Why can't I port forward?

[Submersed]

Hi everyone, I was recommended to these forums by a friend for my issue, I hope you all can help me.

This will most likely be a very long post, I'm going to try and include as much information as possible so that you can better understand my problem. I will first give my own discription of the problem, I will then give you my chat logs from over 5 hours of technical support from Linksys, just incase your extreamly dedicated and feel like taking the time to read it.

My first router, which I was using 3 days ago, was a D-link Wireless G router. Everything worked wonderfully, except for the wireless, it was a bit slow for my PS3, so we decided to upgrade to Wireless N. I went out and purchased a D-link Wireless N Router, DIR-655. After having issues with the DIR, I purchased a Linksys G router WRT54G with speed booster.

On to the problem...After switching from router 1, to the second D-link, everything worked OK. I ran the installation CD and the network was up and running fine. Then, I started to configure the network to my settings. I needed to forward port 2000 and 2001. So, I attempted to do this, and noticed the application was not working. So, automatically I thought to go to www.canyouseeme.org to see if the ports forwarded properly. I checked them, and it was not, can you see me told me both were closed. I'm highly educated on configuring routers, so I'm positive I did it right. I set up a static IP, then forwarded port 2000 and 2001 to my static IP TCP.

After this, I talked to a D-link representative over the phone and he could not assist me. He told me to send the router back.

So, I went out and purchased a Linksys. I was stunned to find the exact same problem with this router. I simply COULDN'T forward ANY ports. None of the port forwarding features worked. So I chatted online with 4 different representatives for Linksys, none could help.

Some side notes about my problem that might help you all figure out a solution:
- DMZ did NOT work on either router.
- I could forward ONE port ONLY using the Remote Administration configuration. I would go to Administration > Enabled Remote Administration > then type in port 2000 for the connection port. (Doing this SUCCESSFULLY forwarded one port according to canyouseeme.org.
- There are 2 PC's in the network, the one connected to the first port in the router is a Windows Vista PC. The one I'm port forwarding on is a Windows XP PC.
- After attempting the 2 new routers and neither one working, I switched back to the original router, and it doesn't port forward anymore either.
- I have a WebSTAR Modem.

I'm assuming the problem is software related even though I disabled firewalls on both PC's, since it's doing the same thing for all 3 routers.


Below, I will post my chatlog from linksys so you can see exactly what they had me do. It's quite long.


_______________________________________________________________


Hi, my name is Fritz S. (29829). How may I help you?
John: I'm trying to port forward with my router, and I cannot manage to do so. I have an application running on port 2000 TCP and I've entetred that port and assigned the correct IP of my computer (192.168.0.100) and checked the box, then I visited www.canyouseeme.org and it says port 2000 is still closed.
Fritz S. (29829): I see.
Fritz S. (29829): let us check on that first.
John: I've also allowed anonymous Internet requests in the Security>Firewall section of my router menu.
Fritz S. (29829): let us check on the router's set up page first alright?
John: sure
Fritz S. (29829): Thanks.
Fritz S. (29829): Please tell me if we are there.
Fritz S. (29829): And go to the Port forwarding page.
John: I'm at the port forwarding page.
Fritz S. (29829): Good.
Fritz S. (29829): Please tell me if the port 2000 is in the start and in the end box.
John: Yes.
Fritz S. (29829): Then if the protocol is selected as to be TCP.
John: TCP is selected, and the IP box is 100, the enable is checked.
Fritz S. (29829): I see.
Fritz S. (29829): That might be the missing link, the static IP address, by the way, are you able to use this application directly through your modem?
John: When I do Run>CMD>Ipconfig, it tells me the IP for this PC is 192.168.1.100 that is how I kne to put that there.
Fritz S. (29829): I see.
John: Also, I would like to point out that I CAN open a single port by going to Administration>and then enabling remote administration
John: However, I need to open multiple ports after this one, so that is not a solution to my problem.
Fritz S. (29829): Okay.
John: I find it odd that I can use that feature to open a single port, but not the port forwarding feature to open multiple ones.
Fritz S. (29829): Okay.
Fritz S. (29829): Have you tries to use this application through your modem?
Fritz S. (29829): And see if this is working fine?
John: Yes, it does. As well as the router I had before this one, a basic Dlink router, it worked with that aswell
Fritz S. (29829): Okay.
Fritz S. (29829): Thanks.
John: Also, let me point out I had the exact same issue with a d-link router I replaced the old d-link with originally before purchasing the linksys
John: It had the exact same symptoms as this router.
Fritz S. (29829): I see.
Fritz S. (29829): How about if we upgrade the firmware of your router, reset and re configure the router, then re open the ports.
John: Sure. I just purchased the router, so the firmware is currently 7.50.0 is that the most updated version?
Fritz S. (29829): Yes, but we can have the same version from the download site and re upgrade it, it might be that the current firmware id corrupted.
John: Alright, how will I get back into this chat with you after rebooting the router?
Fritz S. (29829): you may ask for me or you may give the case number for this chat session so that they will see the problem we are trying to solve.
John: Alright, I will write down your ID, so after upgrading the firmware, what do I need to do?
Fritz S. (29829): After upgrading, please do reset the router, To reset the router to its factory default, look for the reset button and press it for 30 seconds.

Fritz S. (29829): Then re configure it, if you have the CD, please use that.



_____________________________________________________________


Hi, my name is Ronnie D. (18898). How may I help you?
John: Hi I just spoke with Fritzs (29829) about a port forwarding problem.
Ronnie D. (18898): Okay.
John: Is there any way for you to retrieve that conversation?
Ronnie D. (18898): Yes, let me pull out your previous case.
Ronnie D. (18898): Please hold on.
Ronnie D. (18898): Thank you for your time and patience!
Ronnie D. (18898): Unfortunately, I can't pull out your records.
John: No problem. do you have any ideas about my issue that he didn't think of?
John: Oh.
John: Do you want me to explain the problem to you?
John: and if it doesn't make sense to you maybe you can redirect me to him.
Ronnie D. (18898): Yes please.
Ronnie D. (18898): Let me check if Fritz is available.
John: Well, hold on for one moment
John: I will try to explain it to you first. see if you have any ideas right off the bat.
John: I originally had a Dlink router, pretty basic, it let me port forward fine. I'm trying to forward port 2000 for a certain application and I did port 2000, TCP, 192.168.1.100 (my pcs ip) then checked it, I also enabled anonymous internet connections.
John: Then I go to www.canyouseeme.org, and it tells me the port is not accessable. The application doesn't work either.
Ronnie D. (18898): You need to set static IP address on the XP computer and you need also to forward the port on that same computer.
Ronnie D. (18898): Please click on [Start > Run > type cmd] then hit enter/return. The DOS prompt or a black screen should come out. On the blinking cursor type “ipconfig/all” then hit enter/return.
Ronnie D. (18898): Do that on the XP computer.
John: Alright, it's in the other room, I will go do that.
Ronnie D. (18898): May I have the default gateway, IP address, subnet mask and the DNS server.
John: alright
John: DG: 192.168.1.1
John: IP: 192.168.1.101
John: Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Ronnie D. (18898): May I have the DNS server please?
Ronnie D. (18898): Thank you.
Ronnie D. (18898): Please follow these steps in assigning a static IP:
1. Go to Start and click on Control Panel. Double click Network and Internet Connections then Network Connections. Right Click Local Area Network Connection that you are using > Properties.
2. Highlight Internet Protocol TCP/IP then click on the "Properties" button.
3. Click on "Use the following IP address" and enter the following:
IP:192.168.1.5
SubNet Mask : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway : 192.168.1.1
4. Click on "Use the following DNS Servers" and enter *** and *** then hit on OK button.
John: alright, be right back
Ronnie D. (18898): Okay, after you are done with that, you need to forward the port on that computer.
John: and forwarded the port to 192.168.1.5
John: and it is still not open.
Ronnie D. (18898): Did you save settings of the router?
John: Yes, the settings were saved.
John: Still not open
John: Also, let me mention...DMZ does not work as well.
John: I enabled DMZ to 192.168.1.5 and it didn't open any ports.
Ronnie D. (18898): No need to enable the DMZ.
John: was just testing it.
John: I disabled it afterwards
Ronnie D. (18898): Please try to power the computer.
John: turn the pc off then on?
Ronnie D. (18898): That's right.
John: okay, be back in a second.
Ronnie D. (18898): If that still doesn't work, please power cycle the router.
John: After I power the PC, then check to see if the port is open? what does pwoer cycle the router mean?
Ronnie D. (18898): I mean please unplug the router from the modem and plug it back.
John: rebooting the PC doesn't work.
John: Do you want me to unplug the ethernet cable?
Ronnie D. (18898): I mean unplug and replug the power cord from the modem/
John: The Modem or The router?
Ronnie D. (18898): The router.





Theres alot more chat but I figured by now your tired of reading it. If anyone wants to see what else they had me do, I can post or PM it to you.


Thank you so much for reading this, If anyone knows a solution, I woul dbe forever grateful.