This TP-Link TD-8816 router has a basic firewall included that helps to protect your home network from any unwanted access coming from the Internet. Firewalls by design block incoming connections. However, there are times you may want some of these connections unblocked. This is frequently called a port forward because you are forwarding a port through your firewall to a specific device on your home network.
In this guide we will show you exactly how to forward a port on your TP-Link TD-8816 router. We will walk you through each step in the process.
In this guide we will cover how to:
- Setup a static IP Address on the device you plan on forwarding the ports to.
- Login to your TP-Link TD-8816 router.
- Locate the port forwarding section.
- Click the Advanced Setup button.
- Click the NAT button.
- Click the Virtual Server link.
- Make 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.
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
It is time to login to the TP-Link TD-8816 router. This router has a web interface meaning you need to login using a web browser.
This can be Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or any other browser you prefer. It should not matter which browser you decide to use.
After you open up your 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 TP-Link TD-8816 IP Address is: 192.168.1.1 After entering the router's IP address in the address bar simply click the Enter key. The following window should appear:
You are in the right place if you see a box asking for a username and password.
- The Default TP-Link TD-8816 Router Username is: admin
- The Default TP-Link TD-8816 Router Password is: admin
Simply enter the router's username and password and click the OK button to access the router's web interface.
Having Trouble?
This is a common place to get stuck. If you find yourself reading this and unable to login to the TP-Link TD-8816 router, there are a few different things you can try:
- First, you can try other common TP-Link passwords. We have a list of them here on this page.
- Another option is to try and guess what you changed the password to. We have a Find Password App that automates the long process for you. This application will only work on your local home network. Learn more in this Router Password Cracker guide.
- Finally, if no other options work, it may be time to consider a router reset. A router reset like this one erases all your personal information. We strongly recommend trying other options before deciding to reset the TP-Link TD-8816 router. Learn more in this How to Reset a Router guide.
Step 3
Once you have finished logging into the TP-Link TD-8816 router you need to find the port forwarding section of the router. To do that let's start on this page:
First, select the Advanced Setup option at the top of the page.
Now, click the NAT option under that in the orange bar.
Then, go ahead and click the Virtual Server link near the bottom of the page.
You should now be on the page you see 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
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Choose an available line number from the Rule Number dropdown box.
Make up a name to put in the Application box. The name does not have any effect on the functionality of the forward, it's simply there so you can know why it was created.
Select the required protocol for these ports from the Protocol dropdown box.
If you are just forwarding a single port number then you can simply enter that same number into both the Start Port Number and the End Port Number boxes. If you are forwarding a range of ports, usually separated by a hyphen, then you need to enter the lowest number of that range into the Start Port Number box and then enter highest number into the End Port Number box.
Enter the IP address to forward these ports to into the Local IP Address 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.
Click the Save button when you are finished.
That's it, you are finished.
Test if Your Ports are Open
Don't forget to test if your ports were opened correctly. In order to see if the TP-Link TD-8816 ports were opened correctly why not try our free Open Port Checker. This can be found in our free trial of the Network Utilities. This Open Port Checker is not only free but has Guaranteed Results.
More Guides
- Check out our list of Game Walkthroughs.
- Free Router Detector
- What is a Firewall?
- A Basic Guide on how to use Wireshark.