys WRT54G Router Password is: admin

Enter your username and password, and then click the OK button to login to your Linksys WRT54G router interface.

Linksys Usernames and Passwords

If the username and password you tried did not work then I recommend trying other common Linksys passwords. We have a full list for you here on our Default Linksys Router Passwords page.

Are you still unable to access the Linksys WRT54G router? It is possible you changed the username and password at some point in the past and forgot. It might be time to consider a reset. A router reset reverts all settings (including the username and password) back to factory defaults. Learn more in our How to Reset a Router Password guide.

Step 3

After you have logged into the Linksys WRT54G router interface you need to find the Port Forwarding section of the router. To do that, follow the steps below:

First of all, click the Applications & Gaming option at the top of the page.

Under that a new set of choices appears. Select the new choice of Port Range 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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Put a name for this forward in the Application box so that you can remember why you set this forward up. The name does not matter so pick something that has meaning to you.

If you are just forwarding a single port number then you can simply enter that same number into both the Start and the End boxes. If you are forwarding a range of ports, usually separated by a hyphen, then you need to enter the lowest number of that range into the Start box and then enter highest number into the End box.

In the Protocol box select the protocol that you want to forward these ports over.

Enter the IP address that you are forwarding ports to in the IP Address box. This is either the IP address of a computer or the IP address of another device on your network.

Verify that you have the Enable checkbox checked.

Now that you are finished creating a port forward you need to save your changes. Click the Save Settings button at the bottom of the page.

Test if Your Ports are Open

Finally, let's check to see if your ports are opened correctly. To do this you need to test them. You can use our Network Utilities tool, which includes a free Open Port Checker. This Open Port Checker tool is the only one online that has Guaranteed Results.

Other Guides You Might Like

• A Brief Overview of IP Addresses
• A Guide to Understanding DHCP