Need Network Help - Port Forwarding

[sluicebox]

I need some help setting up my network and port forwarding, etc. I have two DA controllers both set up for remote internet access. I can see both using their current IP addresses. But, the IP addresses change which I can't find if I'm not of town (duh). So, I signed up for an account at no-ip.com and established two named hosts...one for each tank. Which works perfectly until the IP address changes. Then, the named hosts change to the IP address for my computer....not the controller device.

I'm an old man who doesn't understand all this network, IP, port forwarding, etc. garbage. So, if one of you young fellows can help me, I would appreciate it very much.

 

[CloudIX]

No-ip is alot like DynDns service that i use. I have my router update Dyndns so that my host name is always the correct IP and i dont have to have a computer running all the time. Then you just need to port forward the port that you are accessing on the DA controller. (Im guessing port 80). Problem is that you cant forward the port to 2 different devices. I would change the port on one of them to another port (port 81 as an example) and access it like this.. (www.yourhostname.com:81)

 

[ToXIc]

Do you still have my number? If so call me.


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[thejoshdavis]

I've never worked with these controllers before, but I can assume if they are accepting DHCP from your router, you can set a static IP.

First you would want to assign each controller an internal static IP on your network, not in the DHCP range. (Check your wireless router/comcrap modem/etc for this range. If your computer is 192.168.1.100, you could assign a static to each controller.....192.168.1.80 and 192.168.1.81)

Pop open the controllers in your web browser to test.

If they are only using http and not https your only working with port 80. Accessing port 80 with 2 different destinations you have to port forward.

Open up your router (depends on make/model/etc) and you should see an option for port/application forwarding. You want your external port to be something like 5080 and forward to your 192.168.1.80 IP with port 80. Then rinse repeat for the other. External port 5081 points to 192.168.1.81:80.

Then with your no-ip, godaddy domain, whatever you can type myreefcontroller.com:5080 and myreefcontroller.com:5081 to access your items outside your house. (Assuming you point your .com domain to your external IP address.)

Shoot me a PM if you need some help and I'll get ya fixed.

 

[CloudIX]

Exactly what i was saying, you cant have the external port go to 2 devices. either give a new port externally (as thejoshdavis says) or internally as i said. All tho the best solution would not be to have these devices avail on the internet like this at all. (just opens you to hacking or virus) Make a VPN connection to your internal network first, then access them as you normally would when your in your network. Just my 2 cents on the most secure way to do this.

 

[thejoshdavis]

I've always created my PAT ports with various random externals forwarding to the correct internals. like 9443 to 443, etc. I have a Cisco ASA at home with a PAT open for RDP. The ACL is locked to my office only, icmp gets denied, IPS runs with auto-shun if I get port scanned, all that fun stuff.

CloudIX is correct, the most secure way is to establish a VPN to your home via the device and access it that way. You wouldn't have to worry about port forwarding at that point (All depending on your VPN method)

 

[CloudIX]

I to have a Cisco ASA in my house for my VPN. Great device, but not very affordable for most home user. One solution that is free (if your router will support it) and works good is to flash your router to dd-wrt firmware and use it as your vpn endpoint. Only takes a few min to set up and a MUCH better solution then to port forward. The encryption is a bit weaker using that, but it's Free!

 

[thejoshdavis]

I ran tomato for a while, then got a PIX 515 (dont laugh lol) then went for the ASA. Yeah, not economical at all. DD-WRT if your router supports it is pretty awesome. There are tons of things you can do with it.

 

[sluicebox]

I think I have it working.....will need to check once I'm off my home network....but I can access the sites from my Droid. Now if it updates, I'll be set. Thanks for the help.