Fastest TP-Link TL-WR740N Router Port Forwarding Guide

Thumbnail image of Port Forward Staff
Port Forward Staff
November 09, 2016 (Last Updated: ) | Reading Time: 3 minutes

On this page we will be describing how to port forward the TP-Link TL-WR740N router. In order to do this you need to understand that the TP-Link TL-WR740N router has a basic firewall that helps protect your home network from undesirable Internet access. Blocking connections is what the firewall does, but sometimes you want some of these connections opened. This is called a port forward. A port forward is literally forwarding a port or ports directly to a device on your home network.

The basic process to open a port for the TP-Link TL-WR740N router is:

  1. Setup a static IP address on the device you want to forward ports to.
  2. Login to your TP-Link TL-WR740N router.
  3. Locate the port forwarding section.
    • Click the Forwarding link.
    • Click on Virtual Servers.
    • Click the Add New button.
  4. Make a port forward entry.

These steps may sound difficult, but don't worry we will walk you through each step in the process.

We think that forwarding a port should be easy. That's why we created Network Utilities. Our software does everything that you need to forward a port.

Get Started Now!

When you use Network Utilities you get your port forwarded right now!

Step 1

It is important to setup a static ip address in the device that you are forwarding a port to. This ensures that your ports will remain open even after your device reboots.

This step is important because you want a permanent IP address in your device. If you do not set up a permanent IP address in your device, then when you device reboots it may get a new IP address.

Use a VPN Instead

Have you considered using a VPN instead of forwarding a port? For most users, a VPN is a much simpler and more secure choice than forwarding a port.

NordVPN birthday deal!

We use and recommend NordVPN because not only is it the fastest VPN, it includes a new feature called Meshnet that makes forwarding a port no longer necessary for most applications. With NordVPN Meshnet, you can connect to your devices from anywhere in the world, completely secure, over a highly encrypted VPN tunnel.

Every time you click on one of our affiliate links, such as NordVPN, we get a little kickback for introducing you to the service. Think of us as your VPN wingman.

Step 2

Time to login to the TP-Link TL-WR740N router. This router uses a web interface, meaning you need to use a web browser to login to the router. It doesn't matter what browser you use, just pick your favorite. It can be Chrome, Edge, Internet Explorer, or a different one I didn't name.

Go ahead and open up the web browser of your choice. Now find the address bar. The address bar is normally at the top of the page like this:

Image of a browser address bar
Browser address bar

Above is an example of what a web browser address bar looks like. Find the address bar in your router and type in your router's IP address.

The default TP-Link TL-WR740N IP Address is: 192.168.1.1 After you click Enter you should see the following page:

TP-Link TL-WR740N
TP-Link TL-WR740N.

Do you see a box prompting you for a username and password? If so you are on the right track.

Enter the username and password associated with the TP-Link TL-WR740N router. Then click the OK button to login to the TP-Link TL-WR740N setup pages.

TP-Link Usernames and Passwords

If the username and password did not work, we suggest trying other TP-Link usernames and passwords. Check out our list of them here on this Default TP-Link Router Passwords page.

If you still can't login to the TP-Link TL-WR740N router it may be that you have changed the username and password in the past and have forgotten. It may be time to consider a reset. A reset will revert all data back to how it was from the factory. Learn more in our How to Reset a Router guide.

Step 3

It is now time to find the port forwarding section of the TP-Link TL-WR740N router. To do that let's start on the first page:

TP-Link TL-WR740N
TP-Link TL-WR740N.

First, click the Forwarding link in the left sidebar.

This opens up a new menu. Select the new option of Virtual Servers.

TP-Link TL-WR740N
TP-Link TL-WR740N.

Then, click the Add New button in the center of the page.

TP-Link TL-WR740N
TP-Link TL-WR740N.

Step 4

Here are the ports to forward for Xbox Live:

  • TCP Ports: 3074
  • UDP Ports: 3074

If you are looking for the ports for a different application you can find it by either:

Don't forget to sign up for NordVPN's promo deal before it's gone.

NordVPN faster than ever deal!

You might notice that most of our site doesn't have ads on it. This is because we use partnerships with companies like NordVPN to keep the site running. Thank you for supporting us by using our referral links.

Enter the port to forward into the Service Port box.

You need to enter the IP address that you are forwarding ports to in the IP Address box. It's possible for this to be either the IP address of your computer or any other IP address on your network that you want ports forwarded to.

Use the Protocol dropdown box to select the protocol type of the ports you are forwarding.

From the Status dropdown box choose Enabled.

Click the Save button when you are finished.

Don't forget to click the Save button after each entry.

That's it, congratulations.

Check if Your Ports Are Open

It is always a good idea to check your work. In order to see if the ports were forwarded correctly we recommend using our Network Utilities tool. This tool includes a free Open Port Checker. Our Open Port Checker is Guaranteed to work.

More Guides You May Enjoy

More From Portforward