Actiontec MI424WR - Port Forwaring - Cannot Resolve Network Address

[jvgallagher]

I have the Actiontec router bridged to a SMC Barricade Router that serves my wired home network. 

Port forwarding worked as of last week - for some reason now it is not working.

My firmware version is 4.0.16.1.56.0.10.11.6.

The way it was set up when port forwarding worked was to forward the port to the SMC Barricade which in turn forwarded the port to the specific machine. (I was never able to directly specify a machine on the network directly within the Actiontec router.)

The "Networked/Computer Device" entry is "new-host" - I don't remember if I put that there or if that is new.

Currently port forwarding does work.  When I click "Resolve Now" the "Network Address" entry is "Unresolved".  I have tried every  IP address and domain name I can think of but nothing works.

[dslr595148]

#1 What is the DHCP range of the Actiontec MI424WR?

#2 What is the DHCP range of the SMC Barricade Router?

[jvgallagher]

#1 What is the DHCP range of the Actiontec MI424WR?

IP Address Distribution

  DHCP Server 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.254

#2 What is the DHCP range of the SMC Barricade Router?

IP address

 

192.168.2.1

IP Subnet Mask

:

255.255.255.0

DHCP Server

address pool

Start IP : 192.168.2.2

End IP : 192.162.2.40

I hope this is the information your were asking for. - JVGallagher

[prisaz]

Excuse me for jumping in here, but I try to help.

I usually would set the distribution range on a router to not give out say the first 10 addresses. Then you can use those as static addresses.

1. Change  the DHCP distribution range on the Actiontec to 192.168.1.11 - 192.168.1.254

2. Go into the SMC and change the WAN address to static and assign it like 192.168.1.2 and the Gateway and DNS as 192.168.1.1.

3. Port forward set up in the Actiontec to forward to address 192.168.1.2

If you do not use a static address in your SMC there is always a chance it could change, or the address lease could go somewhere else.

Perhaps this information will help. I have always port forwarded with the Actiontec by address and ignored names.

http://forums.verizon.com/vrzn/board/message?board.id=FiOS_Internet&message.id=678&query.id=26665#M6...

Also I am not familiar with your SMC and do not know how it handles names and DHCP in its cache. So the best thing would be to use a static address on your host also, and then do the same with the SMC router. Addresses can always change for a given name if it is not static.

Message Edited by prisaz on 04-10-2009 08:51 PM

Message Edited by prisaz on 04-10-2009 08:53 PM

[jvgallagher]

Thanks for the reply.

I have never done this before (creating static ip's or changing the dhcp range.)  What should I do to prepare to do this?  ie - should I disconnect all the network computers and connections first? Will there be a disruption in the network internet connections?

Just so I understand clearly, SMC>Setup>WAN>Fixed IP: should look like this:

Has your Internet Service Provider given you an IP address and Gateway address?

IP address assigned by your ISP:  192.168.1.2

Subnet Mask   255.255.255.0

ISP Gateway Address  192.168.1.1

The DNS is edited in a different window and should look like this:

Setup | DNS

Has your Internet Service Provider given you a DNS address?

Domain Name Server (DNS) Address

            192.168.1.1

Secondary DNS Address (optional)

            . . .

 

 Does this look good to go?

[prisaz]

Yes.

Disconnecting your computers should not be required. But if you change the DHCP range in your router, you will need to restart your computers to get an address in that range for items that get dynamic addresses.

Also on your host computer you are forwarding to, you would need to go into the connection properties of your network interface and set it to a static address. Like 192.168.2.x and 192.168.2.1 for Gateway and DNS.

What you are doing is telling the SMC WAN to use a fixed address as if you were the ISP. But in reality the Actiontec is the provider. The gateway is the Actiontec, and also it will forward the DNS requests just as if the Actiontec was the ISP. I had my Netgear tied to my Actiontec like this for a long while. Also ran port forwarding for remote desktop through both routers. Until I decided it was not secure enough for my taste.

As for the address distribution list it is found under Advanced settings in the Actiontec. Listed as "IP Address Distribution" If you click on the edit button to the right of Network (Home/Office) it should allow you to change the range. If you do not remove your static IP addresses from this range there can be conflicts.

DHCP in the SMC I do not know where that would be. You would need to look it up.

Message Edited by prisaz on 04-11-2009 12:52 AM

Message Edited by prisaz on 04-11-2009 12:56 AM

[jvgallagher]

Well - Partial success.

I still cannot connect to the SMC but I found out I can connect directly from the Actiontec to my portable (the host of the application I wanted to port forward to) via a wireless connection. (I normally leave the wireless turned off because the wired is just as convenient  and is faster.)  This is an OK solution but I would prefer to go thru the SMC router.  Also, I have other applications on other wired computers that need port forwarding thru the Actionec to work.

A detour:  At one point I read this in the SMC manual:

"The Barricade's MAC Address will not be the same as your network card's address so you may need the Barricade to "Clone" the address from your network card. Then the ISP will nd a MAC Address that matches the one they have recorded."  

So I tried that - it has the effect of switching to dynamic IP address asignment - and it didn't help - so I reset the MAC address back to the original setting and reset the SMC back to manual IP settings.

So at this moment my Actiontec looks like this:

PC Name: dadsportable

Connection Type: Wireless

IP Address:  192.168.1.11

Status: Active

Remote Access:  Enabled

PC Name:      

Connection Type: Ethernet

IP Address:  192.168.1.2

Status: Active

 Remote Access:  Enabled

Portforwarding looks like this:

 

192.168.1.2

            192.168.1.2 (Unresolved)

Application1- TCP Any -> xxxx All Broadband Devices    Resolving...   

dadsportable

            192.168.1.11

Application2- TCP Any -> yyyy All Broadband Devices          Active

While poking around in the advances setting I noticed that I could add Network objects.  Should I try and add the SMC router as a network object?

Thanks, JV Gallagher

Message Edited by jvgallagher on 04-11-2009 09:14 AM

my SMC Status is:

INTERNET
Cable/DSL :  CONNECTED
WAN IP:  192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask:  255.255.255.0
Gateway IP:  192.168.1.1
DNS:  192.168.1.1 

GATEWAY
IP Address:  192.168.2.1
Subnet Mask:  255.255.255.0
DHCP Server:  Enabled
Firewall:  Enabled
Printer Status: READY 

Message Edited by jvgallagher on 04-11-2009 09:17 AM

Message Edited by jvgallagher on 04-11-2009 09:26 AM

[jvgallagher · Accepted solution]

see the thread referenced below: "Actiontec MI424WR - Port Forwarding - Cannot Resovle Network Address"

http://forums.verizon.com/vrzn/board/message?board.id=FiOS_Internet&thread.id=4100

Basically it is difficult if not impossible.  Solution is to replace the SMC router with a switch.

- JV Gallagher

[jvgallagher]

I just noticed an error in my original post - it should read: Currently port forwarding does not work...

I think it is too late to edit the original post.  Anyway, even tho the error is obvious, I feel compelled to address it.  - JV Gallagher