Port problem

[farmcam 0]

I have been reading this message board for some time now and this is my first post here. I think I have a port problem I can't figure out, mainly because I don't know enough. First my system:

PC based GV-1240 with 9 cams

Web cam and Win XP Pro firewall enabled

Buffalo WLI2-TX1-G54 wireless ethernet converter - WiFi

No router and no Norton

This is a system I installed at my farm shop in Dec. 2005 to keep an eye on things while I'm at home 4 miles away. Everything was install new and the computer is not used for anything else. Lately the web cam started acting up and would not let me connect to the server. I use the single window mode. Sometimes I can disconect the WiFi converter power and then reconnect to force converter reboot and regain web cam controll at client pc at home - sometimes not. I also have tried to connect by turning off the firewall at the sever. While the firewall was off "can't connect to server" message appears at home pc and also doing a telnet from there for ports 4550 or 5550 results in no connection. Port 80 of course does connect. Anyway today I downloaded and installed Active Port scanner from ezcctv web site and also their batch file to set up XP firewall for the GV-1240 card. I set the firewall to the default setting to clear out everything and then ran the batch file and it set up everything very nicely. Went back home and still no connection. Again went back to server late today and ran the port scanner and I see that my home computer is still connected to port 4550 even though its browser is closed, but the wireless internet connection is always on at both computers. Just got back home, disconnected internet (client pc) to see if I could break the connection, repowered, and sure enough web cam connects. Sorry for all the rambling, but what do I need to do here? Im' not 100% sure that is my problem, but that's what I'm guessing, it won't release the port. BTW when I did the Active port scan it reported that port 4550 was established (to my home IP) and port 5550 listning. Thanks for any help, I've got to buy some gas.

[VST_Man 1]

buy a router/switch.....turn off XP Firewall and/or get ride of all software firewalls. your asking the server to be a router and it is not designed to be one. a router/switch will allow to to administer the routing off the server.

[mfennell 0]

It doesn't sound like a port issue. And VST_Man the XP machine isn't acting like a router or switch, its connected to a bridge which is handling the traffic. It sounds like you are having connection issues. Are you getting packet loss on that connection? Out of a thousand pings how many are dropped?

 

4 miles with a Buffalo bridge, seems far for that residentail equipment (not that it couldn't do it). How high is the AP mounted? How high is the bridge antenna mounted? Whats in the way? Are the trees filling out? Are you having lots of rain? Standing water? Hows the LOS (Line of Sight)?

[farmcam 0]

OK, put a router on the server if no other reason for better security and turning off xp firewall. After that I still had some trouble logging on the web cam so did a telnet for port 5550. It connected so I restart the web cam connection and this time it worked. I'm beginning to lean toward the wireless connection myself because after all this thing worked fo 60+ days without any problems and I used the web cam every one of those days. I'm running a continous ping every 15 seconds now and I see a couple of times there was no ping. My ISP has a recieving antenna on top a 250'+ building and I have LOS from server which is about 3 air miles away. I use and external dish antenna at the serve. My speed at the server lately is 1500 down and around 500 up. At best it will be 3000/1500, but they are doing some equipment upgrade and that may be the key to the whole issue.

[rory 0]

Your WISP may be the problem.

 

Without a router or hub, you would be able to get right into the DVR with no port forwarding or anything, once the Windows Firewall is turned off, or set up.