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JaycenR's avatar
JaycenR
Aspirant
Jan 30, 2019
Solved

Port Forwarding

Using the R6400v2, and I'm trying to forward a port to an IP camera.  No matter which port I choose, it doesn't show open when I try an Open Port Checker.  Any thoughts on where to start troubelshooting?

  • > Actual port-forwarding rule?
    > TCP Port 58787 Pointed at the internal IP of the camera

     

       Which part of "Actual" was unclear?  There's no good reason to hide
    your private LAN IP addresses, and the port-forwarding target also
    includes a port number.

     

    > Via a web browser [...]

     

       So, presumably ("http://"), your port-forwarding rule must specify
    internal port 80.  Does it?

     

    > I haven't assigned a static IP at this point, but I it's a small
    > homenetwork, so unless something radical changes, [...]

     

       Like a power interruption anywhere?  A static address is configured
    on the device itself.  You'd probably be happier with a reserved dynamic
    address for the camera, configured on the router (DHCP server):
    ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup : Address Reservation.


    > I am not using NAT. [...]

     

    Of course you are.  Your camera IP address (currently "192.168.1.7"?)
    differs from your external IP address.  NAT is what makes that work (if
    it ever does).

     

    > I was worried this might be an issue. I don't know how to get the
    > RMTP for the camera.

     

       You don't need that.  What you do need is a port-forwarding rule
    which specifies the Internal (LAN) port number used by the camera,

    apparently 80.

     

    > [...] From a system on your LAN, using the
    > router's WAN/Internet IP address:external_port?

    > I can get to it from my side of the router via either my PC or my
    > cellphone. [...]


       Using the router's WAN/Internet IP address:external_port?  Not with
    that port-forwarding rule.

     

       If a normal web browser on a system on your LAN works with a simple
    URL (like, say, "http://192.168.1.7"), then the camera must be listening
    at port 80, and your port-forwarding rule must specify internal port 80.

     

       The external port number is your choice, but if it's not 80 (and it
    probably shouldn't be), then you'd need to specify it in any URL which
    includes your external IP address. For example:

     

          http://174.85.c.d:58787

     

       Part of the Translation in NAT is from the external (WAN) IP address
    to the internal (LAN) IP address.  Another part is from the external
    (WAN) port number to the internal (LAN) port number.

3 Replies

  • > Using the R6400v2, [...]

     

       Firmware version?  Connected to what?

     

    > [...] and I'm trying to forward a port [...]

     

       Actual port-forwarding rule?

     

    > [...] to an IP camera. [...]

     

       Not a very detailed description of anything.  Connected how, exactly?
    Can you access this "an IP camera" from a system on your LAN?  How,
    exactly?  What's the IP address of this "an IP camera"?  How have you
    ensured that it doesn't wander?

     

    > [...] No matter which port I choose, [...]

     

    Did you try all 64K ports?  What, exactly, did you try?

     

    > [...] it doesn't show open when I try an Open Port Checker.


       Which?  How?

     

    > [...] Any thoughts on where to start troubelshooting?

     

       Other than a better description of your stuff, how it's connected,
    what you did, and what happened when you did it?

     

       The usual problems with this stuff are:

     

       1. Wrong external IP address (different from the port-forwarding
    router's WAN/Internet IP address).  (An intermediate NAT router, for
    example, could cause this.)

     

       What is the WAN/Internet IP address of your R6400v2?  If you're
    worried about revealing your public IP address, then report at least the
    first two octets ("a.b" out of "a.b.c.d") for any worrisome IP Address.

     

       2. Bad port-forwarding rule (wrong port(s), wrong target address --
    including a wandering target).


       What is your actual port-forwarding rule?  Copy+paste is your friend.

     

       3. Server not listening on the port-forwarding target system.

     

       Can you access this "an IP camera" from a system on your LAN, using
    the camera's LAN IP address:port?  From a system on your LAN, using the
    router's WAN/Internet IP address:external_port?

     

       4. External influences: ISP blocking, other firewalls, ...

     

     

       Your forum search for "port forwarding" found none of this?

    • JaycenR's avatar
      JaycenR
      Aspirant

        Firmware version?  Connected to what?

      V1.0.2.44_1.0.35 - A Netgear CM400 Switch

       

       Actual port-forwarding rule?

      TCP Port 58787 Pointed at the internal IP of the camera

       

      Connected how, exactly?

      Wirelessly through the router.


      Can you access this "an IP camera" from a system on your LAN?

      Yes.

       

      How, exactly?

      Via a web browser pointed to the IP plus the internal web page of the camera. "IP/img/snapshot.cgi?size=3"  Forces the camera to send back a still of whatever it's looking at, which happens to be my 3d printer in the basement.

       

      What's the IP address of this "an IP camera"?

      192.168.1.7

       

      How have you ensured that it doesn't wander?

      I haven't assigned a static IP at this point, but I it's a small homenetwork, so unless something radical changes, it's unlikely to change, especially since I leave it hot all the time.  Since I have to enter the IP to test it, and it never fails, I suppose it's not a huge issue at this moment.

       

      Did you try all 64K ports?  What, exactly, did you try?

      80

      8080

      3333

      8787

      58787

       

      Which?  How?

      None of the port numbers above.  How am I trying it?  I navigate to http://www.portchecktool.com/.  The website successfully auto-detects my external IP.  I enter the port I tried forwarding, and it reports that it couldn't reach the port.

       

         The usual problems with this stuff are:

       

         1. Wrong external IP address (different from the port-forwarding
      router's WAN/Internet IP address).  (An intermediate NAT router, for
      example, could cause this.)

      I am not using NAT.  All the typical resources to see my external IP report the same value.  My ISP rarely changes my external IP.  But for the purose of this, I did setup the free No-IP DDNS through the Netgear router.  I got my own "free" DDNS, and I've downloaded the DUC, set it up, and run it as a service with a 1 hour update.

       

      What is the WAN/Internet IP address of your R6400v2?  If you're
      worried about revealing your public IP address, then report at least the
      first two octets ("a.b" out of "a.b.c.d") for any worrisome IP Address.

      174.85.16.225 

       

      2. Bad port-forwarding rule (wrong port(s), wrong target address --
      including a wandering target).

      What is your actual port-forwarding rule?  Copy+paste is your friend.

        # Service Name External Start Port Internal Start Port Internal IP address
         1 3DPC 58787 58787 192.168.1.7

       

      3. Server not listening on the port-forwarding target system.

      I was worried this might be an issue.  I don't know how to get the RMTP for the camera.

       

      Can you access this "an IP camera" from a system on your LAN, using
      the camera's LAN IP address:port?  From a system on your LAN, using the
      router's WAN/Internet IP address:external_port?

      I can get to it from my side of the router via either my PC or my cellphone.  If I turn off my cell's wifi connection and attempt to go through the DDNS, no dice.

       

      4. External influences: ISP blocking, other firewalls, ...

      I don't think my ISP does any blocking.  I opened the same port numbers in my Windows Firewall just to be sure

       

      Your forum search for "port forwarding" found none of this?

      It found nothing I didn't already try or that seemed to be specifically relevant.  Maybe you'll say, but sure you can get to that IP addy from a browser every single time, but there's magical nonsense that sometimes not reserving that IP can allow you to get to it through a browser, but not from an external DDNS.  Is that a thing maybe?


       

      • antinode's avatar
        antinode
        Guru

        > Actual port-forwarding rule?
        > TCP Port 58787 Pointed at the internal IP of the camera

         

           Which part of "Actual" was unclear?  There's no good reason to hide
        your private LAN IP addresses, and the port-forwarding target also
        includes a port number.

         

        > Via a web browser [...]

         

           So, presumably ("http://"), your port-forwarding rule must specify
        internal port 80.  Does it?

         

        > I haven't assigned a static IP at this point, but I it's a small
        > homenetwork, so unless something radical changes, [...]

         

           Like a power interruption anywhere?  A static address is configured
        on the device itself.  You'd probably be happier with a reserved dynamic
        address for the camera, configured on the router (DHCP server):
        ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup : Address Reservation.


        > I am not using NAT. [...]

         

        Of course you are.  Your camera IP address (currently "192.168.1.7"?)
        differs from your external IP address.  NAT is what makes that work (if
        it ever does).

         

        > I was worried this might be an issue. I don't know how to get the
        > RMTP for the camera.

         

           You don't need that.  What you do need is a port-forwarding rule
        which specifies the Internal (LAN) port number used by the camera,

        apparently 80.

         

        > [...] From a system on your LAN, using the
        > router's WAN/Internet IP address:external_port?

        > I can get to it from my side of the router via either my PC or my
        > cellphone. [...]


           Using the router's WAN/Internet IP address:external_port?  Not with
        that port-forwarding rule.

         

           If a normal web browser on a system on your LAN works with a simple
        URL (like, say, "http://192.168.1.7"), then the camera must be listening
        at port 80, and your port-forwarding rule must specify internal port 80.

         

           The external port number is your choice, but if it's not 80 (and it
        probably shouldn't be), then you'd need to specify it in any URL which
        includes your external IP address. For example:

         

              http://174.85.c.d:58787

         

           Part of the Translation in NAT is from the external (WAN) IP address
        to the internal (LAN) IP address.  Another part is from the external
        (WAN) port number to the internal (LAN) port number.