EVIL firewall please help

[RataToo]

I have a lyksys etherfast Cable/Dsl router that I uses to split our braodband connection and it is a wonderful device...but.... To set up servers or use netmeeting and such I need to get past my own firewall....when I try to open ports it never works... it always looks like its gonna and then when I try it it no worky so then I go back into the port menu and all my entries are erased. I would like to disable the firewall completely but i think the router needs it to function somehow. Anyone have experience with this device? the model number is befsr41. The manual is too basic and the linksys tech helpers are useless. Any advice is GREATLY appreciated. If someone knows how to disable the firewall completely I will name my first born after you.

[Mr.Goodbytes]

Well, as far as I know, you can only get one IP around the firewall using the DMZ feature of the router. The reason that Netmeeting doesn't work is that the firewall uses NAT (Network Address Translation). Basically, all your computers access the internet via 1 IP addy. You may have a problem hosting games like Starcraft or UT as well because of this. I wish I had a better solution for you.

Sometimes if you use software instead of the router, it works better. I think Sygate will do it even though it uses NAT as well, but I'm not 100% sure.

[jman01pa]

I have the same router but dont use netmeeting. I dont have any trouble hosting games (Halflife). At least since I followed these instructions. This is in the owners manual and you probably already know it but I will supply it just in case. I will try to find a way to disable the firewall.

How do I get Half-Life: Team Fortress to Work with the Router? The default
client port for Half-Life is 27005. The computers on your LAN need to
have "+clientport 2700x" to the HL shortcut command line; the x would be
6, 7, 8, and on up. This lets multiple computers connect to the same server.
One problem: version 1.0.1.6 won't let multiple computers with the same
CD key connect at the same time, even if on the same LAN (not a problem
with 1.0.1.3). As far as hosting games, the HL server does not need to be in
the DMZ. Just forward port 27015 to the local IP of the server computer.
There remains, however, a problem with people being booted after a few
minutes with an "illegible server message."

[RataToo]

Does anyone know if the router uses the firewall somehow to split the connection? I begining to think that I ought to use internet connection shatring on one computer and have my configuration as follows: Cable modem to first computer, first computer to router and router to the other computers...that way I'll have one computer beyond the firewall...if the router can work that way.... but it sure would be a lot easier just to turn the freakin firewall off. Has anyone ever put a router after a computer in the pecking order?

[ArcAngel]

like mr goodbytes stated before "you can only get one IP around the firewall using the DMZ feature of the router"

Use the dmz feature to expose one machine past the firewall, unfortunately, you can only do this with one machine at a time...

[jit333]

You are supposed to use your firewall for the internet not your own internal network.

[socalgal]

Moved to Networking.