The D-Link DIR-880L router has a firewall that helps to block all unwanted access from the Internet. Your firewall does this quite well. However if a game or application doesn't run smoothly it may be that you need a connection opened from the Internet. This process of unblocking a connection or port is called a port forward because you are forwarding a port through the firewall to a device on your network.
In this guide we will walk you through each of the following steps:
- How to setup a static IP address on the exact device you plan on forwarding ports to.
- How to login to the D-Link DIR-880L router.
- How to find the port forwarding section of the router.
- How to create a port forwarding entry.
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.
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.
- Recommended - Our free Static IP Setter will set up a static IP address for you.
- Another way to get a permanent IP address is to set up a DHCP reservation.
- Or, manually create a static ip address with our Static IP Guides.
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.
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 D-Link DIR-880L router. To do this you need to open up a web browser because the router uses a web interface or menu. It doesn't matter which web browser you decide to use just pick your favorite. Some common options are: Internet Explorer, Edge, Firefox, and Chrome.
After opening the web browser, you need to find the address bar. This is normally at the top of the page like this:
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 D-Link DIR-880L router IP address is: 192.168.0.1
Once you have entered the IP address into the address bar, simply click the Enter key on your keyboard. This takes you to the following page:
Simply enter the Admin Password to login to the D-Link DIR-880L router menu.
By default leave the Admin Password blank.
So go ahead and don't enter anything in this space and click the blue Log In button to access your router's interface.
Having Trouble?
This is a common place to get stuck. If you find yourself in this group, try these ideas:
- The first thing we recommend is other D-Link passwords. It is possible you have a slightly different firmware version with a different password. Here is our list of Default D-Link Router Passwords.
- If that did not work it is because you changed the password in the past and don't remember what you changed it to. We recommend using our Find Password App. This is an app that automates the process of trying thousands of different combinations. Learn more about it on this Router Password Cracker.
- Finally, if that did not help, it might be time to consider a reset. A factory reset should only be done after you have exhausted your other troubleshooting options. Learn more about resetting a router on this How to Reset a Router.
Step 3
Once you have finished logged in, you need to find the port forwarding section of the D-Link DIR-880L router. To do that we will start on the Home page.
On this page, click the option at the top labeled Features. Then under that click the option of Port Forwarding.
Next, click the blue Add Rule link in the center section of the page.
You should see a window similar to the one above.
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:
- Browsing our List of Games
- Check out our our List of Games by Genre
- See our List of all Applications
Don't forget to sign up for NordVPN's promo deal before it's gone.
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.
Put a name for this forward in the Name box so that you can remember why you set this forward up. The name does not matter so pick something that has meaning to you.
Enter the IP address to forward these ports to into the Local IP box. If you are forwarding ports so you can run a program on a device other than your computer then you can enter your device's IP address into that box.
These entries are protocol specific. If the ports you are forwarding need to be forwarded using the TCP protocol, you should enter those ports into the TCP section. If the ports you are forwarding need to be forwarded with the UDP protocol, you should enter those ports into the udp section.
In the Port box put the ports to forward.
These ports can be entered as a list 23,24,25, a range 500-600, or a combination of both 23,45,500-600.
In the Schedule dropdown box choose Always Enable.
Click the Apply button when you are all done.
After each entry, be sure to click the blue Apply button.
When you have finished making all the changes click the Save button on the Port Forwarding page.
Test Your Ports
Once you have finished port forwarding you need to check your work to make sure the port forward went smoothly. One way to do this is to use our Open Port Checker. This part of our free trial version of the Network Utilities. What makes our Port Checker different is that it uses a local application to listen for your ports. This way, we can guarantee a positive result on whether your port is open or not.
Additional Information
More router specific guides can be found on our site setuprouter.com.
