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Airport Express 802.11n - accessing USB Hard disk over the internet?

D

dadahip

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 26, 2007
4
0
**correction --AIRPORT EXTREME-- not Airport Express**

Help!

I can not find documentation ANYWHERE that explains - specifically - how to configure my Airport Extreme to access the attached USB hard drive from the internet.

Has anyone successfully done this? I would like to type in an address and have it go directly to the drive.

I think I've done everything in the airport utility that I'm supposed to do, and I've set up a dynamic dns account and opened up port 80.

What am I missing?
 
I'm really interested in doing the same.

I've got a WD MyBook Pro 500GB which I use Firewire 800 to transfer files fast when I'm at my desk, But I wan't to add it to the network and access it remotely.

I've found this article:
http://www.macworld.com/forums/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Number=489769

and: http://www.macintouch.com/reviews/airportn/#features

I thought you would type http://.xxx but I've never heard of typing afp://.xxx

Let me know if it works, and this will hinge my decision on buying the Airport extreme, as I have a bt homehub wireless g box, so wouldn't mind getting the n spec and the printer/file sharing. But I'm not upgrading the router just for the n spec!


Dan :)
 
OK, I got it going and it was very easy.

First setup your disk using the Airport Utility.

Then, I set up an account at dyndns.org. I created a free account and chose my domain name, then told it my ip address (can be found by typing "what is my ip" in google). If you don't have a static ip (most people don't), you will need to find a program that tells dyndns.org when your ip address has changed. I haven't gotten that far yet however.

Then, I typed in xxx.xxx.net (the dyndns domain name), and was greeted by a password dialoge. I entered my user name and password and bingo - I could see the hard drive and it's shares. You can also access it by just typing afp://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (your ip address)

We even were able to stream music from our networked drive! Awesome.
 
dadahip said:
Then, I typed in xxx.xxx.net (the dyndns domain name), and was greeted by a password dialoge. I entered my user name and password and bingo - I could see the hard drive and it's shares. You can also access it by just typing afp://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (your ip address)
Click to expand...

Where do you "just type it"? And even better, where do you type it from a windows machine?
 
williedigital said:
Where do you "just type it"? And even better, where do you type it from a windows machine?
Click to expand...

I type it in the address bar - same place you would type in any web address. I can't promise it will work with Windows because I have never tried it, but it should work.
 
have you tried doing this while connected to a network other than your home network? ie. set up the disk on your home network, pop down to your friends house, connected to his network and checked if this still works?

i find it a little strange that the airport extreme would be default direct the http request the airport disk. but then again that might be the case when following apple's "it just works" mantra!:)
 
I have yet to get it to work. I just see the beachball spinning. Is there something we need to configure in the Airport Extreme to open it up to the internet?
 
Sinsinnati said:
I have yet to get it to work. I just see the beachball spinning. Is there something we need to configure in the Airport Extreme to open it up to the internet?
Click to expand...

try pinging the ip address.. if u get a reply then you should be fine from a firewall perspective..
 
what about if your airport is bridged to a DSL modem/router.
which ports do you need to open and have access by typing afp://xx or http://xx from the address bar?

thanks
 
Are you using Extreme or Express?

dadahip said:
Help!

I can not find documentation ANYWHERE that explains - specifically - how to configure my Airport Extreme to access the attached USB hard drive from the internet.
Click to expand...

I'm a bit confused -- you said in the title/headline that you're using an Airport Express (the little router that's just a plug-in box), but in the text you say you're using an Airport Extreme (the full base station). Which is it?

The reason I ask, is that Apple says you can't use the USB on the Express for anything but a printer.
 
jcb10 said:
I'm a bit confused -- you said in the title/headline that you're using an Airport Express (the little router that's just a plug-in box), but in the text you say you're using an Airport Extreme (the full base station). Which is it?

The reason I ask, is that Apple says you can't use the USB on the Express for anything but a printer.
Click to expand...

It's 2 year old thread. ;)
 
Not sure of the internet security of this setup. I wouldn't want others accessing my files via the internet at home and that is why I have a secure network at home blind to all others.

I thought about doing this, but using the net to breach my own network wouldn't be wise I think. If I can do it, others can to, or perhaps I didn't quite understand what all is involved.
 
Help

Hi,

I’m in need of some help…….. I have been working at this for six hours and the hard drive is about to go out the window!!!!


What I am trying to do is access my hard drives (2) that are connected to my home network over the internet.


My network setup is as follows, I have a ADSL connection which is connected to a Belkin N1 Router/modem, I then have two airport extremes connected to one hard drive each. My home network works fine I can access all hard drives regardless of which access point I am connected to.

Now I have set up a dyndns account and the belkin has a feature where I put the details in and it automatically updates the ip address. I can type in my xxxxx.dyndns.net:8080 into my browser and can get to the belkin router setup page……. But that’s as far as I can get.

I don’t know how to forward the ports or the numbers to the two airport routers to gain access to the discs

I would appreciate any help you guys can give

Thanks Nino
 
Wow, what an old thread!

I purchased my Apple Time capsule, because the guy in the Apple store specifically said you could access files from it over the internet. So bought it, took it home and struggled. Took it back to the shop and the other people there said this was never possible. Determined not to be defeated I took it back home and (after a lot of messing) sorted it out! I even wrote a guide on how to do it, printed it off and took a copy into the store next time I was passing :cool: (I'm sure they binned it :()

So, IT IS POSSIBLE.
But typically, I can't for the life of me find that document. I reckon it was lost when one of my 500GB drives died... :mad:

In short:
1.) Assign your TimeCapsule or AirPort a reserved DHCP address, so it will always get the same IP.
2.) Port forward, both TCP and UDP ports 445 and 548 to that IP. (Instructions on web for port forwarding - you may have to define a custom service to add those ports)
3.) Ensure you Dyndns account is setup and working
4.) Make sure in AirPort utility Enable file sharing is ticked under disk access.
5.) Then just map a drive from another computer (outside your network) to you dyndns account and your done ;)

If you need more details I can try and whip something up - but low on time at the moment.

Hope that helps,
Dan
 
Nice one!!!

It was all to do with those port numbers!!

How did you know what number to put in?


Thanks for all your help Dan
 
No worries. I take it is working well then Nino? :)

I worked out which protocols the box of tricks used and looked up the corresponding port numbers hoping they were standard ports = Job Done :)

All the best,
Dan
 
Sorry just saw this I get to the part where I have to put the settings inside of my Airport Extreme through Airport Utility.
 
@MacBook MH,
Step 1 was only so your TimeCapsule (or whatever device it is) always gets the same IP. For my router this is needed so step 2 can happen. Depending on the way your router works, you may be able to assign port forwarding to a device rather than IP. In that case step 1 is not needed.

I personally assign reserved DHCP addresses for all "public" bits of kit. i.e. Access points, printers etc, and leave desktops and laptops to grab whatever IP they want. Just makes things a bit easier overall.

Attached are some images from my router (Netgear). Yours may well be different. It will also be 192.168.1.x rather than the 125.125.125.x but you get the idea. Just stick to whatever range it's currently set for.

If you have a Netgear router, click on "LAN IP setup" on the left menu, and fill in the bits needed.
Once applied, you may need to reboot the box and attached devices if the IP's overlap, or it currently has a different one that what you've typed in the assign box.

P.S. If you need the MAC address of the Airport/Time Capsule box, open Airport Utility and the "Ethernet ID" should be shown somewhere on the first page.

Hope that helps,
Dan

Step 1a:
step1a.png


Step 1b:
step1b.png



Edit: Just saw you wanted help on step 2 as well.
I'd recommend googling "Port forwarding" + the make and model of your router. That will give much clearer instructions. But these are the steps for my Netgear.

You will need to define two custom services, for the ports 445 and 548.
(See the first two screenshots).

Then when your two services have been saved. Click on firewall rules, and add those two services to the inbound list (turn the log off).
Press Apply, and you're done!
(See last screenshot)


Step 2a:
step2a.png


Step 2b:
step2b.png


Step 2c:
step2c.png
 
ok understood... my AirPort Extrem keeps telling me this... see picture... when i try to map a port.
Im using AirPort Extreme
 

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