Okay, I'm not a computer genius, but I am under 30, so that helps. If you dont want to read all of this, everything works except I cannot get remote viewing over 3G on my iPhone, thats my real problem. The description of what I have and what I've done is below.
Here's my setup:
4 Camera Swann DVR4-4200
MediaLink Wireless Router (http://www.amazon.com/Medialink-Wireless-N-Broadband-Internal-Antennas/dp/B00A3YN0Z0)
Motorola SB6121 Cable Modem (Comcast ISP)
iPhone 4
Here's what I've done so far.
1) I have everything set up to view from inside my home network. I have assigned a static IP to the DVR 169.16X.X.104 and have that on both my router (where it links to the DVR MAC address) and on the DVR unit itself. All of the other settings on the DVR match what is on my computer's IP (Subnet, Gateway, DNS).
2) I have ports 9000 and 85 listed the DVR. Also, I have enabled port forwarding for 169.16X.X.104 for each of these (9000 and 85) separately on my router. I also tried to set up DMZ for 169.16X.X.104 on my router, but I'm not really sure what that means. Also, I have the uPnP enabled on both my router and my DVR, and I'm not quite sure why or what it does for me.
3) I set up a DDNS through Swann and it is username.swanndvr.net. I have this information in my DVR with my correct username, password, etc. It is recognized by by DVR using the check function and is also recognized when I look at Swann DDNS online, so I think we should be all good there. I don't have this DDNS set up on my router because it doesn't recognize the swanndvr.net extension, however I feel like this is only for if I want to access my router remotely, which I do not need to do, so I'm anticipating that this is not an issue. I don't want to use dynddns because it costs money.
4) I've run checks online for both the DDNS and for my IP (the computer's IP, not the local one) on both ports and they both show open.
Here's what I can currently do:
1) I can access within my network using my local IP (both on my iPhone app and on my computer)
2) Externally, I'm pretty sure I can access my DVR with another computer using my DDNS (http://username.swanndvr.net:85). I haven't 100% verified yet because work blocks my ability to download the add-on that I need, but it shows up as "Network Surveillance" and asks to install the 'DvrOcx.cab' from 'Swann Communications Pty Ltd'. This leads me to believe that if I were to try my laptop on another network that I could get in. I'm actually not too worried, I think this will work
What I can't do / help needed:
GET IT ON MY IPHONE! It won't connect. I have like 4 different versions of Swann View. It seems like I should be using my DDNS, but it doesn't seem to find anything. I think the safari browser wont support the online DDNS, so I'd like to get it through the app, but it doesn't seem to work. My system does NOT offer a mobile port or mobile port setting (even though it is brand new) unless I'm missing something.
Here's the manual for my exact DVR: http://www.swann.com/downloads/product/22153200_4200_4ch_&_8ch_M4200_3200H160413E_web.pdf
Thanks in advance for your help!