port forwarding help

[bigdaz]

Hello, been trying to set up port forwarding but am failing. After entering my default gateway into my browser i get "unable to connect" and so cannot log into my router to add ports ect. Dont understand why?
I am running XP Virgin 10mb broadband and my router is supplied by Virgin a Ambit 256 cable modem.
Not having any trouble connecting to the internet, playing online games, my speed is ok, just this issue, help.

[Treval]

A router's default address is usually either

192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 or
192.168.100.1

The default gateway will never be the cable modem unless the cable modem is not operational.
Once the modem is operational, the default gateway will switch to the ISP's router,
which is most definitely not accessible from a browser.
Many people refer to broadband routers as cable modems though,
which can cause confusion.

How many ethernet ports does it have?
If its 1, then it behaves as I said. Ambit 256 is just a cable modem;
cable modems give out WAN IP's. There is no NAT involved
A cable modem is not a router. It behaves more like an ethernet card that converts stuff.
If you have a router then you should go to the router page; 192.168.1.1 usually. Might be 192.168.100.1
 in your case.
However, you might have connected your computer directly to the modem
instead of the modem to the routers WAN port and your computer to the routers LAN port.
To look for the WAN port: it says WAN on it and is separate from all the others (usually in a dark color)
or has an icon with a globe or something.

Now I just have a few questions for you to help you further:
1) Do you have a router or just a cable modem?
2) What model is the router?

If you don't have a router, there are no ports to forward and you are connected directly to the internet.
Not all routers have web servers, not all routers have them enabled by default.
Not all routers use the first address in the subnet.

So if you can provide me more info on how your network is set up and those two questions I asked, we can help you further much better.

Good luck.

Treval

[bigdaz]

Yes sorry, should have been a little clearer. My modem is Ambit 256 which is connected by a single ethernet cable to my nvidia nforce network adaptor on my motherboard. There are no extra connections on my modem other than power and broadband cable to virgin.
What i was trying to achieve was to increase my Utorrent speed through port forwarding but could not access through my browser where i could open the ports to be forwarded.

[Allan]

If you don't have a router you can set up forwarding in your firewall: http://portforward.com/

[bigdaz]

Thanks guys for the heads up, think i got a bit lost there somewhere but i assume that opening a port in my firewall would achieve the same as port forwarding if i was using a router. Will give this a go Thanks...

[Treval]

Yeah no prob.
Let us know how the progress is going.

[bigdaz]

I have opened 2 extra ports (Exceptions) in my firewall to my Utorrent one port set to TCP one to UDP as was unsure as to which type would be the best one to use,  will leave to run for a few hours and compare my speeds.
I always use "randomize port each start" settings for Utorrent anyway just for the extra security although this means me setting these after each start now, no big e.
This is safe to do right, opening these extra ports?
Thanks...

[Treval]

In my opinion the more ports you open, the less secure.