I recently replaced my router, and now I can't connect to my BBS machine using my dynamic web address (digitaldistortionbbs.com) from behind my router, but other people are able to connect to it from outside. If I use the IP address of my BBS machine, I can connect, just not using the web address. I'm not sure what's going on, since I was able to use my web addres to connect using my previous router, and both routers are Linksys router. What might the issue
be? Might there be a setting in the router that I could change?

Nightfox

Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Nightfox to All on Sat Dec 03 2011 11:46 pm

I recently replaced my router, and now I can't connect to my BBS machine using my dynamic web address (digitaldistortionbbs.com) from behind my router, but other people are able to connect to it from outside. If I use the IP address of my BBS machine, I can connect, just not using the web address. I'm not sure what's going on, since I was able to use my web addres to connect using my previous router, and both routers are Linksys router. What might the issue be?

Your router is not routing your traffic from inside your LAN directed to your public (WAN) IP address back to your internal network.

Might there be a setting in the router that I could change?

Possibly. What's your manual say?

digital man

Synchronet "Real Fact" #42:
Synchronet added Baja/PCMS support with v2.00a (1994).

---
■ Synchronet ■ Vertrauen ■ Home of Synchronet ■ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Nightfox to All on Sat Dec 03 2011 23:46:40

Hey Nightfox,

previous router, and both routers are Linksys router. What might the issue be? Might there be a setting in the router that I could change?

A fairly common problem I have experienced. Generally what you are looking for is an option on your router to do NAT Loopback.

The other thing you can do is have a split brain or purely internal DNS server which your internal machines use to resolve digitaldistortionbbs.com to your internal 192.168.x.x addresses, for example.

Hope that helps, I am fairly certain that's the cause as I experience the exact same issues.

Kind regards,

/ art @ fatcatsbbs [dot] com \
\ http://fatcatsbbs.com /

---
■ Synchronet ■ fatcats bbs - http://fatcats.poorcoding.com

Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Nightfox to All on Sat Dec 03 2011 23:46:40

I recently replaced my router, and now I can't connect to my BBS machine using my dynamic web address (digitaldistortionbbs.com) from behind my router, but other people are able to connect to it from outside. If I use the IP address of my BBS machine, I can connect, just not using the web address. I'm not sure what's going on, since I was able to use my web addres to connect using my previous router, and both routers are Linksys router. What might the issue be? Might there be a setting in the router that I could change?

What DNS is your router issueing when a DHCP request is made?

echto

---
■ Synchronet ■ -=-= echto bbs =-=-

Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Nightfox to All on Sat Dec 03 2011 11:46 pm

I recently replaced my router, and now I can't connect to my BBS machine using my dynamic web address (digitaldistortionbbs.com) from behind my router, but other people are able to connect to it from outside. If I use the IP address of my BBS machine, I can connect, just not using the web address. I'm not sure what's going on, since I was able to use my web addres to connect using my previous router, and both routers are Linksys router. What might the issue be?

Your router is not routing your traffic from inside your LAN directed to your public (WAN) IP address back to your internal network.

Might there be a setting in the router that I could change?

Possibly. What's your manual say?

Unfortunately, routers these days don't come with much documentation other
than a quick start guide, if that. But thanks for your comment about routing traffic back into my network - I have an idea of what to look for..

Nightfox

I recently replaced my router, and now I can't connect to my BBS machine using my dynamic web address (digitaldistortionbbs.com) from behind my router, but other people are able to connect to it from outside. If I use the IP address of my BBS machine, I can connect, just not using the web address. I'm not sure what's going on, since I was able to use my web addres to connect using my previous router, and both routers are Linksys router. What might the issue be? Might there be a setting in the router that I could change?

What DNS is your router issueing when a DHCP request is made?

Honestly I'm not sure, but I'm not sure how relevant that is, since I use static IPs for my BBS machine and for my main desktop PC as well - In order
for ports to forward to the right machines, I don't want my machines' IP addresses to change. So I've manually set the DNS servers on both machines to my ISP's DNS server IPs.
Nightfox

Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Nightfox to echto on Mon Dec 05 2011 13:00:40

What DNS is your router issueing when a DHCP request is made?

Honestly I'm not sure, but I'm not sure how relevant that is, since I use static IPs for my BBS machine and for my main desktop PC as well - In order for ports to forward to the right machines, I don't want my machines' IP addresses to change. So I've manually set the DNS servers on both machines to my ISP's DNS server IPs.

I was just curious if your router was passing your ISP's DNS with a DCHP request. If the DNS is hardcoded, well, that is odd.

So, just to rethink this again...

WEB - > ISP - ROUTER - BBS
|
PC


ok, going to use arbitrary addresses here...

BBS : 192.168.1.100
PC : 192.168.1.101
ROUTER : obtains ISP IP

DNS requests on the web resolves your ISP IP and your router forwards the ports to you BBS machine.
DNS requests from your PC do not resolve your ISP IP.
The ISP DNS is hardcoded on the BBS and PC.

What address returns when you ping your bbs domain name on your BBS machine?

Can you check that the DNS settings are correct in the router? Are there any other machines on your network? If not, I would disable DCHP in the router. Who knows, there could be a bug in the firmware.



echto

---
■ Synchronet ■ -=-= echto bbs =-=-

I'm sure you probably already have it fixed by now being a few days out but...

I recently replaced my router, and now I can't connect to my BBS machine using
my dynamic web address (digitaldistortionbbs.com) from behind my router,
but
other people are able to connect to it from outside. If I use the IP address
of my BBS machine, I can connect, just not using the web address. I'm not sure
what's going on, since I was able to use my web addres to connect using my previous router, and both routers are Linksys router. What might the
issue
be? Might there be a setting in the router that I could change?

You need to open inbound ports and map them to your BBS.

I've worked with a LOT of firewalls & routers and when I come across one that I'm not familiar with I head here http://portforward.com/

They list just about every make & model FW/Router.

--- WWIVToss v.1.50
* Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
■ Synchronet ■ curmudge.hopto.org

Ok.. So now I read the whole story...

Anyway, Yes a common problem that we used to solve by simply editing the hosts file.

In Windows, it's burried under c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc
It's a hidden file with no extension and most likely write protected.

In the hosts file you need to add the internal IP address of the BBS box and the FQND you prefer to use for the BBS seperated by a tab.
(I saw your addresses and promptly forgot them but...)
Example

192.168.0.10 my.bbs.com

Of course you will want to use the internal IP address for your BBS and the FQDN name of your bbs.

Otherwise, the desired fix would be to add an internal DNS server to your home network. Not really practical if you don't already have a server.


--- WWIVToss v.1.50
* Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
■ Synchronet ■ curmudge.hopto.org

In a reply from Jimmy Mac on 20:02 about Re: Port forwarding behin

Ok.. So now I read the whole story...

Anyway, Yes a common problem that we used to solve by simply editing the hosts file.

In Windows, it's burried under c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc
It's a hidden file with no extension and most likely write protected.

In the hosts file you need to add the internal IP address of the BBS box and the FQND you prefer to use for the BBS seperated by a tab.
(I saw your addresses and promptly forgot them but...)
Example

192.168.0.10 my.bbs.com

Of course you will want to use the internal IP address for your BBS and the FQDN name of your bbs.

Otherwise, the desired fix would be to add an internal DNS server to your home network. Not really practical if you don't already have a server.

hey thanks, that work for me (I was useing a ip address set with a local ip number)

---
Rob Starr
Lord Time SysOp of Time Warp of the Future BBS
telnet://time.synchro.net:24
ICQ # 11868133 Yahoo : lordtime2000
AIM : LordTime20000 MSN : Lord Time
Jabber : lordtime2000@gmail.com Astra : lord_time


■ CMPQwk 1.42-R2 16554 ■ "Come up to the lab... and see what's on the slab..." ---
■ Synchronet ■ Time Warp of the Future BBS - Home of League 10 IBBS Games

Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: echto to Nightfox on Tue Dec 06 2011 07:32:01

WEB - > ISP - ROUTER - BBS
|
PC

Yep, that's how I'm set up.

What address returns when you ping your bbs domain name on your BBS machine?

The IP address is correct - 76.27.220.247

Can you check that the DNS settings are correct in the router? Are there an other machines on your network? If not, I would disable DCHP in the router. Who knows, there could be a bug in the firmware.

The DNS settings appear to be correct. And I do use other machines/devices on my network that use DHCP (laptop, smart phone, and tablet PC).

Nightfox

Re: Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Jimmy Mac to Nightfox on Tue Dec 06 2011 19:56:04

You need to open inbound ports and map them to your BBS.

I have already forwarded the proper ports. I know people can get in because users have been logging on. I can get in from the outside, but not from inside my own network using my dynamic URL..

Nightfox

Re: Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Jimmy Mac to Nightfox on Tue Dec 06 2011 20:02:12

Anyway, Yes a common problem that we used to solve by simply editing the hos file.

In Windows, it's burried under c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc

In the hosts file you need to add the internal IP address of the BBS box and

Yep, I know about that too.. I've done that in the past when I've had this problem, but now I've done that again but I still can't connect using my dynamic URL. Not sure why..

Nightfox

Re: Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Jimmy Mac to Nightfox on Tue Dec 06 2011 20:02:12

Hi all,

Anyway, Yes a common problem that we used to solve by simply editing the hosts
file.

Yes, this is the "poor man's resolution". Needs to be done on each internal machine if you do not have an internal DNS. You do the same for Linux by editing /etc/hosts, for example. If you don't have any internal DNS servers, this is probably the easiest solution, not sure how you could achieve this on an iDevice, however.

I'm not a fan of this method as it lacks consistency, needs to be repeated on every machine internally, and is more of a workaround than a real fix. Oh, and you need local admin credentials in order to edit LMHOSTS. It does work tho, I do this often for setting up test DNS records in my development environment at work, as an example.

The way to resolve this issue without these kludges, as I posted previously, is to use 1. NAT Loopback - decent routers should be able to do this, Or, 2. split-brain DNS/internal DNS.

Regards,

/ art @ fatcatsbbs [dot] com \
\ http://fatcatsbbs.com /

---
■ Synchronet ■ fatcats bbs - http://fatcats.poorcoding.com

Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Nightfox to echto on Thu Dec 08 2011 22:26:59

Hey matey,

The IP address is correct - 76.27.220.247

Presumably, your old Linksys was setup with NAT Loopback.

This meant internal resolutions for your BBS domain would literally, loop back to your internal network, and hit your port forwarding rules on the router, for example. This is why it worked before.

With your new router it sounds like this isn't happening, and it's sending requests from internal network out your external interface on the router and not looping back. This is why it's not working now.

Kind regards,

/ art @ fatcatsbbs [dot] com \
\ http://fatcatsbbs.com /


---
■ Synchronet ■ fatcats bbs - http://fatcats.poorcoding.com

Nightfox wrote to All <=-

both routers are Linksys router. What might the issue be? Might there
be a setting in the router that I could change?

I've noticed some routers will not let you use certain ip schemes and
some don't route inside to outside very well when port forwarding. I've
had similar issues with my systems. Using a Linux machine as a router
I've found to have no problems routing or showing the proper route
within the packets to and from my internal systems to external
systems. Only problem with doing this is you will expose a system to
the dangers of the Internet 24x7.

--- MultiMail/Linux v0.49
■ Synchronet ■ Electronic Warfare BBS | telnet://ewbbs.synchro.net

Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Nightfox to echto on Thu Dec 08 2011 22:26:59

The IP address is correct - 76.27.220.247

And when you ping the address from your PC you get your internal network address. Hmmmm.

echto

---
■ Synchronet ■ -=-= echto bbs =-=-

Re: Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Nightfox to Jimmy Mac on Thu Dec 08 2011 22:29:24

Anyway, Yes a common problem that we used to solve by simply editing the hos file.

In Windows, it's burried under c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc

In the hosts file you need to add the internal IP address of the BBS box and

Yep, I know about that too.. I've done that in the past when I've had this problem, but now I've done that again but I still can't connect using my dynamic URL. Not sure why..

I would remove any entries in the hosts file first.

This appears to be a resolution problem. The correct IP is returned when pinging the domain name from the BBS machine. You need to verify that all machines on the network returns the correct IP. Adding entries to the hosts file will not return the dynamic IP, the added entry will be returned.

echto

---
■ Synchronet ■ -=-= echto bbs =-=-

Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: echto to Nightfox on Sat Dec 10 2011 09:42:23

The IP address is correct - 76.27.220.247

And when you ping the address from your PC you get your internal network address. Hmmmm.

Actually, I get the outside IP address when I ping the address. It's just that for some reason I can't connect to my BBS machine via telnet, web, etc. using my dynamic web address.

Nightfox

Re: Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: echto to Nightfox on Sat Dec 10 2011 09:48:59

This appears to be a resolution problem. The correct IP is returned when pinging the domain name from the BBS machine. You need to verify that all machines on the network returns the correct IP. Adding entries to the hosts file will not return the dynamic IP, the added entry will be returned.

Yes, although when I ping it from my main PC, I also get the correct (external) IP address. I just can't connect to my BBS using my dynamic web address when I'm behind my router. I also can't connect using my dynamic web address with it added to my hosts file, which seems strange to me.. I'm not sure what's going on.

Nightfox

hey thanks, that work for me (I was useing a ip address set with a local
ip
number)

Awesome. Happy to have helped.

--- WWIVToss v.1.50
* Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
■ Synchronet ■ curmudge.hopto.org

I have already forwarded the proper ports. I know people can get in
because
users have been logging on. I can get in from the outside, but not from inside
my own network using my dynamic URL..

Aha.. That's DNS and your firewall not being able to route your request back internally. Easiest way to fix this is to edit your hosts file.

--- WWIVToss v.1.50
* Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
■ Synchronet ■ curmudge.hopto.org

Yep, I know about that too.. I've done that in the past when I've had
this
problem, but now I've done that again but I still can't connect using my dynamic URL. Not sure why..

I'm thinking that this is because your firewall is recognizing the source and destination address as being the same externally. Not smart enough for smart port routing.
You're using a Linksys?

--- WWIVToss v.1.50
* Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
■ Synchronet ■ curmudge.hopto.org

The way to resolve this issue without these kludges, as I posted
previously, is
to use 1. NAT Loopback - decent routers should be able to do this, Or, 2. split-brain DNS/internal DNS.

Exactly. I keep forgetting the term NAT loopback.

--- WWIVToss v.1.50
* Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
■ Synchronet ■ curmudge.hopto.org

In a reply from Jimmy Mac on 19:05 about Re: Port forwarding behin

hey thanks, that work for me (I was useing a ip address set with a local ip number)

Awesome.

yep

Happy to have helped.

yep :)

---
Rob Starr
Lord Time SysOp of Time Warp of the Future BBS
telnet://time.synchro.net:24
ICQ # 11868133 Yahoo : lordtime2000
AIM : LordTime20000 MSN : Lord Time
Jabber : lordtime2000@gmail.com Astra : lord_time


■ CMPQwk 1.42-R2 16554 ■ If you throw a cat out the car window, is it kitty litter?
---
■ Synchronet ■ Time Warp of the Future BBS - Home of League 10 IBBS Games

Re: Re: Port forwarding behind router not working
By: Jimmy Mac to Nightfox on Sun Dec 11 2011 10:13:49

I'm thinking that this is because your firewall is recognizing the source an destination address as being the same externally. Not smart enough for smart port routing.
You're using a Linksys?

Yes, it's a Linksys with DD-WRT firmware. Strangely enough, my previous router was also a Linksys with DD-WRT, and it handled this just fine. The DD-WRT web site says that support for my current router (a WRT610N) is a work in progress though, so that just might have something to do with it.. Besides this issue though, the router is working fine.

Nightfox