Double Port Forwarding?

PhilTilson · 04-22-2008, 09:27 AM

I have a similar (but different!) problem to the last question.

I have a slightly unusual internet connection in which my PC is connected to a wireless router which is itself connected to another wireless router which connects to the outside world. This second router is 7km away, connected over a wireless link, which is why I can't follow the advice in the previous question.

I shall be going on a long trip shortly and I want to be able to 'get at' my PC from the internet. Although I have fixed IP addresses at all points, I'm not sure how to set up things so that I can talk to my PC from afar.

I think I have to set up port-forwarding on both routers, but despite some Googling, I'm more confused now than I was at the start! The two main things I want to do specifically is to be able to monitor a couple of video cameras connected to my PC and to access a 'mini web server' on an interface card on my local network.

Can anyone offer any advice on how to go about this, please?

**Cellus** · 04-22-2008, 03:41 PM

You can use the guides at PortForward.com to configure your routers for port forwarding based on make/model and application.

By the way, I assume what you meant was 7 meters, not kilometers. At that distance you'd need a repeater the size of a small house with enough power cranking out of it to have every plane in your local airspace drop from the sky.

PhilTilson · 04-23-2008, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cellus

By the way, I assume what you meant was 7 meters, not kilometers. At that distance you'd need a repeater the size of a small house with enough power cranking out of it to have every plane in your local airspace drop from the sky.

Nope! 7km it is! I live in the Spanish countryside and a colleague and I set up a wireless network to provide internet to people like us who can't even get a telephone line. If you want to see more about it, check out http://www.riosat.com

Our longest link is 23km - not bad for wi-fi!

This is why I have the problem - I can't do anything about the router that brings the backbone into the primary network, but I need to work through that into my own local network.

**Cellus** · 04-23-2008, 02:12 PM

Well since we are dealing with a WAN environment and we do not wish to disrupt service, it would be great to have a picture of your network topology as well as the make and models of your routers. What are you currently running for routing protocols (eg. RIPv1/v2, IGRP, EIGRP, OSPF, etc etc.)? Are the routers trunked? Whatever information you can provide would help immensely.

Addendum: Long story short it is more than possible. In the end it is probably recommended you use something such as VPNing to achieve what you are looking for, in which case you may need to set up passthrough on your routers.

johnwill · 04-23-2008, 03:24 PM

Connecting two (or more) SOHO broadband routers together.

Note: The "primary" router can be an actual router, a software gateway like Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing, or a server connection that has the capability to supply more than one IP address using DHCP server capability. No changes are made to the primary "router" configuration.

Configure the IP address of the secondary router(s) to be in the same subnet as the primary router, but out of the range of the DHCP server in the primary router. For instance DHCP server addresses 192.168.0.2 through 192.168.0.100, I'd assign the secondary router 192.168.0.254 as it's IP address, 192.168.0.253 for another router, etc.

Note: Do this first, as you will have to reboot the computer to connect to the router again for the remaining changes.

Disable the DHCP server in the secondary router.

Setup the wireless section just the way you would if it was the primary router, channels, encryption, etc.

Connect from the primary router's LAN port to one of the LAN ports on the secondary router. If there is no uplink port and neither of the routers have auto-sensing ports, use a cross-over cable. Leave the WAN port unconnected!

This procedure bypasses the routing function (NAT layer) and configures the router as a switch (or wireless access point for wireless routers).

PhilTilson · 04-24-2008, 02:08 PM

Thanks for the ideas, but unfortunately I can't do it this way (I don't think). As I understand it, both the downstream router (or switch) and the PCs connected to it need to be on the same network, which means that I would need a number of IP addresses available.

In this case, the upstream router (the one connected to the internet) can let me have only ONE IP address, which is why I have been using a second router to run my local network.

Does this suggest any other ways round the problem?

04-22-2008, 09:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
PhilTilson Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3 OS: XP SP2	Double Port Forwarding? I have a similar (but different!) problem to the last question. I have a slightly unusual internet connection in which my PC is connected to a wireless router which is itself connected to another wireless router which connects to the outside world. This second router is 7km away, connected over a wireless link, which is why I can't follow the advice in the previous question. I shall be going on a long trip shortly and I want to be able to 'get at' my PC from the internet. Although I have fixed IP addresses at all points, I'm not sure how to set up things so that I can talk to my PC from afar. I think I have to set up port-forwarding on both routers, but despite some Googling, I'm more confused now than I was at the start! The two main things I want to do specifically is to be able to monitor a couple of video cameras connected to my PC and to access a 'mini web server' on an interface card on my local network. Can anyone offer any advice on how to go about this, please?

04-22-2008, 03:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cellus Moderator Networking Team Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,388 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 My System	Re: Double Port Forwarding? You can use the guides at PortForward.com to configure your routers for port forwarding based on make/model and application. By the way, I assume what you meant was 7 meters, not kilometers. At that distance you'd need a repeater the size of a small house with enough power cranking out of it to have every plane in your local airspace drop from the sky. __________________ TSF Networking Team HijackThis 5 Step Process Donate!

04-23-2008, 02:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
Cellus Moderator Networking Team Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,388 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 My System	Re: Double Port Forwarding? Well since we are dealing with a WAN environment and we do not wish to disrupt service, it would be great to have a picture of your network topology as well as the make and models of your routers. What are you currently running for routing protocols (eg. RIPv1/v2, IGRP, EIGRP, OSPF, etc etc.)? Are the routers trunked? Whatever information you can provide would help immensely. Addendum: Long story short it is more than possible. In the end it is probably recommended you use something such as VPNing to achieve what you are looking for, in which case you may need to set up passthrough on your routers. __________________ TSF Networking Team HijackThis 5 Step Process Donate! Last edited by Cellus : 04-23-2008 at 02:15 PM. Reason: addendum

04-23-2008, 03:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 27,300 OS: XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Double Port Forwarding? Connecting two (or more) SOHO broadband routers together. Note: The "primary" router can be an actual router, a software gateway like Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing, or a server connection that has the capability to supply more than one IP address using DHCP server capability. No changes are made to the primary "router" configuration. Configure the IP address of the secondary router(s) to be in the same subnet as the primary router, but out of the range of the DHCP server in the primary router. For instance DHCP server addresses 192.168.0.2 through 192.168.0.100, I'd assign the secondary router 192.168.0.254 as it's IP address, 192.168.0.253 for another router, etc. Note: Do this first, as you will have to reboot the computer to connect to the router again for the remaining changes. Disable the DHCP server in the secondary router. Setup the wireless section just the way you would if it was the primary router, channels, encryption, etc. Connect from the primary router's LAN port to one of the LAN ports on the secondary router. If there is no uplink port and neither of the routers have auto-sensing ports, use a cross-over cable. Leave the WAN port unconnected! This procedure bypasses the routing function (NAT layer) and configures the router as a switch (or wireless access point for wireless routers). __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

04-24-2008, 02:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
PhilTilson Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3 OS: XP SP2	Re: Double Port Forwarding? Thanks for the ideas, but unfortunately I can't do it this way (I don't think). As I understand it, both the downstream router (or switch) and the PCs connected to it need to be on the same network, which means that I would need a number of IP addresses available. In this case, the upstream router (the one connected to the internet) can let me have only ONE IP address, which is why I have been using a second router to run my local network. Does this suggest any other ways round the problem?