NAT/AP/switch choice
 

I don't know if I have the right forum here, or even the right web site, but there is a lot of technical expertise at LQ, so I figure someone can help me.

I may be in the market for a new wireless router (actually, one of those cheap NAT boxes with a switch and access point built into it, if you want to be technical).

I currently use a Linksys box and love it, but it only does 802.11B, and I am beginning to feel the strain of the bandwidth limitations. I am nearly ready to kick up to G. But that is not the whole reason I am considering the switch.

I really like Bittorrent/Azureus. I use them a lot (for legal purposes only, of course ;)). Its a great way to d/l a linux iso and not have to worry about the integrity of the file.

The catch is that Azureus requires certain TCP/UDP ports to be open, and the NAT box blocks all but a few. The only way to open any other ports on my Linksys box (that I know of) is to use the port forwarding and have the port(s) forwarded to a specific address on the network. Then, to use Azureus I have to give the computer running it a static address on the network for the port to be forwarded to.

This works fine for one machine, but what if I want to have Azureus running on more than one computer? To make things even more complicated, my laptop moves back and forth between a docking station and being 'free' (using a wireless PC card). The address changes when it moves.

Is there a way that I can open up the required ports for all computers on my network? If not, what NAT/AP/Switch on the market WILL allow me to?

TIA

J

I haven't tried this before, but google for "port triggering" which should allow multiple internal clients to use the same port (sort of). http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/Secti...le18-page5.php

As for acceptable routers, I like my Linksys WRT54G because I installed Sveasoft Alchemy firmware and can use fwbuilder for firewall and NAT setup. It's a nice gui and uploads the rules to the server...

1. You dont need any ports open on your router for azureus to work.
2. Most routers support setting "static" or "persistant" address via dhcp. so you can set your wireless and lan network cards to always get the same address.
3.If you want to port forward. Azureus doesnt have to use the same port. so you can set one box to 6881, on to 6882, etc, etc.
4. Port triggering would probably do what you want, but I think that requires UPnP enabled and I always turn that off.


I have a dlink 634m, it was a little more expensive than some models, but signal/features are excellent.

soule