Fastest TP-Link Archer C5400 Router Port Forwarding Steps

Your TP-Link Archer C5400 router has a firewall designed to keep out unwanted Internet access. This firewall blocks connections to and from the Internet unless otherwise specified. Sometimes a game or application doesn't run as smoothly as it could, this is when you might benefit from a port forward.

On this page, we will be walking you through each of the steps involved in port forwarding on the TP-Link Archer C5400 router.

Steps involved in port forwarding the TP-Link Archer C5400 are:

• Setting up a Static IP address on the device you plan on port forwarding these ports to.
• Logging into the TP-Link Archer C5400 router.
• Navigating to the port forwarding section of the router.
• Entering the correct information in the router to create a port forward 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.

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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

It is time to login to the TP-Link Archer C5400 router. To do this you need to use a web browser to access the router's web interface. It shouldn't matter which browser you decide to use but the manual specifically mentions:

• Internet Explorer
• Firefox
• Safari

After opening the web browser of your choice, find the address bar. It is normally found 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 TP-Link Archer C5400 IP Address is: 192.168.0.1

After entering the IP address into the address bar, click the Enter key and you should be shown an authentication page:

If you see a login screen like the one above, you are on the right page.

• The Default TP-Link Archer C5400 Router Username is: admin
• The Default TP-Link Archer C5400 Router Password is: password

Simply input the username and password for the TP-Link Archer C5400 router and press the blue Login button to access the router's interface.

Having Trouble?

This is a common place to get stuck. If you find yourself in this predicament, here are a few things you can try:

• First, you should try other common TP-Link passwords. There is a chance you have a slightly different firmware version with a different username and password. Here is our list of Default TP-Link Router Passwords.
• If that did not work, then it is probably because you changed the username and password in the past and don't remember what you changed it to. If this is the case we can help by using our Find Password App. This is a router password cracker that only works on your local home network. Learn more about this handy little app on this Router Password Cracker page.
• As a last resort if nothing else works, it might be time to consider a factory reset. Please exhaust your other options first. A reset erases everything (not just the password and username to get into your router). If this is something you must consider please read our How to Reset a Router guide.

Step 3

You are now logged into the TP-Link Archer C5400 router and need to find the port forwarding section of the router. To do this let's start on the Basic Network Map page of your router:

Look at the top of the page and select the tab labeled Advanced.

Now, in the left sidebar, choose the option of NAT Forwarding.

Then under that, click Virtual Servers.

You should now see a page like the one above. Click the green link on the right side of the page labeled +Add.

This is the port forwarding page for your TP-Link Archer C5400 router.

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.

Create a name for this forward and put it in the Service Type box. The name is only used as a reminder and has no effect on the port forward.

Enter the same port number to be forwarded into both the External Port and the Internal Port boxes.

Enter the IP address that you are forwarding ports to in the Internal IP box. This is either the IP address of a computer or the IP address of another device on your network.

Select the protocol type of the ports you are forwarding from the Protocol box.

Enable the Enable This Entry checkbox by putting a check in it.

Click the Ok button when you are done.

Are Your Ports Open?

How can you tell if the ports you just told your router to open actually opened correctly? There are ways of checking for open ports. We have a free Open Port Checker you can use. It is part of our Network Utilities free trial. This Open Port Checker differs from others on the Internet because it uses a local application to listen for the designated ports. This way we can give you a positive reading on whether the ports are open or not.

Additional Information...

Check out more of our guides here and on our other site setuprouter.com.