This ZTE MF283 router has a firewall that helps protect your home network from any unwanted Internet access. The firewall does this by blocking all unauthorized connections to and from your local network. In order for you to get some of these connections unblocked or open for online gaming or programs you need to create a port forward.
In this guide we will walk you through each of the following steps:
- How to create a static IP address for the device you plan on forwarding these ports to.
- How to login to the ZTE MF283 router.
- How to find the port forwarding section of the router.
- How 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.
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
In this step we will show you how to login to the ZTE MF283 router. You need to access the router's setup pages using a web browser. To do this it does not matter what browser you decide to use. I recommend simply picking one you are comfortable with. Some of the more common options are Internet Explorer, Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
Simply open up the browser and find the address bar. Your address bar in the browser should be 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 ZTE MF283 IP Address is: 192.168.0.1
If the above IP address does not work or you changed it in the past and don't remember what you changed it to then follow these Find Your IP Address Instructions.
Go ahead and enter the IP address into the address bar and click the Enter key on your keyboard. If all goes according to plan you will see the following screen:
On this page, enter the password and click the Login button.
- The Default ZTE MF283 Router Username is: admin
- The Default ZTE MF283 Router Password is: password
Having Trouble?
Are you having trouble signing in? If so, here are a few things you can try:
- The first thing you can try is other ZTE passwords. If you have a slightly different firmware version, then you may also have a different username and password. Here is our list of Default ZTE Router Passwords.
- If that does not work, then it is because you changed your password in the past and you don't remember what you changed it to. Try and guess what you changed it to. Another option is to use our Find Password App. It will automate the process of guessing thousands of different passwords. Learn more about this on our Router Password Cracker page.
- Finally, if you still are unable to login to the ZTE MF283 router, it might be time to think about a factory reset. A factory reset erases every single setting you have ever changed on this router. We strongly recommend trying both of the above options before you decide to reset this router. Learn how to reset the router on our How to Reset a Router page.
Step 3
It is time to find the port forwarding section of the ZTE MF283 router. To do this we begin on the Home page.
Click the option of Settings at the top of the page.
Then click Firewall in the left sidebar.
Finally, click the option of Port Forwarding.
You should now be on the correct page to get some ports forwarded.
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 IP address that you want to forward these ports to into the IP Address box. Note that 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 instead.
If you are only forwarding a single port then you can enter that same port number into both the left Port Range and the right Port Range boxes. If you are forwarding a range of ports then you need to enter the lowest number into the left Port Range box and the highest number into the right Port Range box.
Select the protocol type of the ports you are forwarding from the Protocol box.
You need to name this entry in the Comment box. The name does not make any difference in the forward; it's just there so that you can remember later why you setup this forward.
When you are all done click the Apply button.
Make sure you press the Apply button when you are finished with each entry.
Testing Your Ports
When you are finished, it is a very good idea to check your ports. To help you do this we have an Open Port Checker. It uses a local application to see if the server is listening on the chosen ports. You can find the Open Port Checker in our Network Utilities.
More Info...
If you still can't get your ports forwarded, we recommend using our PortForward Software. Our software includes everything you need in order to diagnose, troubleshoot, and fix port forwarding issues.
Check out our selection of free guides . From networking to gaming, portforward.com is your computer information source.
Finally if you are looking for router guides, check out setuprouter.com These guides are written specifically for your router. Simply look for your router and model number and check out the different guides available.
