This topic

port forwarding problem

capnahab — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 12:44:03 GMT

I have 2 security cameras that require power over ethernet.

They require a router (mikrotik) that sits behind my smart hub2.

I want to set up port forwarding so I can see the security cameras when I am not at home.

I cannot put the smarthub into bridge mode (why not ?)

I have to try and pick my way through double NAT to set up port forwarding and am yet to succeed.

Can I dispense with the smart hub and connect my router (does it need a wan port ?) directly to the fibre modem ?. If so what does the router need?. When I just tried this I had no internet from the router set to DHCP.

thanks

Re: port forwarding problem

licquorice — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 12:59:08 GMT

You need to set the router to PPPoE, not DHCP if connecting directly to the ONT.

Username and password is the generic bthomehub@btbroadband.com and BT

Re: port forwarding problem

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:27:20 GMT

Why do the cameras require a separate router?

You can't put the Hub into bridge mode because only the business models have that.

Do you have Digital Voice? If so you can't dispense with the Hub.

Yes, the Mikrotik needs a WAN port, but if it doesn't have a dedicated one it may be possible to configure a LAN port as WAN. But you'll have to refer to Mikrotik for that.

Re: port forwarding problem

licquorice — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:39:16 GMT

@Anonymous I think you may have missed the PoE requirement. 😃

Re: port forwarding problem

licquorice — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 14:12:50 GMT

@capnahab What would be the point of putting the BT hub in bridge mode? You would then have 2 modems.

Re: port forwarding problem

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 14:52:13 GMT

@licquoricewrote:
@AnonymousI think you may have missed the PoE requirement. 😃

No, he could just use an injector for that.

Re: port forwarding problem

licquorice — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 14:59:24 GMT

True

Re: port forwarding problem

capnahab — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:07:45 GMT

As I said they need POE, - does the smarthub do POE?

Re: port forwarding problem

capnahab — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:02:25 GMT

to avoid double NAT and simplify port forwarding

Re: port forwarding problem

capnahab — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:02:59 GMT

you'll have to explain what an injector is.

Re: port forwarding problem

Les-Gibson — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:12:28 GMT

Google POE injector, they're generally around £25 - £30

Re: port forwarding problem

licquorice — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:13:23 GMT

@capnahab wrote:

to avoid double NAT and simplify port forwarding

I assume that is in response to my point about hub in bridge mode, you haven't attributed it or quoted the post you are referring to.

There is already a modem in the form of the ONT, adding another is pointless and wouldn't work anyway.

Re: port forwarding problem

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:15:32 GMT

@capnahabwrote:
you'll have to explain what an injector is.

In your case replace the Network Switch with your Hub & the single port injector with a dual. If you intend adding other POE devices then a POE switch would be better.

Re: port forwarding problem

capnahab — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 15:25:59 GMT

Thanks all, - I have changed my set up to eliminate the Smart hub, and I now have my router connected directly to the modem. I have set up port for forwarding of 80 and 8001 for one of my cameras. Using this online port checker (https://portchecker.co/check-it) says both ports are closed.

Looking through other messages it seems notoriously dffiicult to do this and shouldnt be. I have read that BT do not bloack any ports.

How can I investigate this.

Chat GPT has recommended this most of which I have done., I can telenet to the camers from within my network.

If you've already set up port forwarding on your MikroTik router but a port checker tool is showing that ports 80 and 8001 are blocked, there are several steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. **Check MikroTik Configuration:**
- Ensure that the port forwarding rules are correctly configured. You should have rules that forward traffic from the WAN interface on the specific ports to the corresponding IP address and ports on your internal network.
- Verify that the destination IP address in the port forwarding rule is correct and that the device is online and set up to accept connections on those ports.

2. **Firewall Rules:**
- Check the MikroTik firewall settings to make sure there are no rules that explicitly block ports 80 and 8001.
- Ensure that there are accept rules for the incoming connections on ports 80 and 8001 in the firewall settings.

3. **ISP Restrictions:**
- Some ISPs block incoming traffic on certain ports, especially port 80, to prevent residential customers from hosting public websites. Contact your ISP to confirm if they block these ports.

4. **Testing Internally:**
- Try accessing your service internally using the local IP and the designated port to ensure the service is running and listening on the correct port.
- Use a tool like `telnet` or `nc` (netcat) to test port connectivity internally: `telnet <device-IP> 80` or `nc -zv <device-IP> 80`.

5. **External Testing:**
- When testing externally, ensure you're using your public IP address.
- If possible, try testing the port from a different network, like a mobile data connection, to rule out local network issues.

6. **Check Connected Devices:**
- Ensure that the device you're trying to reach is properly configured to accept connections on the relevant ports. For example, if it's a web server, make sure it's configured to listen on ports 80 or 8001.

7. **Logs and Monitoring:**
- Check the MikroTik logs for any indications of why the traffic might be blocked.
- Use tools like packet sniffers (e.g., Wireshark) to monitor the traffic and see if the packets are reaching the router and being forwarded or dropped.

By methodically going through these steps, you should be able to identify where the blockage is occurring and take appropriate action to resolve it. If after all these checks the ports still appear to be blocked, there might be a more specific issue at play that could require a deeper dive into the configuration and potentially reaching out to MikroTik support or your ISP for further assistance.

Re: port forwarding problem

licquorice — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 16:35:42 GMT

Test using Shields Up.

This will give one of three results for the port being probed.

Open.....port forwarding working properly

Closed....port forwarded correctly but no application listening on the port

Stealth...port not forwarded correctly

I have never found port forwarding problematic.

Item 5 in your list is particularly important, don't try to access your public IP address from within your LAN, you need to try it from a separate network, 4G etc

Re: port forwarding problem

capnahab — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 19:53:48 GMT

I did manage to get this working until my public IP address changed so my IP address at No-ip no longer was pointing at me. Are BT public IP addresses not static?.

Re: port forwarding problem

licquorice — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 19:57:43 GMT

No, but that is the point of using a DDNS service such as Noip, it should track the change.

Re: port forwarding problem

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 20:01:54 GMT

Provided you have an update agent running, or the correct setting in the DDNS section of the home hub.

Also the free version of No-IP requires that you manually refresh your host settings every 30 days.

Re: port forwarding problem

capnahab — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 20:07:15 GMT

Oh, it wasnt tracking the change.

Re: port forwarding problem

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 20:22:17 GMT

@capnahab

Is it the free single host version of No-IP you are using?