Unable to Open Ports on NBN - TPG provided modem Archer VR1600v

[pjelias]

I previously had TPG ADSL2 Offnet, and have just recently moved over to TPG NBN.

I used to be able to connect to a home security system via opening port 87, so that I could remotely check my security cameras.

Since going over to NBN - I am not able to access ANY open ports, does not matter what I do. TPG have said there are no issues at their end, and so it is an issue at my end. Not sure how as the devices provided were from TPG. I was given an NBN Device - and an Archer VR1600v modem, which I set up an Open Port via Virtual server settings, checked the Firewall settings, added the security device to various whitelists, DMZ etc... yet nothing works.

My brother installs security systems for a living, and he installed my system, and he also was unable to access the device remotely, yet he could access my PC remotely. He stated that he has had no issues with similar devices on NBN.

I have Google Home, KASA etc.... installed and these appear to work remotely via the Internet, yet I cannot access any Open Ports. I can view my security system on my phone via WIFI, but cannot do via the Internet.

When I run various Port Checkers, they all state the ports are closed.

Any Help would be appreciated.

[Erika]

Hi @pjelias, 

Welcome to TPG Community! 

We do not block any ports. Have you tried port forwarding? 

[pjelias]

I would assume from the long description in my original post, that people would assume that I have tried everything including port forwarding. That is why I am asking others if they have had similar issues and resolved them?

[Joseph_D]

Hi @pjelias,

My apologies. As much as possible we would like to avoid assuming things to ensure that no stone is left un turned.

One angle I am looking into here is that TPG NBN consumer has dynamic IP address.

Is it possible that you are trying to access your set up through a different WAN IP than what your network currently have? Your IP may have changed since you first set up the port forwarding.

Kind regards,

Joseph D

[drbob]

The only times I experienced problems with port forwarding was when I configured the modem (HG659) to port-forward to a WIFI device which had been configured to use a fixed ip address. Port-forwarding to devices on wired ports have worked reliably.

It was my conclusion that after a reboot the modem seems to "forget" port-forwarding to WIFI targets.

If anyone knows how to fix that I would be most interested to hear about it! I also noticed that when I first got the modem it would reboot on its own after a couple of days (and thus lose the forwarding to the WIFI device). Currently, it has been on without rebooting for about two months.

Regards,

Robert

[pjelias]

My previous ADSL connection had a Static IP, the current NBN connection appears to change frequently, HOWEVER, I setup a DNS server via DynDns? And so rather than referencing my device via an IP address that changes I reference it via a DNS name?

[pjelias]

Also when I setup port forwarding I checked the IP before and after I tested the ports and it was the same as what I was testing yet still stated the ports were closed

[drbob]

I think when we talk about "static address" we may be talking about two slightly different things.

To be able to reach a particular device on my house LAN, an external (outside the house) device must know the IP address assigned to me by TPG. Then, the modem in my house that sits between TPG and my LAN, if configured, must forward packets that it receives to devices on the house LAN. So, to summarise, to be able to connect to a device on your house LAN from outside the house, you need:

1. the IP address that TPG has assigned to your service; if this is static, then all is good; if not, this is where using a service like DynDNS helps to map a static name to a dynamic ip (and this mapping must be updated every time the ip address changes)

2. Configure modem to port-forward packets using certain ip protocols/destination  ports to a specific ip address and destination port on your house LAN, for example: incoming TCP/4096 to 192.168.1.24/80.

In my previous post I wrote that the only time I had problems with port forwarding was when I configured the modem to port forward to a device connected to the modem via WiFi. The port forwarding worked until the modem rerbooted, and at that point the port forwarding stopped working.

Port forwarding to a device connected to the modem via cables is no problem and the port forwarding survives multiple reboots of the modem. Note that if your device is connected to the modem via cables but is configured to use a dynamic ip address (ie it gets assigned an ip address by the modem), then it is likely that port forwarding will stop working once that device reboots and reconnects to the modem unless it is assigned the same ip address.

[Erika]

Hi @pjelias,

You would need to configure all devices on your LAN on a single subnet in order for port forwarding to work correctly.

Cheers,

[pjelias]

In response to the following

1. the IP address that TPG has assigned to your service; if this is static, then all is good; if not, this is where using a service like DynDNS helps to map a static name to a dynamic ip (and this mapping must be updated every time the ip address changes)

- MY Understanding was that by using DynDNS and adding the details within my Modem settings, the IP Address is NOT required as it uses the Domain Name that was configured in DynDNS which does not change ? I know the IP Address assigned via TPG is not static, which is why DynDNS is used.

2. Configure modem to port-forward packets using certain ip protocols/destination  ports to a specific ip address and destination port on your house LAN, for example: incoming TCP/4096 to 192.168.1.24/80.

- Tried this as well - does not work either