Topic: Access to external interface ports

[Nick]

I am a SME newbe, running 5.1.2 w/php updates and imp 3.0 upgrade but otherwise default installation.
Have configured machine as server & gateway - dedicated, using dynamicDNS updates.
Have configured public ssh access, 2 PPTP clients and normal usage FTP (with private FTP user access).
Everything works fine from the internal network, the dyanamic DNS interface is fine, but to a remote internet machine looking at the external interface, most ports appear to be in stealth mode. I AM able to SSH into the machine and I can ping the external interface. I cannot access port 21, 25, 80, 443 etc - http:// requests get no response from these.
Anybody got any ideas on  what I can do to open these ports up, and why they are closed in the first place?

[Terry Brummell]

You don't mention who your ISP is.  Many residential isp services block the common ports (21,25,80,110 & 443) to keep people from running servers, forcing them to go with a business class connection.  If this is your case, you'll be out of luck.
Just my humble opinion.

Terry

[Nick]

Hi Terry -

My ISP is charter.net. It does look a bit like that is what is happening. Yikes! That's pretty bad news if that is it. Is this kind of blocking by MAC address, or subnet wide, do you know?

[Terry Brummell]

If that is indeed the case they would do it for the complete subnet.  Right at the headend of their network.  Best thing you can do now is see if anyone in the user groups uses charter.net, and does their access work?  I'm with Rogers, an old @Home affiliate, and ports on this network are still open.  I'm not sure for how much longer though, only time will tell.

[Nick]

OK Terry, noted. I will try swapping out the ethernet card and try that. This only started happening about 1 week ago - I had been using a MS IIS system for a long time with no problems. Thanks for your response.

[Terry Brummell]

Ohhh, you hadn't mentioned that.  If you had web (port 80) available on the IIS server, should be available here.
When you did the SME install, did you select "Private Server and Gateway"?  If so, that shuts down public ports to the extenal interface, but these services would still run from the intrnal side of the box.
Just reread your post, yes, things work from the internal side, so, I'd go and review the config and see if you selected Private server by accident.

[Andrew]

G'day Nick,

I'm pretty much a newbie myself but I have external FTP access working and the one difference I can see between your system and mine is the FTP access.  My "FTP user account access" is set to "public" and my "FTP access limits" is set to "normal usage".  
On top of that he Ibay that I am using as the FTP server has its "public access via web or anonymous FTP" set to "entire internet (password required)".

I hope this helps.

Cheers,
Andrew