Have you ever lived the Plug n Play experience? Plug-n-Play devices do not have pre-installed hardware on your computers or desktops, and you can connect them to your devices whenever the need arises. The best example of Plug n play can be seen in USB keyboards or mice.
All you have to do is to insert the USB into the computer connectivity port and start using the keyboard or mouse. This plug-n-play experience is pretty much straightforward with the hardware devices, but the case is not very convenient for networked devices.
For example, when it comes to attaching a new printer or camera to your computer? This is not as simple as hardware plug-n-play as you have to connect the networking of two devices and then start using the connected devices.
Universal plug-n-play (UPnP) is a default application in computers and comes enabled. It is meant to automatically port forward the requested data packets on your router. Therefore users don’t have to manually port forward their devices and thus can be saved from the unnecessary hassle.
What is UPnP? A brief explanation of UPnP
UPnP is universal Plug n Play software for networked devices that is meant to auto port forward and networks over traversed routes. UPnP port maps the devices and transmits data through specific ports of an external network with the IP address of an internal network.
Universal plug-n-play is a simple way of finding out connected devices on the connected network. In simpler words, we can say that if ten devices are connected to network 1 on your computer, then UPnP will discover all the ten devices that are using network 1.
This discovery of networks will be outside the router network as devices can access the connected network without using the router either through network sharing or Ethernet connectivity. Universal Plug-n-Play is mandatory for devices on the connected network to access other devices and networks.
Once UPnP is enabled, all other devices registered for UPnP are easily identified by the computer, and a secure connection can be made without any third-party interference.
Which one is better: UPnP VS Port Forwarding | A comparison of UPnP and port forwarding.
Universal Plug-n-Play is an automated version of port forwarding. It saves the users from the hassle of manually entering the IP addresses of each device and then locating the port number to make a connection. UPnP is only demanding you to check the enable UPnP box and that’s it.
You don’t have to go for locating your port number and then type in the router gateway to allow NAT devices to access your TCP/IP connections. As far as convenience is concerned, UPnP services have an upper hand, but there is no significant difference between the two services when it comes to performance comparison.
Another major concern for UPnP is its security risk. Port forwarding is not potentially a major threat to security, while the UPnP services are considered a significant channel for malware and hackers’ attack. Computer Security officials strongly recommend keeping the UPnP services disabled to prevent any attack of Trojans and hackers due to poor security.
How To Enable Upnp On Att Router: A Guide To Enabling Upnp On ATT Routers
ATT Router works as a DSL modem and can also function as a wireless router. Universal Plug-n-Play services come enabled by default on most routers and computers you have to manually enable it on ATT routers or when you have previously disabled your UPnP services. ATT routers can be connected to any U verse internet service since they can work as both wired and wireless routers.
Its dual-wired web configuration simplifies the whole process, and users can make changes in the default setups within minutes using the web-based configuration without accessing the router manually. Enabling universal plug-n-play is critical for connecting various types of networks and devices, and these networked devices can also be shared among the connected networks easily.
Using the Manual Method:
To manually enable universal Plug n Play on your ATT router follow the given steps systematically.
- Step 1: Each ATT router has three to five LAN ports that plug one end of the Ethernet cable into any one of the LAN ports on the AT & T router. The second end of the Ethernet port will be connected to the Ethernet port on the computer.
- Step 2: Now, access the router gateway for an opening interface. For that purpose, you need to enter the URL of the web-based browser configuration—type in http://gateway.2wire.net in the address bar of the web page.
- Step 3: After pressing the URL an interface will be displayed. Select the Home Network tab from the available options. The selection will show you the list of available devices that are connected to your specified network.
- Step 4: Now click on “access shared files.” Then select enable UPnP. This will allow you to enable a universal plug-n-play feature on your router. After enabling the universal plug n play feature, you can access any file from your device or any other device connected to your network.
Using the Automatic Method:
If you don’t want to manually operate your ATT router, you can shift its mode to automatic or wireless. For this purpose, you need to follow the given steps.
- Step 1: Open the ATT gateway by entering https://gateway.2wire.net. You can also type in the IP address for the webpage, https://192.168.1.254. Entering this IP or URL will prompt you to the 2Wire home page.
- Step 2: Select Home Networking from the available option. ( it is placed on top of the menu list). Click on the Edit settings that are placed on the right-hand side of the control panel on your homepage.
- Step 3: In the edit settings drop-down menu, you will see the wireless channel section. Click on any wireless channel in the menu and then scroll to the bottom of the page to locate save.
Clicking on save will apply the changes and wired router channeling will be shifted to wireless mode.
