A fairly large number of users have several computers. To give them all access to the Internet, they usually use a router that "distributes" the Internet from one account and IP addresses to all home devices (tablets, laptops, desktop PCs, smartphones, and so on). As a rule, only a router has a real IP address, but here's the catch. Access to the ports of internal computers is simply not there. This is necessary if for some reason you need to access, for example, documents on a remote machine. In the classic version, the FTP service is configured on the remote machine, and port forwarding (or port forwarding) is configured on the router . But today there is a standard that allows you to do without the intricacies of configuring each individual service on the router, you only need to know how to enable UPnP (but only if UPnP support is provided in the router and the server side of the application).
In most routers, this function is disabled by default, so the question of how to enable uPnP is an urgent one for the home network administrator. For example, in D-Link network devices (expensive models are implied, since uPnP is supported only on them), you can connect this function by selecting Advanced. The administrative panel of the router can be found at the gateway address ( ipconfig / all command in the console) and access it using a regular browser (after having ascertained the password from the router by default).
After connecting this function to a NAT device, you should activate it on all client machines whose services are needed externally. It is most convenient to check this through the graphical interface. We will focus primarily on the Windows XP operating system, since it is still widespread. Open the "network environment". On the left, select "Display icons for UPnP network devices." After that, you must allow the firewall built into the system to open the appropriate ports. Then be sure to make sure the services are up and running. In the ideal case, it is most likely possible to enable UPnP in this way. After completing this operation, you need to reboot, and the list of network connections will be replenished with the Internet Gateway group , as well as with the Internet Connection icon. In addition, the name of the router may be displayed in the "Network Places" (depending on the settings of the PC). If there are no signs of these changes, check to see if the list of running services includes “Universal PnP Host” devices, as well as “SSDP Discovery Service”.
It should be noted that these services may not be activated. Then try the following - press the Win button (located between Ctrl and Alt) + R. Type cmd in the interface that opens. Then, in the starting console, you should try to register the UPnP service library with the regsvr32 upnpui.dll command. After this operation, try starting the services again. If it still does not work, then use the specialized utility UPnP Test Program, which will tell you at what stage when the services started to fail. As an alternative, you can use another program that is more useful for the program that is not very versed in the intricacies of fine tuning the user's system - the UPnP Test Program. Its main functions are the automated launch of all the necessary services for UPnP and displaying the configuration of ports on a device that provides NAT.
But if system files are missing, the UPnP Test Program is unlikely to help. To restore them, you must manually reinstall the Windows components - “Gateway Device Discovery and Management Client” and “UPnP User Interface”. At the same time, check if the built-in firewall is enabled, disable the service. These are great ways to learn how to configure UPnP. After completing these procedures, be sure to restart the PC. So you have learned how to enable UPnP.
After the services are successfully launched, the necessary ports must be opened. It is most convenient to enable UPnP support in client programs (provided in Skype, StrongDC, and so on, instructions on how to enable UPnP are contained in the help files of these programs), but you can configure the work for the necessary services manually, if the program does not provide such support . To do this, in the properties of the Internet connection (which is displayed after turning on UPnP), use the "Add" button to specify the rules (external and internal port, as well as the type of TCP, UDP connection, or both using two different rules).