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hotComm and LinkSys Routers

Document number: LSfaq.005
Copyright (c) 2003 1stWorks Corporation. All rights reserved.


How do I configure hotComm and a LinkSys router?

In your LinkSys router, forward incoming connections on one of the ports required by hotComm to the computer that runs hotComm. If you have multiple computers running hotComm behind the router, forward a separate port to each computer. Assign a static internal IP address to each of these computers, so that the incoming connections go to the correct computer. Assign a hotComm startup parameter to each computer so that it uses the correct port.

See more detailed information below.

This documentation assumes that your Linksys uses typical default settings, and that you are setting up one hotComm computer.

  1. Get DNS Server IP addresses:

    1. From your Windows Start menu, select Run. Then, type: command.

    2. In the black window that appears, type: ipconfig -all

    3. Scroll down to the end of the listing and find DNS Servers. Write down all the IP addresses shown for DNS Servers.

    4. Also write down the IP addresses for Default Gateway and Subnet mask.

    5. To close the window, type: Exit



  2. Assign a static IP to your computer:

    1. From your Windows Start menu, select Control Panel.

    2. Select Network Connections. Right-click on the Local Area Connection you're using, and select Properties.

    3. Highlight the TCP/IP Internet Protocol connection and click Properties.

    4. Check Use the following IP address: and type:

      ItemType thisComments
      IP Address: 192.168.1.10 This is the IP address you want to assign. 192.168.1.10 should work for most Linksys configurations.
      Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 Almost all Linksys configurations use this subnet mask.*
      Default gateway: 192.168.1.1 Almost all Linksys configurations use this default gateway.*

      * If the Default Gateway or Subnet Mask you wrote down in Step 1 is different, use the IPs you wrote down.

    5. Check Use the following DNS server addresses: and type in all the DNS Server addresses you wrote down in Step 1.

    6. Click OK and close all Network Connection windows.


  3. Tell the hotComm startup icon which port to expect:

    1. Right-click the hotComm icon on your desktop, and select Properties.

    2. Select the Shortcut tab.

    3. Click in Target: and scroll to the end of the line. After the quotation marks at the end of the line, type a space followed by -i1

      The entire line should look somewhat like this:
      "C:\Program Files\1stWORKS\hotComm\BIN\hotComm.exe" -i1

    4. Click OK and close the window.



  4. Tell the hotComm Auto Start option which port to expect:

    1. Start hotComm.

    2. Click Preferences (the Wrench icon).

    3. In AutoStart CmdLine, type: -i1

    4. Click OK.



  5. Open the port in your Linksys router:

    1. Start your Linksys administration program by opening your Internet browser and typing this address: http://192.168.1.1

      (Note: if the Default Gateway you wrote down in Step 1 is different, type that address instead.)

    2. Type your Linksys User Name and Password.

      (Note: you can try leaving the User Name blank, and typing ADMIN for the Password. These are the Linksys defaults.)

    3. This opens Setup. Select the Advanced tab, then the Forwarding tab.

    4. In Forwarding, type the port and the IP address you entered into your computer in step 2 (this shows 192.168.1.10).

      Service PortsType*IP
      80TCP192.168.1.10
      8080TCP192.168.1.10

      Your version of Linksys may have two columns for Service Port, with a ~ between them. In that case, enter the information like this:

      Service Port
      Column 1
      Service Port
      Column 2
      Type*IP
      8080TCP192.168.1.10
      80808080TCP192.168.1.10


      * For Type, your version of Linksys may offer you the option of Both. In this case, only enter the port number once, and select Both instead of TCP or UDP.

    5. Click Apply.

    6. When Linksys tells you that the settings are changed, and that you can Continue, close your browser.


  6. Restart your computer, and restart hotComm.


More than one hotComm computer

If you have more than one hotComm computer going through the same Linksys router, repeat Steps 2 through 6 for each computer, except that you assign different values:

Computer Static IP address
(Step 2)
hotComm
startup icon
(Steps 3-4)
Ports (Step 5)
2 192.168.1.11 -i2 8180
3 192.168.1.12 -i3 8280
4 192.168.1.13 -i4 8380

Continue in this pattern for additional computers.


Choosing a static IP address

If you want to choose a different static IP address, choose one that is:

  • Not assigned to any other computer or device.

  • Higher than those LinkSys allocates for itself. LinkSys typically uses the low IPs. A good rule of thumb is to avoid 192.168.1.1-192.168.1.9.

  • Lower than the range of IP addresses LinkSys assigns dynamically.

To find what IP addresses LinkSys assigns dynamically:

  1. Start your Linksys administration program as you did in Step 5.

  2. When you see Setup, select the DHCP tab and find Starting IP address. This is typically 192.168.1.50 or 192.168.1.100. Choose an IP address that is lower than the Starting IP address.


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