Removing built-in Firewall from Router

[kiwi_the_iwik]

G'day - it's problem time...

Currently, I'm running OS X.2.6, with an AMX-61E single port Ethernet Router. To configure the sucker, I use Safari to log in, and change the settings.

A friend of mine in Washington DC has been trying to contact me with the new video conferencing feature of iChat - but after HOURS of trying, we've no luck.

Reading through the Apple Knowledge Base files, it says that I need to unlock the UDP ports 5060, and 16384 to 16403.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93208


So...

I've turned off my OSX firewall, and was wondering how I can change the settings through my web browser for the Router itself - i.e. what do I need to do to unlock the ports? The manual really BITES - and has NO mention of how to configure the built-in firewall functionality, even though it has one.

HELP!!!! It's also affecting my ability to host games in Gameranger!!!!

Cheers, all!

Look forward to any info that anyone may have...


:confused:

[Sun Baked]

What type of router is it?

Basic NAT for sharing an IP address

or the expensive True Firewall with Stateful Packet Inspection, VPN, Attack Logging, and/or Keyword Filtering, etc.

---

If it's just NAT, somebody should be able to help out.

[saabmp3]

if it's only your computer then poke around in the router for an option to "DMZ" your computer. Don't leave it out there for long as this leaves the computer completly out on the net with all ports open, but it'll do what you want for iChat.

BEN

[trose]

Poke around in your Router via the web interface and look for something called Port Forwarding.

It should be a bunch of blank fields, labeled something like "Port" "Computer IP" and maybe checkboxes "UDP" and "TCP".

Anyway..when you DO find this, and its got to be there..every router has port forwarding. Enter the port numbers you got from Apple, and also whatever ones you games/Gameranger need open. In the field that asks for your machine IP, type the INTERNAL address of your Mac(you can get your IP in the Network pref pane). Also, if there are UDP and TCP boxes, check em both.


See, a router works like this-

Info comes into your ISP, then is routed to the IP your ISP gave you. If you are connected to a router, then the IP your ISP gave you is entered into the router.

So when somebody types your IP in to connect, they just hit your router and the data does not come through. To fix this, you tell your Router "When data comes in on these ports, send it to this machine". That is what port forwarding does.

It is easier to just DMZ, but not nearly as secure, and it is good to learn about port forwarding so that if you ever have more than one computer and cant/dont want to open them all up to net traffic.

I have included a picture from my Linksys router as an example.

[kiwi_the_iwik]

Thanks for sending all the responses - they've been really helpful.

Since starting this thread, I've done a bit more research on the 'net, and discovered that I have what you'd call a "virtual server" function - where I can add ports that I wish to disengage from the firewall.

The only drawback is that I can only enter singular ports, as opposed to a range (i.e. iChat's range of 16384 to 16403 will take up 20 entries... imagine BIGGER ranges... AND, there's ONLY A LIMIT of 20 entries for port forwarding!!!! Damn!!!!).

Another option is to enable the DMZ function, or the half-bridge function, which in turn disables NAT - but my internet connection is then severed, so I'm missing out a step SOMEWHERE...

Aaaaarrrgggghhhh!

:mad:

Anyway - if it all works, I'd have aged 10 years... On a sidenote, does anyone know what ports need to be disabled for Gameranger, too?

Thanks!