Content Server Problems

[quoddle]

I have the Calibre Content Server working fine on my wireless home network but cannot get access to it from an external computer. From reading the forum I understand that I have to set up port forwarding on my router to enable this but can't seem to get it to work so wondered if someone could walk me though the specifics for my set up.

I have the content server running on port 12432
The pc with Calibre on is connected to a Netgear WNDR4500 router and has an IP of 192.168.1.4 whilst the WNDR4500 itself has an IP of 192.168.0.2 and is connected to the internet via a Netgear DG834GT.

If I type my external IP (109.224.xxx.xxx) into Firefox I get the log in screen for the DG834GT and on entering the username and password get the usual configuration screens

When I try 109.224.xxx.xxx:12432 however I get the Firefox connection reset message.

Within the DG834GT settings:
I have "Use Router as DHCP Server" ticked and both start and end IP addresses set to 192.168.0.2
Under Firewall Rules I have an Inbound service set up as
Calibre (TCP/UDP:12432) , Allow Always, Send to 192.168.0.2

Beyond this I have no idea what to do but clearly something is still not correct. Can anyone help?

[itimpi]

It sounds as if you have two routers - with the other chained off the second? It is not clear to me why you need two but I guess you have your reasons! I am also confused by the fact that your routers seem to be on subnet 192.168.0.xxx while your PC is on subnet 192.168.1.xxx. What is issuing the 192.168.1.4 address to your Calibre PC?

If the routers are chained then you will need port forwarding to be active on both of them. The first will be to forward the port to the second router (which is what you appear to have set up already). The second router then needs to be set to port forward to the PC running Calibre (which you do not mention as being set up).

[quoddle]

Hi, thanks for replying.

The reason for the second router is to improve my wifi network as the WNDR4500 is faster and has much better coverage than the DG834GT though I appreciate that my internet speed is determined by the DG834GT with is hard wired to the WNDR4500. Nothing else is connected to this except the WNDR4500. The WNDR also allows me to connect a printer and hard disk directly to it so they are availebl on the network even if my main pc is not on.
The 192.168.0.2 IP of the WNDR4500 is issued by the DG834Gt.
The 192.168.1.4 IP of the Calibre pc is issued by the WNDR4500 (all connections to that are of the format 192.168.1.x

I've found the port forwarding section for the WBNDR4500 which seems even more complicated that the DG834

Service Type: Port Forwarding or Port Triggering - presumably I need Forwarding?
Service Name: Choice of FTP, HTTP, ICUII, IP Phone, NetMeeting/H.323, News, Quake II & III, Real Audio, Telnet, VPN-PPTP. I've no idea which of these, the default seems to be FTP but I guessed at HTTP

I set up an entry as follows
HTTP, Service Type TCP/UDP
External Starting Port 12432
External Ending Port 12432
Use the Same Port Rage for Internal port - Ticked
Internal Starting Port 12432
Internal Ending Port 12432
Internal IP address 192.168.1.4

I must have the settings wrong as it hasn't made any difference and I still get the same error in Firefox with 109.224.xxx.xxx:12432

[theducks]

Originally Posted by quoddle

Hi, thanks for replying.

The reason for the second router is to improve my wifi network as the WNDR4500 is faster and has much better coverage than the DG834GT though I appreciate that my internet speed is determined by the DG834GT with is hard wired to the WNDR4500. Nothing else is connected to this except the WNDR4500. The WNDR also allows me to connect a printer and hard disk directly to it so they are availebl on the network even if my main pc is not on.
The 192.168.0.2 IP of the WNDR4500 is issued by the DG834Gt.
The 192.168.1.4 IP of the Calibre pc is issued by the WNDR4500 (all connections to that are of the format 192.168.1.x

I've found the port forwarding section for the WBNDR4500 which seems even more complicated that the DG834

Service Type: Port Forwarding or Port Triggering - presumably I need Forwarding?
Service Name: Choice of FTP, HTTP, ICUII, IP Phone, NetMeeting/H.323, News, Quake II & III, Real Audio, Telnet, VPN-PPTP. I've no idea which of these, the default seems to be FTP but I guessed at HTTP

I set up an entry as follows
HTTP, Service Type TCP/UDP
External Starting Port 12432
External Ending Port 12432
Use the Same Port Rage for Internal port - Ticked
Internal Starting Port 12432
Internal Ending Port 12432
Internal IP address 192.168.1.4

I must have the settings wrong as it hasn't made any difference and I still get the same error in Firefox with 109.224.xxx.xxx:12432

You need to define your (calibre) service. Those are just some common, typical services.

Please Clarify: The whole purpose of the second 'router' is better WiFi, not isolation?

Run the second one in Access Point Mode (DHCP OFF, it will be supplied by the primary). On some, you chain by using one of the LAN ports and ignore the WAN (modem) port.

[quoddle]

By better wifi I mean that the WNDR has 450& 450 speed and has better coverage through the house. With the DG834GT I struggled to stream HD videos in some rooms.

Unticking "Use Router as DHCP Server" under LAN Setup on the WNDR but leaving everything else the same still didn't work.

Please would you clarify what you mean by "define your calibre Service" and how I do it?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by quoddle

By better wifi I mean that the WNDR has 450& 450 speed and has better coverage through the house. With the DG834GT I struggled to stream HD videos in some rooms.

Unticking "Use Router as DHCP Server" under LAN Setup on the WNDR but leaving everything else the same still didn't work.

Please would you clarify what you mean by "define your calibre Service" and how I do it?

You missed the 'Use as an Access Point' part.

Defining a "service" depends on the router Make/Model.
Netgear has a 'Services' screen, where you name a service, then define the port(s) and type (TCP or UDP). Most routers have something similar.

Once a Service is configured. It can NOW be used (appears) in the port forward list.

BUT
If you move the WAN input Cable to one of the Wired LAN ports, many WiFi Routers behave as an Access Point (No routing). No port forward, no services. Just better WiFi

[quoddle]

I thought I had done that by unticking the Use Router as DHCP Server option. There isn't anything in the WNDR setup called Use as an Access Point

I've deleted the Http Service I previously set up and replaced it with a Custom Service called Calibre but with the same settings
TCP/UDP, External and Internal ports 12432, Internal IP address 192.168.1.4 (the Calibre PC is listed as an option in the setup screen with this IP)

Still no access.

"If you move the WAN input Cable to one of the Wired LAN ports, many WiFi Routers behave as an Access Point (No routing). No port forward, no services. Just better WiFi"

I'm not sure what you mean by this. Wifi is turned off on the DG834GT which only provides internet access and is hard wired to the WNDR as is the Calibre PC. All other devices connect to the WNDR via Wifi

192.168.1.4:12432 works so I know the content server is working correctly

[itimpi]

You could try on your local network connecting to
192.168.0.2:12342
That should allow to check that you have the port forwarding on the WNDR router set up correctly. Once that is working correctly I would then try the external address of the other router to see what happens.

The above do rely on the router supporting using the external address from inside your network and routing back through the router. I am reasonable certain the the WNDR would support this - not sure about the other one. You could also have a Wifi device on the 192.168.0.xxx network as that would connect to the DG834GT directly to help with testing the setup of the WNDR router.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by quoddle

I thought I had done that by unticking the Use Router as DHCP Server option. There isn't anything in the WNDR setup called Use as an Access Point

I've deleted the Http Service I previously set up and replaced it with a Custom Service called Calibre but with the same settings
TCP/UDP, External and Internal ports 12432, Internal IP address 192.168.1.4 (the Calibre PC is listed as an option in the setup screen with this IP)

Still no access.

"If you move the WAN input Cable to one of the Wired LAN ports, many WiFi Routers behave as an Access Point (No routing). No port forward, no services. Just better WiFi"

I'm not sure what you mean by this. Wifi is turned off on the DG834GT which only provides internet access and is hard wired to the WNDR as is the Calibre PC. All other devices connect to the WNDR via Wifi

192.168.1.4:12432 works so I know the content server is working correctly

Try moving the cable on the WDNR from Internet to one of the LAN ports.

All routing and DHCP will be provided by the DG834

[quoddle]

If the connection from the Dg834 is plugged into any LAN port other than the specific Internet port on the WNDR I have no internet access.

192.168.0.2:12432 does not work.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by quoddle

If the connection from the Dg834 is plugged into any LAN port other than the specific Internet port on the WNDR I have no internet access.

192.168.0.2:12432 does not work.

Was the DHCP server ON on the DG834?
Did the Laptop? have a static IP or Gateway set?

I guess the test failed

Good luck

[quoddle]

The DHCP box was ticked on the DG834 with start and end IP addresses set to 192.168.0.2

The calibre computer is a desktop not a laptop. Where do I look for the Static IP and Gateway settings, the computer or the router?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by quoddle

The DHCP box was ticked on the DG834 with start and end IP addresses set to 192.168.0.2

The calibre computer is a desktop not a laptop. Where do I look for the Static IP and Gateway settings, the computer or the router?

You need to widen the range a bit, you may have more that 1 device needing an IP, that was formerly being issued by the WDNR (I use 32 as my setting: I have quite a few PC's in the house )


The Computer. Network connections(WiFi interface)

[quoddle]

I've changed the DG834 to start address 192.168.0.2 and end 192.168.0.32

Still no joy. 109.224.xxx.xxx gets me teh DG834 Settings but 109.224.xxx.xxx:12432 is still not accessible

DHCP is off for the WNDR but the IPs of things connected to it are the same as previously ie the calibre pc is still 192.168.1.4 (the router itself is 192.168.1.1)

[quoddle]

I had to turn DHCP back on on the WNDR as I discovered that the internet wasn't available over wifi with it off though it was on hard connected PCs