Help with new install

[MarkJames]

Yeah, the Hometroller is plugged into a data switch which is this plugged into my modem/router combo.


1) Yes, HS3 is on port 80.
2) I have only set up port forwarding for the specific port to use with Geofency, I have not set up one just for my HS3 hometroller. The port forwarding that I have for Geofency uses the internal IP of my HS3 hometroller in combination with port 8256 so I didn't think I needed another one for just the hometroller itself, should I set that up?
3) I can browse on my LAN to my hometroller and have verified that 8256 is setup in the plugin.
4) I set up another port forward for port 80 and my internal IP for hometroller and typed in my phone over LTE myexternalIP:80 and it doesn't let me in.
5) Typing dynamic URL into phone over LTE also doesn't work.

It's sounding like even though I've set up port forwarding in my router, there is still something not set right in my router that is blocking the port. I'll call Netgear support in the morning in hopes they might be able to figure it out.

Thank you Mark and Randy for your help tonight...really do appreciate it. Just sounds like my situation isn't an easy one. I'll update tomorrow. I hope Paul is able to get the service though MyHS.....could make this easier.... Paul...this really makes me appreciate your plugin even more as this stuff is not easy!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

You need a port forward for port 80 to your hometroller IP. Otherwise if you try to access it from an external IP it won't get past your router.

Look at it this way.

Your router is what the internet sees. Your external IP address channels any requests to your router.

A port forward tells your router that if a request comes on, say, port 80 - then send it to the machine hosting HS3. That's why you need the port forward in the router on 80 for HS3.

Internally - inside your LAN - you're directly accessing the HS3 machine and your browser defaults to port 80 for HTTP. No need for a port forward. It's only from OUTSIDE your LAN that it is critical.

mark

[The Profit]

What OS is your HS3 running on?

If possible, can you open a browser on the HS3 machine itself and try
http://myhs3ipaddress:myport/phlgeofency

If you are prompted for credentials then this shows that the plug-in is listening on the selected port.

Assuming the 1st test works, try the same URL from another machine on the same LAN. If this does not work then it is likely a firewall issue on the HS3 machine itself.

Paul.

If you are not prompted

Paul/Mark/Randy,
I have made quite a bit of progress this morning. I went back through all of your suggestions and made sure to walk through everything again.

**If possible, can you open a browser on the HS3 machine itself and try
http://myhs3ipaddress:myport/phlgeofency
- I tried the above and received "Error. Empty data string!".

**Assuming the 1st test works, try the same URL from another machine on the same LAN. If this does not work then it is likely a firewall issue on the HS3 machine itself.
- I tried this and also received the same "Error. Empty data string!" Error. So everything is good with the plugin and there isn't anything blocking it on the hometroller.

- Something that my ISP suggested that I try was to set the LAN IP address of the hometroller as the DMZ server. He said that it opens that computer up completely to the internet so he does not advise to leave it that way, but that it would at least allow me to test everything else and narrow down this issue. Once I set the IP as the DMZ server and tested the URL from the Geofency App everything was successful! I have since turned off the DMZ option but now I know it's the router that is still blocking the port.

I spent some time with Netgear support this morning, they went through all the settings on my router and according to them all of my settings are correct to open the port.

I tried Randy's idea to browse my domain or public IP using the cellular data on my phone, as long as I had the router set my hometroller up on DMZ I was able to browse to it successfully. Is NAT reflection not being enabled still a possibility or is it still possible the port isn't open properly?

I really appreciate all the help! I do seem to be making some headway now!

[MarkJames]

Can you screen cap your port forward settings and post them?

You don't wanna leave your hometroller in the DMZ unless you run it SSL

mark

[randy]

I tried Randy's idea to browse my domain or public IP using the cellular data on my phone, as long as I had the router set my hometroller up on DMZ I was able to browse to it successfully. Is NAT reflection not being enabled still a possibility or is it still possible the port isn't open properly?

No. NAT reflection is working, if you are able to connect to your DDNS domain name within your network (with your hometroller IP included in the DMZ)

[The Profit]

What OS is your HS3 running on?

If possible, can you open a browser on the HS3 machine itself and try
http://myhs3ipaddress:myport/phlgeofency

If you are prompted for credentials then this shows that the plug-in is listening on the selected port.

Assuming the 1st test works, try the same URL from another machine on the same LAN. If this does not work then it is likely a firewall issue on the HS3 machine itself.

Paul.

Paul/Mark,
It has been resolved! After I had Netgear tech support look over all my settings and made sure that the port was being forwarded correctly but it still wouldn't work unless the IP was set under DMZ.

Randy took a look at the settings page and noticed next to Port Forwarding there was a radio button to select "Never" or "Always" that was set to Never. Once he switched it to Always, everything started working!
I had assumed when I was setting up the port forwarding that when I selected Always and then "Add" next to the internal IP address that it saved those settings in the settings listed on the bottom of the screen for the individual port that I was setting up....it doesn't....

So the correct way is to select Add new service, input the port and internal IP then click Add. Once it shows on the bottom of the port forwarding setup page then you select "Always" next to port forwarding and then the "Apply" button above.
Thank you very much to Paul, Mark and Randy for all your help with this!

[MarkJames]

Glad to hear you got it working!