LinkStation Mini Web Access Issue

[ash]

   

I recently purchased a LinkStation Mini and set it up on my home network.  I gave it a static ip address, updated it's firmware to v1.05, enabled web access, disabled UPNP, typed external port 9000, turned on port forward for both the start and end port to 9000 on my netgear wireless router wgr614v7, changed the mtu size to 1350 on my router, opened the nat filtering on my router, disabeled the spi firewall on my router... but I still cannot access my LinkStation via the internet.

 

Within my network, I can access 192.168.1.40:9000 (LinkStation static IP) fine.  However, I cannot access 192.168.1.1:9000 - I get the IE message as if I'm trying to open a webpage with no internet access.  I am running Windows XP SP3.

 

Does anyone have any ideas?  The Buffalo helpdesk says its netgear.  The netgear helpdesk said they don't know what the problem is.  Thank you.

 

Ash

Message Edited by ash on 01-06-2009 11:20 PM

[azmath]

   

Hi Ash,

 

Could you please provide the following information.

1) System IP address (XP)

2)  LinkStation IP address (also provide the link station model number)

3) Router IP address ( Also provide Router Make, and Model).

 

As per your update, what I understood is.

 

You are able to access Linkstation from Home and unable to access from Internet ( I mean out side home/from Intercafe/office)  is it correct.

 

 

 

If above my understanding is correct, sorry... you cannot access your linkstation from internet. Becuase your trying to access Linkstation using private IP address (ie. IP starts from 192).  You have to get Public IP address from your ISP ( In India ,for Public IP charge is around 2500/- /year... depends upon your ISP).

 

[azmath]

   

Regards,

Azmath Ali,

RHCE/IBM-AIX/CCNA

Technical Advisor,

Aloft Technologies,

Bangalore

 

[ash]

   

Thank you for the reply.  If you have a second, please take a look at the following site:  http://buffalonas.com/WebAccess_Quickstart.html" target="_blank">http://buffalonas.com/WebAccess_Quickstart.html .  Buffalonas.com hosts the web access for the LinkStation product.

 

It is my understanding that I can in fact access my LinkStation via the internet, outside of my network - ie coffee shop, work, etc, but my problem seems to be allowing the "9000" port that LinkStation uses to communicate.

 

If your understanding is different, please let me know.  Otherwise, I think I need to figure out how to enable port forwarding of 9000 in my netgear router, even though I have already done this.  For some reason, when I run "Shields Up", it shows this port as "stealth" - but I need it to be open.  Thanks again.

[azmath]

   

Hi Ash,

 

Could you please provide the following information.

 

2)  LinkStation IP address (also provide the link station model number)

3) Router IP address ( Also provide Router Make, and Model).

 

How Can I determine your Router supports UPNP (Universal Plug and Play).....?

 

 

So Plz give the above info... I will give the solution .....for you...

 

Regards,

Azmath Ali

[ash]

   

2) 192.168.1.40 (LinkStation Mini LSWS500GLR1)

3) 192.168.1.1 (Netgear WGR614v7)

 

My router does support upnp.

 

Please let me know if you need additional informaion.  Thank you.

 

Ash

[azmath]

   

Hi Ash,

 

You may be misunderstood about webaccess. As per my knowledge, It is not possible to access u r linkstation without public IP address.

 

Regards,

Azmath Ali

[davo]

   It is an issue with the netgear router, it is not setup correctly or is just not working, the face that it works from your LAN indicates that the linkstation is setup / working fine but it cannot communicate from outside the LAN due to the port forwarding. The linkstation doesnt know if you are connecting from inside the LAN or not to this is the only possible problem.

[azmath]

   

Hi Devo,

 

Ash is trying to access linkstation from internet using private IP 192.168.1.1:9000. I dont think it works.  She has to use Public/global IP with port 9000 (public IP:9000). 

 

As per Ash primary info, he/she configured portforwarding in netgear router.

 

Ash grow through this link for setting up port forwarding....

 

http://www.portforward.com/" target="_blank">http://www.portforward.com

 

Regard,

Azmath Ali

[davo]

   

Well i agree with what your saying (if i get your correctly) she is trying to access the unit from outside her LAN using her local IP (192.168.1.x) this of course will not work. here are detailed instrctions on how to correctly setup and use web access. You shouldn't have to use an IP address, just use buffalonas.com and it will connect using the WAN address.

 

Firstly log onto the web interface page of the linkstation. Click User management and create a new user called "test" (no quotes) and give it a password "test" and whatever description you want and apply these settings. Then click on shared folders => Add and enter the following details:
Shared folder name: test
Description: test
Shared folder Support: Tick all four options
Attributes: Read/Write
Remote Backup Password: Leave blank
Access Restrictions: Enabled (And move the test user ONLY to read/write access) and click applyNow click on Web Access along the left hand side and click Service Setup
Enter the following details:
Web Access Service: Enabled
HTTPS/SSL Encryption: Disabled
Use Buffalonas.com: Enabled
Buffalonas.com name: Specify a unique name here
Buffalonas.com key: Specify a unique key here
Auto Configure Firewall (UPnP): Disabled
External Port: 9000
Click Apply
Go to your routers configuration page and manually forward port 9000 for TCP to the IP address of the linkstation (You may need to contact your router manufacturer to do this correctly)

Now under the web access heading click Folder setup and select the test folder
Web access Settings: Use inherited Folder Permissions
Click Apply

Now go to http://www.buffalonas.com/" target="_blank">www.buffalonas.com and enter the buffalonas.com username you specified. If this works correctly you will be asked for a username and password, enter the username "test" and the password "test" (no quotes)This should then log you onto the test folder and if you have put any data on it then the files will be displayed.

 

[ash]

   

So, once again, this did not work.  While I'm connected in my home network, I can access buffalonas.com and put in my name and access my nas.  However, I want to access my nas via web access from outside of my network, such as from a coffee shop down the street.

 

I assume everyone who is accessing their nas from a location outside their network can do this.  The outside internet must communicate through a router (my netgear router) to then communicate with the nas.  I think the issue is my router's port forwarding is just not working properly.

 

The ip address assigned to me from comcast is 98.207.97.103.  My comcast is connected to my netgear, which in turn is connected to my computer/printer/nas.  Am I misunderstanding Buffalo's web access capabilites given my home networking structure?  Thanks again for all the help.

 

On a side note, when I run a port test on a site called "shields up", it says my port is in "stealth".  In theory, since I opened port 9000 in port forwarding on my netgear, "shields up" should show this port as open.  I think my last resort is to figure out how to change a port from "stealth" to open.  Anyone know how to do this?

Message Edited by ash on 01-07-2009 12:13 PM

[Colin137]

The problems is probably with the port forwarding settings on the router. Could you post the output from Start->Run, "cmd /k tracert -d -h 5 www.google.com" (without quotes)?

[ash]

   

Tracing route to http://www.l.google.com/" target="_blank">www.l.google.com [74.125.19.99]
over a maximum of 5 hops:

  1     3 ms     2 ms     2 ms  192.168.1.1
  2     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  3    11 ms     9 ms     8 ms  68.87.199.5
  4    12 ms     8 ms    10 ms  68.87.192.241
  5    11 ms    11 ms     9 ms  68.87.192.246

Trace complete.

 

 

Let me know if this gives you any info...  Thanks.

[Colin137]

So you don't have a double-NAT problem. If WebAccess works locally, then the issue must be with your router. Make sure port 9000 is forwarded to the local ip address (192.168-type) of the Linkstation, then try restarting the router.

[ash]

   Thank you for the reply.  I believe the issue to be with my netgear router and comcast.  I've tried, multiple times, to port forward 9000 to my static ip of the LinkStation, yet it doesn't seem to work.  Netgear's tech support has now "escalated" this issue, we we will see what happens.