Topic: Can't access web site from internet

[jfabate]

I have configured a server-only version of SME. I have it behind a Netopia ADSL modem/router/firewall. I have configured a pinhole through the firewall for port 80 pointing to the internal IP of my SME box. I can access the web site from the internal LAN but not from the internet. I can ping the IP and the domain name and it responds. Yet when I put the url in the browser address field, it comes up with an error saying the page cannot be found.

Do I have to have the SME box configured for Server and Gateway to use it as a web server? If not, is there anything obviously wrong in what I've done here?

Thanks,
John

[rkuenzli]

No, you don't need "Server and Gateway" since you already have your ADSL modem as gateway. Port forwarding from you ADSL is also okay, but how the www knows the IP address of your ADSL? I mean are you using a DNS or DDNS to point to your modem? Finally, what URL are you using in your browser?

[jfabate]

My domain name is managed thru Register.Com. I use their Account Manager to point the www to the appropriate IP. I had the web site hosted by Earthlink and had the domain name pointed at their server. When I finished configuring my SME server, I pointed it at my IP. The url is www.cpd-corp.com. It is currently pointed back at the Earthlink server since I can't seem to get mine working. I run e-mail from an Exchange Server inside my network and it works fine. I use the SME for web hosting only - if I can get it to work!

Thanks,
John

[rkuenzli]

I assume that in your case your internet access hasn't anything to do with your SME server since you have a router in your modem. I succest the following steps:

1) check the SME webserver from your LAN (you did it and it works).

2) find out the WAN IP address of your modem (normally each modem has web interface where you can see the LAN and WAN IP number). Try to access your webserver first with this IP number (you can ping your modem from the WAN, right?).

I am pretty sure you have to look after your modem - it's not the SME.

[jackl]

John,
What you have done should work ok, but if you go into the advanced setup of the Netopia, instead of choosing the pin hole option choose the software hosting option, you will initially see a list on the first tab, I think if you choose the second tab you may see an option to route web calls on port 80 to an internal address. In other words I think there is a built in template in the netopia to forward port 80 to an internal server. It's been awhile since I looked at an netopia so I may be wrong.

Regards
Jack

[jfabate]

Thanks, Jack,

I checked the Netopia setup and there is no option for software hosting in this model. I set up the internal server within the Netopia to accept telnet. I then set up pinholes for email inbound and outbound. When I tried to set up a pinhole for http on port 80, it seemed to have worked. If I enter http://<internal-IP-address> in my browser, my web site comes up fine. If I enter http://<external-IP-address>/index.html, I get page not found. Same if I enter www.<mydomainname>.com. Don't know how to test the Netopia setup to see if anything is happening on port 80.

John

[girkers]

Have you checked to see if your ISP allows port 80 access.  I know my ISP blocks the first 1024 ports.

A check that may work for you to find out if this port is in fact block is going to http://www.grc.com click Shields Up and then part way down the page click Shields Up again.  It will tell you briefly about your connection and then click proceed

From there you have a few options, for a quick check click on Common ports and it will then tell you the status of port 80.

I hope this may be of some benefit.

[jfabate]

I have apparently solved the problem. I had 5 pinholes set up. When I deleted one, the pinhole for the web site seems to work. So maybe Netopia has a limit to how many pinholes it allows. If so, too bad nothing tells me that. Anyway, all is working now.

Thanks everyone,
John