Asus DSL Router - Confusing Terms\Options

[LookingEye]

Hi,

I hope this is right section to post in as this is my first time posting on this forum. I have a DSL Asus router and some settings confuse me and I would need a little bit of help here.

• First, under Wan settings withing Wan -> Internet Connection there is option that says "Enable WAN", what does this option enables ? Is it the DSL Connection itself or something else entirely ?

• I noticed that there is "FTP_ALG_PORT" option with prefilled port within Wan -> NAT Passthrough, does this option opens any ports on the router ? I know that enabling FTP will open a port from the WAN side but what does FTP_ALG_Port actually do ?

• I'm trying to completely close UNPN, I only saw option to disable it within USB Application (Servers Centre) and within WAN -> Internet Connection -> Enable Unpn. Are there any other options within ASUS Routers that I can disable UNPN ? I want to close UNPN from both LAN and WAN side.

• At last, I noticed that when browsing Port Forwarding logs section that one of the ip addresses had "!" in front of it, what does this means ? Also, I saw there was a blank UDP Port, why there would be a blank port ?

I'm not familiar on how ASUS deals with networking on their routers so I would appreciate any input here.
Thanks

 

[ColinTaylor]

• First, under Wan settings withing Wan -> Internet Connection there is option that says "Enable WAN", what does this option enables ? Is it the DSL Connection itself or something else entirely ?

Yes. This just turns the connection to the internet on and off.

• I noticed that there is "FTP_ALG_PORT" option with prefilled port within Wan -> NAT Passthrough, does this option opens any ports on the router ? I know that enabling FTP will open a port from the WAN side but what does FTP_ALG_Port actually do ?

No this does not open any ports. If you have two FTP servers, one on the router and one on your LAN, this is a alternate port used by the router. If you don't have any FTP servers this does nothing.

• I'm trying to completely close UNPN, I only saw option to disable it within USB Application (Servers Centre) and within WAN -> Internet Connection -> Enable Unpn. Are there any other options within ASUS Routers that I can disable UNPN ? I want to close UNPN from both LAN and WAN side.

I think you mean UPnP used for port forwarding. That is turned on and off in the WAN section. The UPnP option in USB Application refers to the Media Server which is something completely different.

• At last, I noticed that when browsing Port Forwarding logs section that one of the ip addresses had "!" in front of it, what does this means ? Also, I saw there was a blank UDP Port, why there would be a blank port ?

Sorry, you'd have to provide a screen shot. But "!" usually means "not", so "not this address".

 

[BobD]

I sometimes have similar problems. Some of those settings seem a bit weird. I usually do a Google to see if I can get more info. This is not always successful. ASUS could do a lot more to clarify the router settings. However, it seems that the current methodology for equipment suppliers is provide minimum info.

An example: my current VoIP adapter is an old modem router with VoIP on it and it is now "stripped bare" and just does VoIP only. It is failing and doesn't always start up again after a power cycle. Today I bought another Analogue Telephone Adapter ( a Cisco something) and I could not even find written down anywhere what the logon parameters were. Google didn't help. In the end I guessed at it (admin and admin) and I was in. The password has been changed.

 

[LookingEye]

Yes. This just turns the connection to the internet on and off.


No this does not open any ports. If you have two FTP servers, one on the router and one on your LAN, this is a alternate port used by the router. If you don't have any FTP servers this does nothing.


I think you mean UPnP used for port forwarding. That is turned on and off in the WAN section. The UPnP option in USB Application refers to the Media Server which is something completely different.


Sorry, you'd have to provide a screen shot. But "!" usually means "not", so "not this address".

Thanks for the reply, that's what I needed !

I sometimes have similar problems. Some of those settings seem a bit weird. I usually do a Google to see if I can get more info. This is not always successful. ASUS could do a lot more to clarify the router settings. However, it seems that the current methodology for equipment suppliers is provide minimum info.

Yeah, I noticed that too when dealing with Asus routers specifically, I don't think I had that problem with any other brands before. I think it might be due to too many options being available as Asus routers are heavily customizable as well as feature rich.

I did Google search for a bit and actually couldn't find much info, making account and posting on the forum so that members who are more experienced to advise me was my last choice really, normally Google have a lot of information but it appears not in all cases like here.