I have been looking for years to find a router that just routes.I keep buying routers that always block some kind of port.I dont want that,i just want a router so i can run my Playstation and computer without having to juggle connections and disconnections.
Does such a router exist that only routes or does every router that exists have some kind of port blocking so i need to mess with port forwarding and all that?
Please,somebody tell me a router exists that really for God's sake only routes.I can and do use software for firewall purposes.Does a routing company out there understand this and make a router just for routing purposes alone?


Sincerely
Ravage777

I think it's called a HUB!

If all you are doing is sharing a connection you don't need a router.
All you need is a Hub or at most a switch.

Edit: HOWEVER COMMA....if you run your internet connection from the modem to the hub or switch and it's an always on connection, you are going to get hacked.

Well, a hub might work, but there are routers that only route and do not filter. I'm not sure if you will find a reasonably priced router for home though, as the only ones I can think of cost a lot more than the consumer wants to spend.

Have you checked to see if you can hack a WRT54G so it only does routing and not filtering? I use OpenWRT on mine.

Keep in mind you will still want to NAT your IP addresses, unless you setup something with your ISP. Otherwise, the packets will never get back to you, and you will be dead in the water.

About the hacking, there are firewalls for computers, so they should protect you. Even though your system is behind a network firewall, it is still a good idea to run a firewall on each system. Additionally, an unprotected computer connected via dialup can get infected/hacked.

EDIT: Now that I think more about this, you'll still need to mess with port forwarding. For example, say you want port 8080 opened to your PC and 12345 opened to your PS3. There's no way for the router to know which port should go to what IP, unless you direct it. So, stick with your current router. Performing port forwarding isn't a difficult operation.

I'm using the D-Link 4100 Gaming Router and it works fine with 3 PCs and my PS3. No problem and lag even all the system are running and using online whether surfing or gaming. Easy to setup and very fast thus minimizing the pings or latency. I've been using this router for a year now and it's still one of the best router to online gaming.

No, this router does not meet your requirement as it is very easy to setup, lots of features to mention "Gaming Fuel" to prioritize gaming data and etc. I don't know what firmware I'm using with this router but I got the one default and it works fine. Test it for yourself.

I wont ever use both at the same time(Playstation 3 and my PC).I also dont leave it on as an always on connection and i turn it off when im done gaming.
Because i meet these requirements can i find a router that just routes?
How would i go about finding one because all the router sites i go to dont specify and then when i buy one it turns out to have some kind of port blocking.I have even purchased routers that have port blocking built in but labeled as no firewalls.I think that's what NAT is.
Should i search for something called a hub or maybe search for something called a switch?
Switch is a pretty broad search term.
Boy i hope this works,i've allready worn out one cat5 cable because after plugging and un-plugging so many times the plastic locking switch part broke and it wouldnt stay in the plug hole so i had to replace it at almost 20$ a pop because i like the best cords.
Actually i think it was a cat7,i'm thinking cat5 because thats what my modem to pc patch cable is but the phone company says i have to use thier cord or it wont work but for relay radio shack says i can use cat7 cables(or cat6,i dont recall except i know its not cat5)because they're faster for an additional 10$ a pop every 6.mo. when the cable end breaks from plugging and unplugging it so much.


Sincerely
Ravage777

Whats wrong with enabling port forwarding?

Try a Dlink. I have a Dlink604, and it allows me to put one IP address into what they call the DMZ. This removes all port blocking, and exposes the device to all the horrors of the internet. I use it from time to time when I play a game with someone over the internet.

All routers route and by default consumer routers (d-link, netgear etc) come with predefine access lists which block and allow certain ports, protocols directions and stuff like that. If you don't want to block anything all you have to do is configure the access list inside of you router to allow everything, below is an example of what you'd want your filter or access to look like.

# | Source IP | Destination IP | Protocol | Action
1 | Any IP | Any IP | All | Allow

What you seem to really want is a switch which just forwards all traffic to whatever is plugged into it by default.

Go to the setup page of your router and put the IP of your computer and the IP of your PS3 at the DMZ (demilitarized zone) this option must be somewhere in the NAT menu or Port Forwarding menu of your router.If you do that any data incoming at any port that your router doesn't know what to do with them it will just forward them (route them) to your PC and PS3.

Thank you so much everybody.I have learned that the reasons all routers have NAT is that they are all made for multiple things to use the same internet connection at the same time.NAT is the first firewall i came across and i couldnt hook to certain stuff and gaming sites(mainly gaming sites that are online play-like Gamespy was one of them{their customer service for help with routers is terrible because it took me 2 months just to get online,all the while paying for a broadband connection.}) because of NAT.I am not going to be using multiple stuff at the same time on one connection so i dont need NAT.
Are there routers that exist that just route but dont have built in firewalls or NAT?
That way i dont ever have to mess with configuring.I just plug it in and i'm good to go dependant upon which piece of hardware i have turned on at the time.
Preferably one with a switch for on and off,but on a side note thats another thing i have never seen on a router.I'll just turn off my stuff when i'm done using it and i'm fine although i question whether or not it puts premature wear on a router to have it on 24/7.
Is there a router with an off/on switch that doesn't have NAT or any built in firewalls? :?:


Sincerely
Ravage777

I haven't purchased a router in several years. Are cable/dsl modems now integrated with a router? I have a Internet>DSL modem>Router>multiple PC setup. The point of having a router is to enable multiple connections plus a firewall. If you don't need those things, why not skip the router altogether and just plug into the modem?

yes, most dsl and cable modems are now routers by default, with firewall and all the stuff, hell most newer ones have wi fi with themtoo...

btw....
some to the topic starter: some routers do have the option to turn off the firewall.
or disable all "firewall rules"

There are no consumer level routers that do not come preconfigured with access rules. You can always turn them off.

The more expensive option is to buy a commercial router (think Cisco) and program it to just your external IP address and your internal IP address and your default route.

This requires a little bit of technical knowledge, such as setting up your IP addresses manually, and a few commands in Cisco IOS to set up the route from your internal network to you ISP, but you will get exactly what you want .... a router that just routes with no access rules in place.

It's called switch (a hub does not route at all; it just multiplies..) and costs only a few bucks. And I don't see the problem in configuring your router a little bit. Should take you no more than 5 minutes to get it right...

As the last guy said, but a swtich.
This is what switches are designed to do.

You don't want a router.
These add overhead and other stuff.
A switch just quickly passes your traffic.

Yes, you can use a flamethrower to light candles, but why try and find a flamethower that will only put out a flame 1 inch so as to not melt you candle instantly. It could be done but why do it. The flamethrower is more expensive and not specifically designed to do that job even though it could.

Dude
You are "playing" with technology, so ya' have to "learn" how to employ tech, right? What you are now doing is plain stupid! Inexpensive home routers are all 10/100 Mbit, so CAT-5 cable "works" perfectly well ... if your hardware is 10/100 speed, certified gigabit cables do not add anything except cost! Why do you plug/unplug cables to the router?? ... simply turn off/shutdown the system you are not using and it's "functionally" unplugged (Make sure to set BIOS to NOT wake on LAN)

I recommend you call a sales tech at several different network hardware manufacturers and tell'em what you "think" you want ... they will tell how "a cow eats da' cabbage", so you can learn

Basically, the type of router you would be looking for is...

http://cgi.ebay.com/CISCO-SYSTEMS- [...] dZViewItem

This is a Cisco 2600 series router. It will take some technical knowledge to set this up, but you will still be required to use NAT. If you configure it with regular IP addresses, it will be a possibility that they exist somewhere else on the internet. This is the purpose of NAT or Network Address Translation, so you can use a private IP addressing scheme with only 1 routable IP address. Your ISP will be able to detect that you're routing actual IPs and then block your modem.

atp777
Network Engineer

What the heck are you brabbling about? Did you read the OP's question?

Learn to use the router, it does not take much effort. Putting your computer exposed on the internet even for short periods of time is risky and a software firewall is not going to cut it, that is like putting an alarm system on your bedroom door instead of the outside exits of your home, they are already in your house.

Once you have the port you need opened you're done. You wont have to reconfig every day.

And for the love of god stop buying over priced cables. I seriously doubt that the performance increase across the 20 feet the cable runs is noticeable. You most likely don't have hardware that "truely" uses the benefits.

I wonder why these people confuse layer 1-2 devices with other layer stuff
layer 1 and 2 are MAC based, thats NO WAY ROUTING..
switches are MAC based...
thus NO ROUTING

routing = tcp/ip stuff...

I use a router LINKSYS WRT54G. My 2 PC's and PS3 is hardwired to it. It is very easy to set up and works like a charm. They even have new downloadable managment software that optimizes the settings for all connections. I would advise getting a router then just a switch or hub becasue of the additional options for security built in. Also the firmware updates keep it current. I have had 3 or 4 fimrware updates for the past year and half I have owned it. I don't think passive hubs or switches have that ability.