Broadcasting with Pirate Radio from behind a router or firewall takes a bit of network configuration. Here's what you need to know.

Pirate Radio Broadcaster becomes a virtual webserver.
A virtual webserver, meaning that it is a program that must allow connections from other computers to the broadcasting computer. When the broadcasting computer is in a LAN environment it is usually part of a network of computers that connect to the Internet through a device called a router.

The router (also called a Gateway) helps route Internet traffic to and from the outside, allowing or disallowing connections. A router is used so that many computers can use one access point to interact with the Internet and also for security purposes such as to prevent hacking.

In order for Pirate Radio Broadcaster to work, the network administrator (or whoever is familiar and authorized to configure the router) must allow access from outside listeners to hear the live broadcast from the PC behind the router. When listeners successfully connect to a PC broadcasting from behind a router, their request is being forwaded by the router to the PC.

Pirate Radio operation behind a router requires 3 things.

1. The router must have its own public IP address.


2. Broadcasting on the PC behind the router must have requests to your station forwaded by the router.
3. A port must be authorized so that the Pirate Radio station's stream is not blocked and so that abnormal traffic doesn't upset network security.

Private / Public IP forwarding
A private IP is an IP address that can only be reached by other computers in a local area network. A public IP is an IP address that can be reached by computers throughout the Internet. In order for computers outside a LAN to reach computers inside a LAN their requests to connect to the local computer must be forwarded by the router admin software. Your router will have a public IP but your local computer likely will not.

How do I know if I have a Private or Public IP?

There are several ways to find this out.

• Go to http://pirateradio.com/help/check_IP.shtml
  
  
• Go to http://www.checkip.org, www.whatismyip.com
  
  
• Go to your Start button, select Run and type in "cmd" to enter your DOS command line prompt. Then type the following:
  
  ipconfig
  And press "Enter".
  
  You will see something like this:
  
  
  End numbers obscured for security reasons.
  
  Your numbers will be different. You will see two lines that say IP Address. The one at the top is the IP address of your PC. If your number begins with a 192., 10., 172. these are common private IP addresses. The lower IP Address is the IP address of the router or gateway. It is a public address. If you have any kind of virtual server software running correctly, simply typing in that lower IP address should connect to that software. This is what you are trying to achieve by following the steps in this page.

Configuring your router

Each router is different so you will need to access your router documentation. The steps we list here are general so you will need to find the specific steps for your particular model.

There is also support for various router models at www.portforward.com/routers.htm

1. In your router documentation, look for steps to set up a "Virtual Server" (also: port forwarding, port mapping, service port or service name).



2. Access your router administration controls. A common way of doing this is by opening up a browser and then typing in:
   
   http://192.168.0.1
   Linksys or DLink: http://192.168.1.1
   SMC: http://192.168.2.1
   2Wire: http://gateway.2Wire.net
   
   In most router manufacturers this will work. However, your router documentation will tell you the correct address to type in.



3. Sign into the router admin with your username and password (the default is usually a blank username and password: "admin").



4. Once in your router admin web page, find the section that pertains to virtual server, port forwarding, port mapping, service port or service name.
   
   Individual manufacturer router setup:
   
   Linksys: http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksys.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_sid=bBFaOsKh
   SMC: http://www.smc.com, search for "special applications"
   Dlink: http://support.dlink.com/faq/view.asp?prod_id=1093&question=service+port
   
   
5. In each of these you will be shown a list of fields that start with the private IP address of a service or virtual server to be entered (in this case: Pirate Radio).
   
   ex.
   
   Example from Linksys's setup screen.
   
   
   
   Example from SMC's setup screen.
   
   
6. If the setup allows a name for the service or program, enter in "Pirate Radio Broadcaster".



7. Make sure that TCP is chosen.



8. Enter in a port number. A common one we use for Pirate Radio is 8080. If there are fields for both "private" and "public" ports, make sure they match.
   
9. Make sure Enabled is checked.
   
   
10. Save or apply these settings and quit your router setup.

Configure Pirate Radio for broadcasting through the router
Now that you have enabled access through your router, you have to set up the Pirate Radio Broadcaster to accept requests.

1. Launch the Broadcaster.
   
2. Go to Settings menu
   and choose Connection Settings.
   
   
3. It will detect your IP automatically if unchecked.
   
   
4. Make sure that the number in the Port field matches what you specified in your router configuration.


ex.



5. Press OK



6. Close the Connection Settings and then restart broadcaster.

Test it at www.pirateradionetwork.com or in the Destiny Media Player.