# How to Open Port 1723 for VPN



## robastewart (Apr 5, 2006)

VPN access to my university requires that Port 1723 be opened on my home router/access point. The router is a Linksys WRT54G. I have read tons of posts about what Port 1723 is and is for. But I am unable to find exactly where in the router management interface to open this port, and in what sequence to provide the necessary information. Any help would be appreciated.


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## rhynes (Aug 14, 2006)

Linksys routers aren't capable of blocking much outbound. Just be sure vpn passthrough is enabled and you should be good. Keep in mind that you have to open the ports on any software firewalls you may have as well.


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## datamonger (Jul 25, 2006)

robastewart,

A quick Google search for WRT54G port forwarding gives a link to here:
http://portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Linksys/WRT54G/default.htm
Check it out. If it doesn't help, try one of the other many results from that Google search.

Cliff


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## skinnywhiteboy (Jan 26, 2001)

You should not need to open any ports on your home network to establish a VPN to your university. Your school has to open ports to allow the traffic through, but you do not.


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## robastewart (Apr 5, 2006)

Good grief. Please elaborate. All the posts I'm seeing in various forums suggest that setting port 1723 open in one's router is the thing to do, and I haven't figured out how to do that in my router. But here it is suggested to either open the port in my computer's firewall program, or to do nothing at all. So what's the next step? 

Thanks!


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## rhynes (Aug 14, 2006)

Is it safe to assume you already setup the vpn connection? And it doesn't work?

What antivirus/firewall package do you have? If it's not working, maybe that's what's stopping you. By default, the linksys shouldn't block vpn connections.


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## robastewart (Apr 5, 2006)

Thanks for your quick reply! Yes, that's exactly it--the VPN connection is already set up by following published university guidelines for doing so. But the connection does not work, returning error 678. The university's IT help desk says the most common reason for that is one's personal router, and the solution is to open port 1723 and set IP protocol 47 (GRE). I've already figured out that IP protocol 47 is already set by default in the router, but can't tell about port 1723. If the Linksys WRT54G router is by default set to allow VPN connections, then my problem must be in the firewall. I use PC Tools Firewall Plus. Windows firewall is disabled.


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## rhynes (Aug 14, 2006)

Go here: 
http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Sate...pagename=Linksys/Common/VisitorWrapper#widget
halfway down the page you'll find a link for the user guide, search the pdf for vpn and you'll find where to enable it.

Is the pc tools firewall off as well?


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## skinnywhiteboy (Jan 26, 2001)

robastewart said:


> Good grief. Please elaborate. All the posts I'm seeing in various forums suggest that setting port 1723 open in one's router is the thing to do, and I haven't figured out how to do that in my router. But here it is suggested to either open the port in my computer's firewall program, or to do nothing at all. So what's the next step?
> 
> Thanks!


Okay contrary to popular belief that little linksys router is NOT a firewall, although it does provide some security in that it comes defaulted with all the ports closed right out of the box. If you are receiving error 678 when trying to establish a VPN connection, there is a very high possibility that one of the following is true:

1.	A network cable is disconnected.
2.	The modem has been disabled.
3.	The modem drivers are corrupted.
4.	Spyware is running on the computer and is interfering with the connection.
5.	Winsock has to be repaired.
6.	Third-party firewall software is blocking the connection.

Given what you've said so far, are you sure there is no third party firewall installed on your computer? If so, try turning off the firewall and re-establish the connection. Also, what Operating System are you using? If you're using Windows Vista, that is what's wrong.


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## robastewart (Apr 5, 2006)

The replies are appreciated. Good stuff! But I've been all through the Linksys user documentation, including the user forums. By now I'm confident that the router is already set by default to permit VPN connections and that the problem is probably my computer's firewall. I haven't tried VPN with my firewall off, so will do that next. The modem, cables, and all that jazz are just fine.


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## rhynes (Aug 14, 2006)

When you turn the windows firewall off, make sure you do it through the services.msc snapin. Turning it off via the control panel isn't effective.


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