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Dlink DSL-254OU Port Forwarding Instructions

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Setup Router Staff
(Last Updated: ) | Reading Time: 3 minutes

This page will show you how to setup a port forward on the Dlink DSL-254OU router.

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.

When shopping for a VPN, make sure that they meet the following criteria:

  • Your VPN provider should have a no-logs policy. This means that they do not keep any logs of any kind.
  • Make sure that your VPN provider has lots of exit nodes all around the world.
  • Check that your VPN will not affect your speed.
  • Verify that your VPN provider uses WireGuard as the underlying protocol.
  • Many people prefer a VPN provider that is not based in the United States.

This is the list of requirements that we used when we were shopping around for a VPN provider. There are lots of free, shady VPN providers out there that we looked at and dismissed.

Based in Panama, using diskless servers, and with over 6,100 servers in 61 countries, we can safely say that NordVPN satisfies all of these requirements.

NordVPN is the fastest VPN!

Once you've set up your NordVPN account on multiple computers and enabled Meshnet, you can seamlessly access all of your devices as if they were on the same network. You don't even have to log in to your router. It's very simple.

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.

If you are not sure what port forwarding is you can read our What is Port Forwarding guide to help get started.

Other Dlink DSL-254OU Guides

This is the port forwarding guide for the Dlink DSL-254OU. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Configure your Computer to Have a Static IP Address

Port forwarding the Dlink DSL-254OU to your computer can be more reliable if you first configure a static IP address on your computer. We have instructions to setup a static IP address for Windows 7, Windows 8, and a variety of other devices on our Static IP Address Settings page.

Please note that while setting up a static IP address on your computer is optional, it is still a very good idea to go ahead and do it. In the long run it will make your port forward much more reliable.

Login To The Dlink DSL-254OU

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To get started forwarding a port you need to login to your Dlink DSL-254OU router. If you are already logged in you can skip this step.

To login to the Dlink DSL-254OU, follow our Dlink DSL-254OU Login Guide.

Forward a Port on the Dlink DSL-254OU router

Find The Port Forwarding Section of the Dlink DSL-254OU

router status mac address internet IP
This is the status page from your Dlink DSL-254OU router.

Starting on the Device Info page of the Dlink DSL-254OU router, click the Advanced Setup link on the left side of the page. Then, below that choose NAT, and then pick Virtual Servers.

Configure the Port Forwarding section of your Dlink DSL-254OU

Now to forward a port, make the following changes:

port forwarding nat screenshot
This is the port forwarding page from your Dlink DSL-254OU router.

You should now be on a page similar to the one you see here. First, click the button in the center section of the page labeled Add.

Tick the radio button labeled Custom Service, and in the box after that, enter the name of the program you are forwarding these ports for. This is not mandatory but a good idea for your future reference.

Next is the Server IP Address. Here you should enter the LAN IP address of the computer you are forwarding these ports to. If you are unsure of how to find your computer's IP address, click the following link, What is my IP Address.

To forward a single port, enter the port number in four different boxes. Enter that address in External Port Start, External Port End, Internal Port Start, and Internal Port End. To forward a range of ports, enter the lowest number in the External Port Start, and Internal Port Start. Key in the highest number of the range in the External Port End, and Internal Port End.

Use the Protocol drop down menu to choose the type of protocol you need to use to forward these ports.

In the Remote IP box, enter 0.0.0.0.

Once you have done all of the above, click Save/Apply.

Congratulations, you have forwarded a port!

Test if Your Ports are Open

Now that you have forwarded ports on the Dlink DSL-254OU you should test to see if your ports are forwarded correctly.

To test if your ports are forwarded you should use our Open Port Check tool.

Other Dlink DSL-254OU Info

Don't forget about our other Dlink DSL-254OU info that you might be interested in.

This is the port forwarding guide for the Dlink DSL-254OU. We also have the following guides for the same router: