ID: 1-060401
Question:
How do I set Port Forwarding on my router to bypass Orb stream servers?
Solution:
Users who installed Orb on a PC that connects directly to their cable modem (i.e., without a router) and users who connect through a router with UPnP enabled enjoy a much better streaming experience: their Orb streams are using their full bandwidth and are not limited to the maximum speed set when going through Orb servers.

Your streams go through Orb servers either when have a router that does not support UPnP or when UPnP is not enabled or is malfunctioning on your router. In this case, you can enjoy direct streaming by setting up port forwarding on your router. Simply put, port forwarding basically consists in by-passing Orb servers by establishing a direct stream communication between your Orb PC and your Orb client device, thus enabling the utilization of your full bandwidth when streaming Orb media. 

The following shows how to set port forwarding on your Orb PC:

Step 1 - Note your Orb PC local area network information:

  1. From your Windows desktop, click Start, then Run. You should now see a small dialog window with a "Open:" box
  2. In the Open: box, type cmd and click OK. This will bring up a black command prompt window
  3. At the command prompt, type ipconfig /all, and then press Enter. 
  4. Write down the following information which you will need in Step 2 below:
    a. IP Address - (something like 192.168.0.2)
    b. Subnet Mask - (something like 255.255.255.0)
    c. Default Gateway - this is your router's IP address: (something like 192.168.0.1)
    d. DNS Servers - also, your router's IP address: (usually same as in c. above, i.e., 192.168.0.1)
  5. Close the command prompt window
Step 2 - Give your Orb PC a static IP address:
  1. From your Windows desktop, click Start, then Control Panel. 
  2. Double-click Network Connections
  3. Double-click Local Area Connection. If you have more than one local area connection, make sure you select the one you use to connect to the Internet: if you are not sure which one it is, right-click it, then select Disable, then launch your browser and see if you can access the Internet.
  4. On the General tab, click Properties
  5. Again, on the General tab, double-click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). You should have both following options selected:
          Obtain an IP address automatically
          Obtain DNS server address automatically
    If you don't, make sure you write down all the information on this screen for backup before proceeding to step 6. below.
  6. Click Use the following IP address, then type in the spaces provided:
    • IP Address - as noted in 4.a. above
    • the Subnet Mask - as noted in 4.b. above
    • the Default Gateway - as noted in 4.c. above
  7. Click Use the following DNS server addresses, then type as "Preferred DNS server" the DNS Server address as noted in 4.d. above. Leave the "Alternate DNS server" address blank.
  8. Click OK and close all windows.
(Note: for a step-by-step guide with screenshots, there are many online resources you can consult, like How to set up a static IP address on a Windows XP computer on PortForward.com web site).

Step 3 - Configure your router to forward Orb streaming ports to your Orb PC

OK, we're almost there. You now need to access your router's configuration menu to set port forwarding. Each router is different, but information on how to access your router configuration should be provided in your router's user guide, and you should also be able to find it fairly easily on your router manufacturer's web site.

TIP: check the router guide list for Orb page from PortForward.com for step-by-step instructions on how to set port forwarding on your router.
  1. Access your router's configuration menu. This can be done by typing your router's IP address in your browser's address bar. The default address, username and password for the specified routers is provided below as an example:

    Router

    Address

    Default Login

    Default Password
    Netgear WGR614 http://192.168.0.1 admin password
    Dlink DSL-G604T http://192.168.1.1 admin admin
    Linksys WRT54GX http://192.168.1.1 (blank) admin

    (Note: On some routers, the default login and password are also printed on the router's label at the bottom of the router itself)


  2. Find and access Port Forwarding in the menu (on some routers it is in the "Advanced" section, on others it is called Port Range Forwarding and it is in the "Applications & Gaming" section, etc.) 


  3. Add a new Service (or Application on some routers) and enter the following information:

    Service Name (or Application)

    Start Port

    End Port

    Server IP Address
    Orb-TCPWin 80* 80* IP Address - as noted in Step 1. (4.a.) above
    Orb-TCPReal-3GP 554 554 IP Address - as noted in Step 1. (4.a.) above
    Orb-UDPReal-3GP 13398 13401 IP Address - as noted in Step 1. (4.a.) above

    *: If TCP Port 80 is already used by another application (e.g., you have Skype running on your Orb PC, or you are hosting a Web server on your LAN, etc.) change this value to 81 (for example), and make sure to also change your Windows Media port to that same value in the DirectStream section on the Advanced tab of your Orb tray icon's Configuration menu.

    Note: when you change the Windows Media port from this standard port, you may be prevented from streaming media to a device that is part of a restrictive corporate LAN that refuses connections on any other port than port 80. If you have Skype running on your Orb PC, see the Solution How can I prevent Skype from locking Windows Media TCP port 80 on my Orb PC?
    4.  

  4. Save your changes.
See also: How do I set Port Forwarding if I have two Orb PCs on my LAN?
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