Author Topic: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding  (Read 232820 times)

Stefan

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Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« on: August 12, 2009, 01:39:33 PM »
PLEASE NOTE : If you are unsure as to whether or not Port Forwarding is the solution to your problem then please start here: http://skjm.com/forum/index.php?topic=174.0

Port forwarding isn't always the solution to every connectivity problem. Sometimes it can make things worse or simply confuse the troubleshooting process. If you are receiving the Source Connection Error when your iPhone is connected via 3G/EDGE but you ARE able to connect via WiFi, then Port Forwarding is most likely the solution for you.

To use port forwarding, you will need to both enable port forwarding in the iCamSource and setup a port forwarding range in your router.

To enable port forwarding in the iCamSource:



If you are running Windows, you will need to set an iCamSource registry key:

1. Download the following file to your computer and double-click it: http://skjm.com/icam/iCamSourcePortForwarding.reg If the file opens up in notepad for some reason, please see the Registry Note below.
2. Restart the iCamSource. You should now see a checkbox allowing you to enable Port Forwarding. Check it, and you should see the range 12000 to 12100 by default.

Registry Note - If double-clicking the .reg file doesn't work, you can do the following to add it to the registry:

- Click on Start and then Run...
- Type in regedit, and then click OK
- In regedit, click on File, and then Import
- Enter the filename or otherwise locate the ".reg" file you want to enter, and click OK



If you are running Mac OS X, you will need to add an iCamSource user defaults setting:

1. Open a Terminal windows from Applications > Utilities > Terminal
2. Copy and paste the following line of text into it and press Enter:

defaults write com.skjm.icamsource PortRangeSet -bool true

3. Restart the iCamSource. You should now see a checkbox allowing you to enable Port Forwarding.  Check it, and you should see the range 12000 to 12100 by default.



The next step is to forward that range of ports in your router to the computer running the iCamSource:

1. Go to http://portforward.com/ and find your router in the list sorted by manufacturer and model.
2. Click on your router's model, and then click on the "Click here to skip this advertisement..." link in the top-right corner.
3. The iCamSource is not among their list of supported applications, so you'll need to find and click on the "Default Guide" link near the top of the page, located above the list of applications.
4. Following the default instructions, forward UDP (not TCP) ports 12000-12100 to the computer running the iCamSource.

Once this is done, you should be able to access your iCamSource via 3G/EDGE.



IMPORTANT NOTE #1 - If your router only allows you to forward a single port at a time, change the port range from 12000-12100 to 12000-12005 in the iCamSource and add 6 port forwarding rules in your router, one for each port.

IMPORTANT NOTE #2 - If you are running iCamSource(s) on more than one computer on the same network then you will need to use (and forward) a separate port range for each computer. (We recommend using 12000-12100, 12200-12300, 12400-12500, etc.)



If things are not still not working correctly, then you can first try and confirm that your port forwarding is functioning as expected. If you visit this link ...

http://portchecker.net/udp.php?p=12000

... it will open a webpage that contains a Java Applet in it (similar to iCamWeb) that will be able to listen on port 12000 for a UDP packet to be sent from a server on the Internet to your computer. If your port forwarding is functioning correctly then you should see a message saying that the port is open. If it is not functioning correctly, it should say that it is blocked.



As always, please feel free to e-mail support@skjm.com if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks! :)
« Last Edit: August 12, 2009, 01:47:50 PM by Stefan »

Bill_martin1@mac.com

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2009, 03:27:18 AM »
defaults write com.skjm.icamsource PortRangeSet -bool true

I installed the above line in my terminal Mac OS 10.5.8 and the source error disappeared. Reception is perfect. However my isight camera on my iMac G5 no longer works with any other program, iChat, Skype, everything but iCam. iCam works perfectly but so what if it takes out my other services. iCam is a lovely program but I will have to dump it if we can't resolve this.

1. how do I remove the above line from the terminal program?
2. and is there hope of some additional terminal line that will make everything work??
3. thank everyone that has been helpful.

bill_martin1@mac.com

Stefan

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2009, 01:02:55 PM »
That terminal line only affects the way that the iCamSource connects to iCam, it doesn't affect your camera in any way.

Are you trying to use your camera when the iCamSource is already engaging it? I am not sure how things would react if multiple applications are attempting to connect to the same camera at the same time, as they may fight over it.

Bill_martin1@mac.com

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2009, 07:54:43 AM »
question::::::Are you trying to use your camera when the iCamSource is already engaging it? I am not sure how things would react if multiple applications are attempting to connect to the same camera at the same time, as they may fight over it.

I would be content is if were one or the other. After the latest line insertion in the terminal window. iCam always works perfectly and only photo booth continues to work. iChat& Skype both have no camera. I am still fiddling with the port setting but have to shut down the modem and restart before I can get the usual access. I am dealing with that in another forum.  The iChat drop-down just shows telephones no video.
I am off to do another restart on the modem.  Hopefully,  I'll come back with what works.
bill

Bill_martin1@mac.com

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2009, 11:22:38 AM »
Okay, I am back. Turns out it was ATT not me. They have changed how to access a 2wire modem. I am on a iMac G5 with Mac OS 10.5.8. 2.1 Ghz PowerPC G5 with 2.5 GB DDR2 SDRAM.  Here's where it stands at this time. I can get the iChat camera to show in it's preferences if iCam is turned off. I haven't looked at skype yet. However, the icon in the iChat drop down remains a telephone only and now the video preference box states camera is in use by another application when iCam is on. Turning iCam completely off seems to be the only way to use iChat. It's not enough to stop iCam in it's preferences It must be Quit in the iCam menu bar drop own. I have the port forwarding set to 12000-12005. iCam reception is perfect and quick however now I must turn it off every time I come home in order for it not to grab the camera from iChat. The whole point of course is to add cameras and be waked up if there is a significant movement in my yard. I have it set to least sensitive and it still goes off over what must be spiders. There is no one in the house and I am in the other room.

question::::::Are you trying to use your camera when the iCamSource is already engaging it? I am not sure how things would react if multiple applications are attempting to connect to the same camera at the same time, as they may fight over it.

I would be content is if were one or the other. After the latest line insertion in the terminal window. iCam always works perfectly and only photo booth continues to work. iChat& Skype both have no camera. I am still fiddling with the port setting but have to shut down the modem and restart before I can get the usual access. I am dealing with that in another forum.  The iChat drop-down just shows telephones no video.
I am off to do another restart on the modem.  Hopefully,  I'll come back with what works.
bill

Stefan

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2009, 03:52:06 PM »
There is likely a problem with iChat and iCam "fighting" over use of the camera, so there is probably not be a better solution for that issue.

In your yard are there any trees that blowing wind would trigger it, or is the image particularly dark or noisy?

jmy

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2009, 04:35:26 PM »
I just purchased the iphone app and installed icamsource, but I'm having the server connection problem (works fine over wifi, gives "source connection error" message over 3G).  I have a PC running XP and a WRT54GS router.  When I run the portchecker applet it says "UDP Port 12000 BLOCKED". 

I followed the directions at portforward.com: I unchecked "block anonymous internet requests" and added a port-range forward entry for ports 12000-12100 (I'm using DHCP because I'm having trouble setting up the router with a static ip, but I entered the same ip address in the forwarding entry as the one that shows up in my network connections control panel).  The port was still blocked.

I tried switching the router to DMZ mode, but it's still blocked.

I turned off the windows firewall and disabled Norton antivirus but it was still blocked.

Any suggestions?

Many Thanks in advance.

Stefan

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2009, 06:53:19 PM »
What is the make and model of your modem? Some DSL modems also act as a router, further complicating the port forwarding issue.

If that is the case, you would need to forward the same ports from your DSL modem / router to your Linksys router's external IP address given to it by your DSL modem / router.

jmy

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2009, 07:06:02 PM »
The modem is a ZyXEL P-600 Series, Model No P-660R-ELNK

quick update:

in the configuration window for the modem I see a section labeled "NAT - Edit SUA/NAT Server Set" where I can enter a list of "Start Port No", "End Port No", and "IP Address".  Is that where the port forwarding can be done by the modem by any chance?

Thanks
« Last Edit: October 03, 2009, 07:14:46 PM by jmy »

Stefan

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2009, 09:56:29 AM »
It looks like your modem is indeed also a router, as it is listed on portforward.com:

http://portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/ZyXEL/P-660R-ELNK/default.htm

Some DSL modem/routers allow you to forward all of the traffic to a single IP address (often called the DMZ), which in this case would be your other router. It will have to be the external IP address assigned to your router by the modem/router, not the IP address that you use to connect to your router from your web browser.

You could also forward the same port range, if you want, instead of all of the traffic, but I would suggest forwarding all of your traffic from the ZyXEL to your Linksys just to keep your network more manageable.

jmy

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2009, 10:29:39 AM »
Great!  That worked!  The portchecker now says port 12000 is open.  However, I'm still getting a "source connection error" when using 3G.  I tried disabling the firewall and NAV again but that doesn't help.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

*** Update:

Now it's working perfectly!  I don't think I did anything special.  In fact I turned the firewall and NAV back on since testing it this morning, but now it works.

Awesome!!

Thank you again.
« Last Edit: October 04, 2009, 11:43:52 AM by jmy »

Stefan

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2009, 03:01:44 PM »
Excellent news! :D

jmy

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2009, 05:26:14 PM »
well, it was too good to last of course  :P

The ports are closed again, even though I've got port forwarding enabled on both the ZyXEL modem and the Linksys router.  I didn't change anything after it had started working earlier today.  I just started up icamsource and left it alone, and shortly after that I found I couldn't access the camera via 3G anymore.  Now I checked the ports with the portchecker applet and found that 12000 is blocked, again.

and I'm stumped, again...

Sorry :(

Stefan

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2009, 08:23:51 PM »
If you could send screenshots of your port forwarding screens in both routers to support@skjm.com as well as what http://whatismyipaddress.com reports your computer's external IP address is then we can hopefully look it up in the iCam Broker Server logs and hopefully troubleshoot the issue.

Please reference this support forum post and your support forum username in the e-mail.

viop-ninja

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Re: Troubleshooting 103 - Port Forwarding
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2009, 05:55:34 PM »
Is there a command line option for the port forwarding?  I am invoking iCamSource as a service and running it with command line arguments.  I can connect over my local wifi connection just fine but cannot connect over 3G/EDGE.