Netgear router on client side blocking DVR connection

[buzzworm 0]

Hi, I have a Q-See QSD6209 nine-channel DVR (please don't laugh, I'm new to this, I see what people think about these!). I don't think this is the usual port forwarding problem.

 

I have the DVR installed at my store, using port 80 with port forwarding via my Comcast Business Gateway. I'm using DynDns. I've verified that it's possible to connect remotely to my DVR. But I can't connect to it from home, because my Netgear WGT624 wireless router seems to be causing the connection to fail. It doesn't matter if I'm using the wireless interface or hardwired cable to the router.

 

If I plug my computer directly into my Comcast cable modem, I can connect OK. Why would going through the router block the connection? It has a built-in firewall which doesn't appear disable-able, so would this be the culprit? I temporarily turned on port-forwarding for incoming connections on port 80 to go to my PC, but that didn't help.

 

Thanks for any help.

[phoenixad 0]

You basically have 2 routers if the modem has multiple ports...

 

1. you should connect the DVR and all PCs to your router and connect only the router to your modem directly. Dissable any router function in the modem. If you cannot find a way just set the main router IP in your modem as DMZ.

 

Good luck!

[buzzworm 0]

phoenixad, thanks for the info but it sounds like you mean the setup at the store where the DVR is located. That setup seems to be OK since I (and another person) could connect to my DVR from a remote location. My problem was I could only connect from home when I bypassed my home router and plugged my PC directly into my cable modem. But I think I just answered my own question. I went to the grc site (sorry, as a new forum member I'm not allowed to post a you-are-l or even spell the word) and ran the "common ports" test and found that port 80 on my cable modem was open to the outside world, but port 80 was closed when my PC was behind my Netgear router. Apparently opening port 80 on the viewing PC must be a requirement to connect to the Q-See DVR at its remote location. I found I had to do two things on my Netgear WGT624 to enable connections: Set up port forwarding for port 80 to the "local" IP of my home PC, AND click "Disable SPI Firewall". Apparently that's "Stateful Packet Inspection" designed to prevent Denial of Service, but it kills my ability to connect.

 

So I think it's OK now. Thanks for your help.

[phoenixad 0]

I would say that it was probably your firewall..

 

Opening port 80 for the remote computer makes no sense since that port is already open.

Glad you solved it though..

[buzzworm 0]

Yeah, I think it was just the "disable spi firewall" setting that fixed it. The first time I tried disabling that by itself I still couldn't connect, but I could later connect with a laptop different from my port forwarding setting. Maybe that change didn't really take effect yet the first time I tried.

Thanks!