The TP-Link TL-WR841N v12 router has a firewall that helps protect your home network from unwanted Internet activity. The firewall works by blocking all incoming and outgoing Internet connections that are not authorized. This can be a problem for some online games and programs. To run smoothly these games and programs need additional connections opened. To open additional connections you need to create a port forward.
In this guide I will walk you through each step in the port forwarding process. These steps include:
- setup a static IP address on the device you want to forward these ports to.
- login to the TP-Link TL-WR841N v12 router interface.
- find the port forwarding page in your TP-Link TL-WR841N v12 router interface.
- create a port forward entry.
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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.
TIP: I recommend writing this static IP address down. You need it a little later in the port forwarding process.
Step 2
Now that you have created a static IP address for the device you want to forward these ports to, it is time to login to the TP-Link TL-WR841N v12 router.
First, open up a web browser. For most routers it doesn't matter which browser you decide to use, simply pick your favorite such as Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox or Edge.
After opening your web browser, find the address bar. The address bar is 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 TL-WR841N v12 IP Address is: 192.168.0.1
Now press the Enter key on your keyboard. If everything goes according to plan you should see a page like the one here:
If everything did not go according to plan and you do not see the page above you need to find out what the router's current IP address is. To do this I recommend following the directions on my How To Find Your Router's IP Address page.
Enter the correct username and password.
- The Default TP-Link TL-WR841N v12 Router Username is: admin
- The Default TP-Link TL-WR841N v12 Router Password is: password
Press the blue Login button when you are finished.
Having Trouble?
A lot of people get stuck at this point. Most router setup procedures ask you to change the username and password before continuing. These passwords get lost, and logging into the router interface becomes a challenge. Here are a few things you can try before tossing the router out the nearest window:
- It is possible we don't have the most current default username and password. Every once in a while router manufactures change the defaults on us to keep us on our toes. Here is a list of all the different default usernames and passwords TP-Link has ever used: Default TP-Link Router Passwords.
- None of the defaults worked? Most likely you changed the password and have forgotten it. If you can't guess what you changed it to, let us help. Use our Find Password App. It does the guessing for you.
- Are you still stuck? It is probably time to consider a factory reset for your TP-Link TL-WR841N v12 router. To do this follow the procedure explained on our How to Reset a Router page.
Step 3
You should now be logged in and looking at the Status page of the TP-Link TL-WR841N v12 router interface. It will look like this:
On this first page, click the Forwarding option in the left sidebar.
This should take you to the page you see above. On this page select the option of Add New (it will be in the center section of the page).
Congratulations, you are now on the correct page to make a port forward entry.
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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Enter the same port number to be forwarded into both the Service Port and the Internal Port boxes.
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.
Select the protocol type of the ports you are forwarding from the Protocol box.
Choose Enabled from the Status dropdown box.
After you are done click the Save button.
When you are finished, don't forget to click the Save button.
Check your Ports
Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if the ports forwarded properly, so we recommend using our Open Port Checker to see if the ports forwarded correctly. Our port checker uses a local application to see if the server is listening. This guarantees an accurate result.
Additional Info...
Here at portforward.com we have more than just port forwarding guides. We also have networking, software, and gaming guides. Check them out on our guide page.
Do you need help setting up your router for the first time? How about your WiFi security, is it as strong as it should be? We can help at setuprouter.com.
