How to support home web server via full fibre Home 2 router

[#1]

I have a home web server that has a static IP address and certain ports forwarded to that IP address configured on my existing VDSL modem/router. When I move to full fibre with Plusnet I can't find any information on how I retain this home web server. Can anyone help? Has anyone else configured a home web server before using Plusnet full fibre and their supplied Hub 2 router?

[#2]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Full Fibre to My Router

[#3]

@ksaro1 

What comes out of a Plusnet Hub LAN or wireless Port connected to FTTC is exactly the same as if the FTTP ONT is connected to the WAN input of the same Hub. The only difference is the speed of the data.

Have you got a Plusnet Hub One? If so you can try configuring this prior to your upgrade. Again, the Hub One and Two are interchangeable in this respect.

[#4]

This might answer your question from BT

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/learn-about-broadband/how-do-i-set-up-port-forwarding-on-my-bt-hub... 

Historically, Plusnet have never provided such information to customers on their website.

fwiw, what is model of your retired VDSL modem router?

Some models have a disused ethernet WAN port, which would work with Plusnet FTTP.

[#5]

I still have my Hub 1 modem/router in its original box. I use my own modem/router for my existing service from Plusnet, which has worked flawlessly for almost 4 years now.

I realise the change from FTTC to FTTP is basically a speed change. But having no manuals to go by I am blind to how to configure the new Hub 2 router to mimic my current configuration. Hence I'm asking the forum.

[#6]

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@ksaro1 wrote:

... having no manuals to go by I am blind to how to configure the new Hub 2 router to mimic my current configuration. Hence I'm asking the forum.

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Sorry, but it's very difficult to help you mimic your current configuration without knowing how it's currently configured.

[#7]

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@bill888 wrote:

This might answer your question from BT

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/learn-about-broadband/how-do-i-set-up-port-forwarding-on-my-bt-hub... 

Historically, Plusnet have never provided such information to customers on their website.

fwiw, what is model of your retired VDSL modem router?

Some models have a disused ethernet WAN port, which would work with Plusnet FTTP.

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thanks for the info.

My current modem/router (Billion 8800AXL R2) indeed has a WAN port, which I believe I connect to the ONT port, so it should work. But, as a backup, I do like to make sure that the Plusnet supplied kit initially works so if I have any issues with my own kit I can fall back to the Plusnet kit until I resolve my issue.

FWIW, with the vastly improved speeds from FTTP I'm looking at WiFi 6/6E mesh systems to make the most of the speed increase across all devices in all rooms of my home. But, again, I'd like to make sure that at the minimum, the Plusnet supplied kit is working as needed as a backup if my own kit has problems.

[#8]

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@Baldrick1 wrote:

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@ksaro1 wrote:

... having no manuals to go by I am blind to how to configure the new Hub 2 router to mimic my current configuration. Hence I'm asking the forum.

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Sorry, but it's very difficult to help you mimic your current configuration without knowing how it's currently configured.

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Well, the basic question is has anyone set up a bog-standard web server using the Hub 2 router?

My own router's configuration is that it assigns named, external ports to named, internal ports on a fixed IP address in the router's network. In my case I map ports 80 and 443 to ports 80 and 443 on my web server's fixed IP address.

Additionally, I have a static IP address assigned to my home from Plusnet, which I'm not sure makes any difference to the router's configuration? I do see that I have this assigned IP address defined on my current router as a static route. But I can't remember why? I don't know if Plusnet told me to do this when I was assigned the fixed IP address or if I read it elsewhere.

[#9 · Accepted solution]

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@ksaro1 wrote:

My current modem/router (Billion 8800AXL R2) indeed has a WAN port, which I believe I connect to the ONT port, so it should work. But, as a backup, I do like to make sure that the Plusnet supplied kit initially works so if I have any issues with my own kit I can fall back to the Plusnet kit until I resolve my issue.

From my quick scan of the manual (http://www.billion.uk.com/esupport/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/413/123/bipac-8800axl-r2-fu...) I think that you need to tell the Billion that you are swapping to the WAN port. My interpretation is that you need to use the Ethernet, rather than LAN input option, see page 35.

[#10]

Did you follow the BT guide and create 2 new rules to forward ports 443 and 80 ?

No reason why it should not work.

As you have deduced, there is no need to worry about static IP provided by Plusnet to the Hub2.

No idea why you had to previously set up a static route unless there is an issue with the Billion.

[#11]

@ksaro1  as @bill888 says, follow the guide. I don't use port forwarding for a webserver but I do use it for vnc and it works fine.

[#12]

Thanks for the replies. They are most helpful.

I'm not sure yet on how I'll end up configuring my home network. But, I'm just making sure at this point I have as much information at hand when the change over happens.

From what I've read the Hub 2 is actually a pretty good WiFi router. So I may end up using it, at least initially. But I do have an WiFI 6 router that I'm using as a repeater ATM (long story) that I may re-purpose as the main router since it supports WiFi 6, but oddly not MU-MIMO?

[#13]

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@bill888 wrote:

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/learn-about-broadband/how-do-i-set-up-port-forwarding-on-my-bt-hub... 

Historically, Plusnet have never provided such information to customers on their website.

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Not quite as detailed, but see here.

[#14]

One last question....

The documentation shows selecting a host to port forward to from a list of connected devices. However, when devices disconnect and re-connect to the router then they are typically given new IP addresses. So, will the selected device be remembered across re-connections? For my existing router configuration I have to assign a static IP address to the host device in my home network that I want to port forward to. And it it this IP address that the port forwarding is configured for. I've not seen a section in the Hub 2's documentation that configures static IP addresses. So it is unclear to me how the Hub 2 ensures that the correct device is always forwarded to.

Also, I see that the Hub 2 documentation can choose port forwarding by a host name. However, my existing router doesn't provide host names for Ethernet attached devices. Does the Hub 2? My home web server will be Ethernet attached to the Hub 2.

[#15]

So, will the selected device be remembered across re-connections?

If you select the device in the device list, there is a toggle 'always use this address'. When you set this to yes, the Hub 2 will always assign the same address to that device, effectively giving it a static IP