Please help me setup my new Linksys BEFS41 v3 Router

danball1976

Ok, I bought me a router, now can people help me setup this up properly for the best security settings and general stuff?

As in the topic I have the BEFS41 v3 Linksys router.

Also, do I still need ZoneAlarm Pro now that I have the router?


On a second note, I haven't seen a single access on ZoneAlarm Pro since I connected the router.

topherice

On the Zone Alarm Pro question...You don't really need to have it. However, if you're paranoid and like to be notified proactively when a new application attempts to make an outbound call to the Internet, rather that having to look through the logs on the Linksys to determine what's trying to connect, then continue to use Zone Alarm Pro , in addition to the Linksys.

danball1976

I noticed that mIRC was problems staying connected with Zone Alarm running along with the router.

topherice

Here's a link to the mIRC site that discusses using mIRC with Proxies and routers. Looks like you'll prolly have to set up port forwarding on the Linksys.

www.mirc.co.uk/help/proxies.html

Hey, I noticed you're at Barksdale AFB. I'm a DoD contactor and sometimes work with the folks in the CHCS office at the 2nd Med Grp @ Barksdale.

danball1976

You might work with them, but doesn't it seem like they don't know what they are doing (It seems like the 2MXS computer people don't know what they are doing)

I'll take a look at that link.

topherice

danball1976 wrote:

You might work with them, but doesn't it seem like they don't know what they are doing (It seems like the 2MXS computer people don't know what they are doing)

I'll take a look at that link.

LOL. The folks I deal with there are usually dealing with VMS or MUMPS and are genreally SAIC employees, not GS or enlisted Staff.

The link I posted discusses which ports to use for mIRC. Then you'll most likely have to use port triggering on the Linksys. I think I mistakenly said forwarding before, but I believe forwarding requires you to disable DCHP and use a static address.

danball1976

No, DHCP is enabled, and Cox doesn't have static IP's, but that article is a bit confusing.

I also only have one computer connected to the router. I bought it mainly so that I won't have to use ZoneAlarm any more because of the fact that ZoneAlarm's True Internet Vector service crashes and then locks access to the internet until its restarted.

profdlp

danball1976 wrote:

No, DHCP is enabled, and Cox doesn't have static IP's...

I think topherice was referring to setting a static IP for your computer. The router will still have to take whatever Cox doles out.

With one computer, the chances are that your machine will always be assigned 192.168.1.100, unless you have manually altered the range. In a multi-computer setup the numbers would continue from there (101, 102, etc). I have version 1 of the same router and am running six computers off it. Every computer gets a local address, just not always the same one. To use port forwarding you would have to manually lock in each computer to a specific number - otherwise the forwarding might go to a different computer than the one you intended.

I believe that even with only one computer you still have to do it this way to enable port forwarding, though as topherice said, port triggering might allow you to accomplish the same thing.

danball1976

You know what would be easy... to post pictures of what you are talking about, it makes it easier to understand?

topherice

Ok. Here is the link to the Linksys User's Guide for your router


BEFSR41 User's Guide

You have two options. Make your PC a DMZ Host (Page 40) or use Port Triggering (Page 38).

DMZ Host allows you to configure your PC to be exposed to the Internet for special-purpose applications. (Wide open)

Port Triggering allows you to forward a maximum of ten IP ranges.

You want to allow ports 6660-6669 for mIRC. The default client port for mIRC is 6667 but any of the before mentioned ports can be used by mIRC servers so I'd prolly open them all.

I am unable to provide screenshots because I have a D-LINK router.

danball1976

I really don't want my computer to be wide open.

--EDIT--
I had someone on mIRC help me with getting this done properly, and he said he does this stuff for a living.

topherice

So use port triggering and allow TCP and UDP ports 6660-6669 and you should be good to go.


What happens here is that when you send outbound packets to the mIRC server you identify your origination addess (source) as you PCs IP address (as assigned by the DCHP Server in your router) and the return address as the extenal interface of your router (the address you being asigned by Cox). So, to the mIRC server it appears as possibly a spoofed address that your sourcing from. Forwarding allows you router to forward the incoming packets to your PC instead of dropping them.

danball1976

topherice wrote:

So use port triggering and allow TCP and UDP ports 6660-6669 and you should be good to go.

Not port triggering, but port range fowarding, and set it to the same IP that the particular program is using.

Like what I have below.

topherice

Cool. Glad you got squared away. BTW - I do this stuff for a living as well, but I'm usually dealing with one of the DISA sites to have them open a range of addresses to allow NIPRNet access or working with AFNOC or the ACC NOSC.

danball1976

Ok, in a linksys BEFSR41 v3 router, what is the maximum time I can enter in the IP lease time? I can enter 5 digits, so I can safely assume I can enter 99999 for 69.44375.

I'd rather do 60 days for a nice even number.

--EDIT--
Nevermind, I entered 86400, and got a little popup that it was out of range, and the max was 65535, so I entered 64800 for 45 days.

At least now I won't be getting the short connection lost when my IP is renewed from the router.