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Unable to get port-forwarding to work

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R.Julian

New Around Here
Hello...

I recently purchased the RT-AX88U, to replace my old Linksys router.
After getting everything else working easily, I went to set up port-forwarding,
as I had easily done on my Liinksys Router. But I cannot seem to get it to work
on this new router.

Any help at all, would be greatly appreciated. I need the port-forwarding ability
for work.

I have read other threads here, so will answer the first expected questions...

- I have already tried a factory reset.
- I updated the Firmware, and now have version 3.0.0.4.384_9579.
- I have tried accessing my router config using multiple different browsers,
but tend to use Chrome.
- Under Lan->DHCP Server, I have reserved the local IP address for the computer
to which I am attempting to forward a port
- Under WAN->Virtual Server/Port Forwarding...
- I have turned ON "Enable Port Forwarding"
- I have added a profile, specifying the service name (my own application),
- Set the Protocol to BOTH (I only need TCP, but tried TCP, and then tried Both)
- Set the External Port (the port that my external application specifies)
- Set the Internal Port (currently set as the same as External Port...this is the port my local web server is listening on
- Set the Internal IP Address as the computer for which I reserved the IP address on the DHCP page
- Made sure the Source IP is blank.

I have not made any other changes, but am wondering if this router requires something else
turned on to make it work.
When I use the Open Port Check Tool (https://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/) mentioned
elsewhere in this forum, it tells me the port is closed.

I also sometimes use RealVNC, which has a built-in port-checker....that also reports that the
port is closed.

I do not have a static IP address, but I use DynAlias to obtain the equivalent of a static IP.
I have used this successfully for over a decade, and yes...I did verify that the current IP
is up-to-date.

When I read the documentation on this, it appeared as though it was going to be just as simple
to set up as my last router. But I am obviously missing something (hopefully simple).

Thank you in advance to any responses....

Julian
 
It sounds like you've done everything correctly. Do you see your rule under System Log - Port Forwarding?

Does the IP address shown by yougetsignal match that shown on the router at Network Map > Internet status > WAN IP ?
 
Hello, Colin.

Thanks for the reply!

Yes, if I go to the Port Forwarding tab of the System Log, I can see 2 entries for each profile (TCP, and UDP). The details appear correct there.

And yes, the WAN IP appears to match throughout....on the Network Map page, on my DynAlias utility, and on the yougetsignal page.

Strange that it is not working, right?
 
Very strange indeed.

There was a similar post here. But that was for a completely different router model and firmware release, and the OP wasn't prepared to diagnose the problem. He said he got it working by turning off port forwarding but I suspect the actual problem was elsewhere.

Is it just a problem with that web server (maybe an ACL)? Can you forward a port to another device (another web server, SSH, FTP, printer, etc.) and see if you can reach that?
 
I don't think so, as it has been working for a couple of years....but well worth trying. I will check that out later today.
 
Alright....I do not understand this at all.

As per your wise suggestion, Colin, I tried setting everything up on a different computer,
then deleted my port forwarding entries, and re-entered them to point to the new computer.
This time it worked. I was not expecting that.

So, I went back and changed the settings to point back to my original computer,
and they are also now working.

I really cannot explain...but simply happy it is now working.

Thank you for your responses, Colin.
Perhaps it was your implicit blessing that solved my problem...lol.

Cheers!
 
Are you behind a CG-NAT proxy? Perhaps your isp has enabled it, so port forwarding is not possible. Mine uses CG-NAT but you can ask for disabling it for free.
 
I am on the RT-AX86U with latest firmware and have the same problem.
Tried to forward my port for qbittorrent but online port checkers always tell me that my ports are closed.

Attached are screenshots from the configuration of the router.
Qbittorrent ist set to listen to "51338" and also us "UPNP".
UPNP and Secure UPNP are both enabled in the router.

Any suggestions? Could it be an issue with the firewall of the router?
 

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Qbittorrent is set to listen to "51338" and also us "UPNP".
Manually forwarding ports as well as enabling UPnP will create a conflict causing UPnP to use pseudo-random external ports (see image below). Use one method or the other but not both.
Untitled.png

That said, in your screenshot I'm not seeing any ports shown under UPnP which suggests that qBittorrent is either not running or not using UPnP.
 
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Manually forwarding ports as well as enabling UPnP will create a conflict causing UPnP to use pseudo-random external ports (see image below). Use one method or the other but not both.
View attachment 37452

That said, in your screenshot I'm not seeing any ports shown under UPnP which suggests that qBittorrent is either not running or not using UPnP.

Ah that explains why the qbittorrent log stated that a different port was used than what I initially set inside qbittorrent.

  • At first I had it set to port 51337 (in qbittorent but also on the router).
  • UPNP was also enabled in qbitttorrent and the router.
  • The qbittorrent log showed that port 51338 via UPNP was being used.
  • So I thought it was a weird bug in my settings and changed the port in qbittorrent and the router to 51338.
  • In my screenshot, qbittorrent was running.

So anyway, what should I do now? I want a fixed port for my torrent client (e.g. 51337).
But obviously UPNP will come in handy with other devices & apps.
So all I can do it set qbittorrent & router to port 51337 and disable UPNP on both?
 
Leave UPnP enabled on the router.

Set the port you want in qBittorrent. Then either, 1) check the UPnP box in qBittorrent , or 2) manually forward those ports on the router.

Obviously UPnP won't work properly if you're routing the client PC over a VPN connection. That said, I've found that it makes little difference what port you set for qBittorrent because modern BitTorrent clients will negotiate dynamic ports anyway making that setting largely pointless.
 
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Leave UPnP enabled on the router.

Set the port you want in qBittorrent. Then either, 1) check the UPnP box in qBittorrent , or 2) manually forward those ports on the router.

Obviously UPnP won't work properly if you're routing the client PC over a VPN connection. That said, I've found that it makes little difference what port you set for qBittorrent because modern BitTorrent clients will negotiate dynamic ports anyway making that setting largely pointless.

Thanks, I did this but port checker websites still tell me my ports are blocked.
I set qbittorrent to use 51337 and also testet 51338 and 44478 and 44566 (see qbittorrent log screenshot in attached files).
The changes in the log start with 17:27.. everything prior to that was done during the night/day without me changing anything.
 

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I can't read the log file in your screen shot. The router's UPnP has remapped the external ports probably because port 51337 is currently in use. I suggest you stop qBittorrent, reboot the router and then restart qBittorrent. Post log file again but as plain text rather than a picture.
 
I can't read the log file in your screen shot. The router's UPnP has remapped the external ports probably because port 51337 is currently in use. I suggest you stop qBittorrent, reboot the router and then restart qBittorrent. Post log file again but as plain text rather than a picture.

I did so and I believe it works correctly now. Here is the qbittorrent log and screenshot from router.

23.11.21 20:41 - UPnP/NAT-PMP: Port mapping successful, message: successfully mapped port using UPnP. external port: UDP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - UPnP/NAT-PMP: Port mapping successful, message: successfully mapped port using UPnP. external port: TCP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - UPnP/NAT-PMP: Port mapping successful, message: successfully mapped port using NAT-PMP. external port: UDP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - UPnP/NAT-PMP: Port mapping successful, message: successfully mapped port using NAT-PMP. external port: TCP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - Successfully listening on IP: fe80::78cc:3d0e:2353:c83b%enp0s31f6, port: UDP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - Successfully listening on IP: fe80::78cc:3d0e:2353:c83b%enp0s31f6, port: TCP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - Successfully listening on IP: ::1, port: UDP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - Successfully listening on IP: ::1, port: TCP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - Successfully listening on IP: 192.168.50.27, port: UDP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - Successfully listening on IP: 192.168.50.27, port: TCP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - Successfully listening on IP: 127.0.0.1, port: UDP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - Successfully listening on IP: 127.0.0.1, port: TCP/51337
23.11.21 20:41 - Options were saved successfully.
23.11.21 20:41 - Web UI: Now listening on IP: *, port: 50000
23.11.21 20:41 - Web UI translation for selected locale (en) has been successfully loaded.
23.11.21 20:41 - Using built-in Web UI.
23.11.21 20:41 - IP geolocation database loaded. Type: DBIP-Country-Lite. Build time: Mo. Nov. 1 02:07:55 2021.
23.11.21 20:41 - UPnP / NAT-PMP support [ON]
23.11.21 20:41 - Encryption support [FORCED]
23.11.21 20:41 - Anonymous mode [OFF]
23.11.21 20:41 - PeX support [OFF]
23.11.21 20:41 - Local Peer Discovery support [OFF]
23.11.21 20:41 - DHT support [OFF]
23.11.21 20:41 - HTTP User-Agent is 'qBittorrent/4.3.9'
23.11.21 20:41 - Peer ID: -qB4390-
23.11.21 20:41 - Trying to listen on: 0.0.0.0:51337,[::]:51337
23.11.21 20:41 - Using config directory: /home/username/.config/qBittorrent/
23.11.21 20:41 - qBittorrent v4.3.9 started

But this also means I cannot manually port forward any ports. E.g. for xbox or so?
Would it be better do disable UPNP on the router and go the hard manual port forwarding way?
 

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Because I now have UPNP on the router enabled which, as it seems, conflicts with manual port forwarding.
On the other hand, maybe with UPNP any manual port forwardings will be obsolete anyway.
For games/consoles it's much better to let the game/console use UPnP rather than trying to use manual forwarding on the router. If you have something that can't use UPnP then you can use manual forwarding for that.
 
I've been using RT-AX88U for about 2 years. In Dec 2019 when I initially setup the router, I had the same issue of port forwarding not working, then in late January a firmware upgrade fixed that, and port forwarding worked flawlessly, that is until November '21 when the ports were not opening up AGAIN. I use port forwarding for RDP and now need to try RDP up to 10x before able to connect. What a pain.

This is confirmed using https://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/ to check if the port is open. It'll say CLOSED a bunch of times, then after several tries it'll say OPEN, without rhyme or reason. I use the same router at home and can replicate the issue.

Edit: UPnP is NOT enabled
Edit 2: Deleting the port forward profile and reentering, turning off port forward and turning back on, and rebooting the router helps to where I can now connect about 50% of the time, which is better, but not perfect.
 
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