Hub question for Mac users

[trekds947]

How do you set up Direct Connect for Active Mode on a Mac? What "Address" do you enter in the Address field of the Preferences screen? How do you find the address to use?

[Frau_Blucher]

There are two IP addresses you need to know, the External IP of your Router and the Internal IP of your specific Computer on that Router. The former can be pinged most simply by going to this site where it will tell you:

http://www.dslreports.com/ip

The latter and other functions have to be set by logging into your Router. Look in your Router manual or website for your brand's URL and its default Username and Password. It's typically something like 192.168.x.x. Enter that number in your browser address field then enter the name and pass. Once there, look for a tab or link that displays the Internal IPs of connected devices. These will typically be modificaitons of the Router's main address, like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.2 or 192.168.1.101 etc. You need to make note of this when setting port forwarding.

Now go to the Router's Port Forwarding tab or link. Enter in that pervious Internal IP of your computer into an appropriate Forwarding field. Some Routers have just one field for all protocols, other may require you to enter that IP on seperate lines for TCP and UDP Protocols. Then you need to forward one Port, selecting a number between 1024 - 65535...what one it doesn't matter. Again, some Routers require you to enter in the forwarding Port in only one place, others may have fields for both Int and Ext Port - just use the same number and make note of that number. Now apply and close the Router browser window.

Go back to Direct Connect, Preferences, Network, and hit Active. Then hit Advanced. Enter the External IP you got earlier into the Address field. Enter the same forwarding Port number into the Download and Search Port fields.

You should now be good to go. If things aren't working, go log back into the Router and check to make sure your computer's Internal IP and forwarded Port numbers have no been changed. If so, 1) change the forwarded Internal IP to the indicated one in the Router settings or 2) change the forwarded Port numbers back to match the Router's in Direct Connect. You might have to periodically change 1 if you have multiple computers on your Router that do frequent restarts. You might have to change 2 if your service provider just happens to have reserved that random number you chose for their own use - just pick something else again.

Good luck.