Listen Port Blocked

[warrior11444]

Hello! Like other users my listen port was working fine! Downloads were not a problem, then today I find that the port is now magically blocked! I don't understand what happened, I'm currently renting with another guy and it's his router we're using. So I don't have the Model #, I do know that is of the linksys type. I tried to follow the instructions on port-forwarding guide to try and open it back up again, but I am having trouble because 1. I have a Windows 7 model and two i don't use internet firewall I use Norton 360, thus not all the instructions were helpful in my situation. If additional information is neede then i can provide the router model # @ a later date. But any suggestions would be greatly welcomed. Thank you for you time!

-Leon

[Vasy]

Have you setup a static IP?

When you forward a port in your router, you must forward it for a specific IP address (and no other), more exactly the IP address of your pc. The IP address of your pc can be dynamic or static. If it's dynamic, it means that it can change without your consent, when the DHCP lease ends.

The guys at Portforward have made an app lately that makes this task a lot easier for you.

[kluelos]

The purpose of a firewall is to block unsolicited incoming traffic, which is exactly what you're listening for.

There is probably a firewall in the router.

There is a firewall in Norton.

Your listen port must be opened in both for incoming traffic.

Norton has a long history of not getting along well with P2P. You are really better off with freeware products behave better.

[benyahuda1]

I found that after several years as a beta tester for Symantec that the Norton Products pretty much work as advertised, but, and this is a big but, Norton security software is an enormous system resource hog. As was mentioned before Norton has some problems with torrent clients (and with some other applications and torrents themselves as well) so if you have no real need of such a massive security suite try one of the freeware suites like:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Windows has a effective firewall built in which can be reinforced with

Windows Defender

Spybot S&D

is also a very effective tool.

If you Google or Bing around the net you should be able to find many excellent applications do do these jobs for you that are totally free and do not hog resources like Norton and will perform as well as, or better than, most anything you can buy. My persoonal experiences show these all play very well with BitComet.

[warrior11444]

Thank you for all suggestions! To Vasy: No, i haven't tried that as yet. can you post the link to that app? I want to try that out and hopefully my listen port will open.

To Kluelos: I get what your saying. But isn't there a way i could still use norton and be able to open my port? because I went to the firewall section of Norton 360 and I modified the program rules around bitcomet 2 allow incoming data 2 and from computers, i did the same thing in the traffic rules section where I modified the UPnP Discover and SDSS traffic rules so that norton would allow them. Would it help if i put bitcomet under the exceptions for norton?

To Peer: Thank You very much for you help! I will definetly consider/ snoop around the programs you mentioned. if there is someway that i can make this work with norton, then i'll stick to it, But thank you none the less, i never knew that there was freeward antivirius programs out there, everytime i searched i would come up with the the 1's you usually have 2 pay for.

[kluelos]

You can certainly keep using Norton, but you may have unexpected problems with it or with torrents. I was a huge Norton fan myself, before Symantec bought them.

A firewall is like a gate. You may have opened the gate labeled "Norton", but if the gate labeled "router" is closed, then the path is still blocked. It only takes one that's still closed to block it.

[Vasy]

The app will not open your listen port. It will only setup your computer to have a static LAN IP address. You need to forward your port for it to be open.

Think of it like this: Your wan IP address is like the address of the hotel, the lan ip address is like the number of the floor you're on, the port is like the number of your hotel room, the router is like the receptionist, the incoming connections are the pizza men, bitcomet's listening at the port number is like you waiting for the pizza man at your hotel room. You have an arrangement with the pizza delivery service to deliver pizza at your hotel, daily. The receptionist has a note left by you somewhere in a pile of papers telling him to accept anything that comes for your floor and room number. You leave the hotel for a day and when you come back your former room is occupied so you ask for a new room. The receptionist gives you the key to a room at another floor. You call the pizza service to deliver the pizza at your new location. When the pizza man comes to leave the pizza at the receptionist,the receptionist doesn't have a note telling him to accept anything for that floor and room so he refuses the pizza. So, by forwarding your port you are giving the receptionist the note telling him to accept anything that comes for your floor and room.

Note that the above is a short approximation, if you want more precise, in detail, information, look for documentations about internet protocols.

The app is on their site, at this page.

[warrior11444]

To Kluelos: Thank you again! i'll talk to the owner and see what happens.

To Vasy: Thank you again! i'll check out this app and hopefully I get positive results.