Your Netgear RM356 router has a very basic firewall that helps protect your home network from unwanted Internet activity. Since this firewall blocks incoming and outgoing connections you may need to open a connection through the firewall for online gaming or programs. To do this you need to create what is called a port forward.
In this guide we will walk you through the port forwarding process for your Netgear RM356 router. We will show you:
- How to setup a static IP address on the device you plan on forwarding these ports to.
- How to login to the Netgear RM356 router interface.
- How to find the port forwarding page in the router's web interface.
- How to setup a port forward for the online game or program of your choice.
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.
TIP: Write this static IP address down. You need it in Step 4.
Step 2
Now we are going to login to your Netgear RM356 router. Your router has a web interface, so you will login to it using your web browser. This can be either Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Edge. It usually does not matter which browser you choose to use.
Open up your web browser and find the address bar. It should look something 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 Netgear RM356 IP Address is: 192.168.0.1
After entering the IP address of your router you can simply press enter. If all goes well you will see the following screen:
You should see a box prompting you for your username and password. If you do not see a login screen you need to check the router's IP address (computer's default gateway). To do that simply follow the directions on our How To Find Your Router's IP Address page.
- The Default Netgear RM356 Router Username is: admin
- The Default Netgear RM356 Router Password is: password
Enter your username and password, and then click the OK button to log in to your Netgear RM356 router.
Netgear Usernames and Passwords
If your username and password do not work then please visit our Default Netgear Router Passwords page.
You can try and guess what you changed the router's login username and password to. To make this easier you can use our Find Password App.
If you still can't login to your router because you forgot your Netgear RM356 router username and password, use our How to Reset a Router Password guide to set your Netgear RM356 router back to its factory settings.
Step 3
Now we need to find the port forwarding section in your router. Here's how you do it. Starting from the first page in your router:
First, click the SUA Server Setup option from the list. In the image above it is number 15.
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
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Put the port to forward into the Port # box.
Enter the IP address that you are forwarding ports to in the IP Address box. This is either the IP address of a computer or the IP address of another device on your network.
Test if Your Ports are Open
Now that you have forwarded ports on the Netgear RM356 you should test to see if your ports are forwarded correctly.
To test if your port has been properly forwarded, you can use our Network Utilities tool, which includes a free Open Port Checker. Our Open Port Check tool is the only online port checking tool with Guaranteed Results.
More Info...
Check out our other guides. We have a growing list of free gaming, networking, and software guides here at portforward.com.
Our other site setuprouter.com can help you setup a secure home network with your exact router.
