Linkstation Pro Duo: Web Access?

[newprometheus]

   

Hi,

 

I am running a Buffalo LinkStation Pro Duo (model LS-WTGL/R1-V3) with firmware version 3.07.  The LinkStation is connected to a router, to which my computer network is attached.   I am not using BuffaloNAS.com or any internet access.  I am trying to set up the Web Access feature in my internal network, but I've noticed several oddities and I'm writing to ask for help in making sense of this:

 

1) The Web Access > Service Setup tab has a field "External Port" which I've set to "8080".  In addition: The Web Access Service is enabled; HTTPS/SSL Encryption is disabled; Use BuffaloNAS.com is disabled; Since a DNS Hostname is required, I've entered "share"; and Auto-Configure Firewall is disabled.  Even so, the LinkStation DOES NOT respond to requests on port 8080!  Strangely, the LinkStation DOES respond to requests on port 9000.

 

2) I'm able to login to the interface on port 9000 as a test user I've created.  However, there DOES NOT appear to be any way to LOGOUT!

 

3) Lastly, users DO NOT have the option to manage their password via the interface on port 9000.  Instead, they must login to the web admin interface on port 80.  Wha?

 

Surely I'm just being daft and I'm missing some important piece of understanding as to how this all makes sense.  Please explain.

 

Thank you!

[rinthos]

   

Ok well I'll take a stab at your 3 questions (in reverse order).  Also as an Fyi, firmware versions 3.08 and 3.09 are available for the LS Pro Duo. Don't think they address any of your areas of concern, however, but just something to keep in mind.

 

3) User management through Web Access system (port 9000)?

• You are correct, no user management functionality can be done through this interface.
  • As a business user, I tend to agree w/ this philosophy, but I would agree it would be welcomed if users could at least change their passwords via this interface (excluding admin users, i think that's a security issue).
• But ignoring what i would like or not like, No, you can't do anything related to user account management or access through this interface, must use the main Linkstation admin interface (port 80 by default).

 

2) How do I log out of Buffalo Web Access (port 9000)?

• Correct, there is no 'logout' option.  Buffalo's usage procedure states to 'close the browser'. 
  • Not ideal, but it's the only option at this point.

 

1) What the heck does the 'Web Access' external port option do? Web access is still running on port 9000!

• So just to clarify, Web Access is ALWAYS running on port 9000, this can NOT currently be changed.
  • The External Port option is telling the LS Pro Duo what port External to your Router are people using that your router forwards to port 9000?
    • For example: When someone accesses your router/gateway on port 9000 from the WAN port (externally), it normally does not route it to your LS Pro Duo's web access system.  So your router will require you to Forward an incoming port request for a specific port to the LS Pro Duo's port 9000.
      • There are 2 ways to do this.  Using uPNP to automatically set this up, or to do it manually.  For the sake of explanation, I'll explain it manually, but uPNP does the same type of thing (in a more random and automatic way).
        • So lets say you want your router to forward all port 5555 requests to your LS Pro Duo (maybe you have multiple devices running on port 9000, so 5555 seemed like a fun number :) ).  You configure your router to forward EXTERNAL 5555 requests to the local/LAN IP address of your LS Pro Duo on port 9000.
        • So that seems to work..why does the LS PRO DUO care?  A few reasons.
          • If you use Buffalonas.com, it gets the name + external port sent to it from the LS PRO DUO, so it will direct traffic to your nas to the proper external port (5555) [which we now know is being forwarded to actual port 9000].  So for BuffaloNas.com to know how to direct external traffic, we set it here.
          • Whether Buffalonas.com is in use or not, another purpose is how the Web Access GUI creates links.  For example, when you browse to web access and click on a Shortcut link to a file, the LS PRO DUO would normally send you to a link for that file on port 9000.  If you are not on the local LAN though, port 9000 may not be routing to the LS PRO DUO, so the links won't work.  So the LS PRO DUO will enumerate it's links in Web Access to contain the external port, with the assumption that your router is properly forwarding the requests to port 9000 on the device.
  • Summary: External Port # is just a place to specify what external port you are forwarding from your Router to the LS PRO Duo Web Access module (running on port 9000 of the LS PRO Duo).

 

Sorry for the long explanation, but hope this clarifies how the External port deal actually works.  Also, hope this answers your questions.

 

Thanks.

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[newprometheus]

   

Hi rinthos, and thank you very much for your prompt and detailed response!

 

To Buffalo support staff regarding Web Access, I have the following suggestions:

 

1) Please enable users to manage their passwords themselves via the Web Access interface.  This is an industry best-practice.

 

2) Please enable users to LOGOUT from the Web Access interface.  Simply closing the browser is not a good solution, since  subsequent browser sessions will be able to login to the Web Access interface as the previous user without providing authentication credentials.  This is also an industry best-practice.

 

And I'm confused by your firmware updates for my product:

 

1) Firmware versions 3.08 and 3.09 are both available, but version 3.08 has a later "Post Date" than version 3.09.  So which is the latest firmware?

 

2) Having experience in IT, I tend not to install firmware updates unless I know what specifically is being updated.  Please provide release notes or at least more verbose descriptions explaining what has been updated in the firmware version and why.

 

Thank you!

[mwatsonanb]

   

Perhaps a corollary of the OP's question is a problem I have. We have several offices throughout the state with SonicWalls in each office which route traffic through the cloud (no VPN). I can access the Web interfaces on many devices in the remote offices including printers, copiers, servers, etc., but I cannot get to the Web interface (for administration) of our LS-WTGL/R1-V3 F/W 3.09 that is installed in one of our offices. I can get to the interface if I VNC or remote desktop a computer on the LAN on which the LinkStation is installed.

 

NOTE: I am not talking about Web Access for file share at this point (though I would like to do that too).

 

Any ideas?