Port Forwarding Fail

[#1]

Hope somebody can assist... pulling my hair out.

Trying to set up my Plus Hub One and my static public IP with Port Forwarding and it's just consistently failing. Worried that I may be falling into the "poor workman blaming his tools camp" but as a certified network professional with considerable port forwarding experience... but maybe I can't see the wood for trees?

I've got a Synology NAS and am simply trying to forward ports 80 and 443 for WebDav, 5000-5001 for DSM and 1723 for PPTP VPN Server. I cannot do this with UPnP as DSM does not list the Plus Hub One on its supported routers list and whilst it does  go though the wizard, the port forwarding does not work.

So... I set up port forwarding by adding entries in the advanced router settings for the required TCP ports to forward to the static IP of my NAS. This worked a treat, for 7 days. Then it stopped. It appeared that the issue may have been to do with some odd behaviour on the router... looking at the network map it did not show my server as connected to the network and the IP fell off the list of devices for new port forwarding rules... although it was still connected and working within the LAN (and also through QuickConnect across the internet).

I explained the above to PlusNet support and they sent me an infuriating response along the lines of "if you need help with getting port forwarding working then please approach our community". After I threw my toys out the pram a little they said there's probably a fault with the router and sent me a replacement (to my old address... but that's another tale of incompetence altogether). New router set up as above and everything worked fine.... for 7 days. Then nothing.

Approached support and again the same response as above about approaching the community. I then said there's clearly a fault with the router firmware and asked for help troubleshooting this (ie. a firmware update). The ridiculously rude response was that there is nothing wrong with their routers and I must be setting up port forwarding incorrectly. Made the above clear and got told there's definitely nothing wrong with the router and they won't be sending me another new one. Said that's great... don't want another one. Want help fixing what is clearly a fault with the firmware but then got told to go away because it's clearly user error.

So... where to go from here. Could just buy another router but that's not really a decent solution. I've signed up to a plusnet contract for 18 months and that's expensive enough. It's only for basic web surfing and TV streaming and has my NAS hanging off it so I can access my folder structure via WebDav whilst on the road and also connect to my home by VPN to secure open wifi connections. Shouldn't need an all singing all dancing router (I actually sold my Synology 1900ac as it felt like a needlessly expensive ornament) and a 2017 manufactured router from a UK ISP should just work really.

Has anyone experienced a similar problem and managed to upgrade (or downgrade) the firmware to a working version? Or are there any creative fixes? I did read on here that somebody used a reserved DHCP address rather than a static IP for their NAS but this didn't work for me. I could stick my NAS in the DMZ but that's like cutting an onion with a chainsaw so would rather not. Just want some simple port forwarding rules to work as they should.

Failing getting this working... would this be sufficient to get out of my 18 month contract as failure to deliver the advertised service, and then go to an ISP that is not absolute balls like these PlusNet cowboys? I guess not as imagine the service advertised is a Broadband connection and not much else.... Grateful for any help anyone can offer.

Andy

[#2]

Should add that a factory reset of the router does indeed fix the problem for 7 days exactly (but have no interest in doing this as a weekly task). A quick port-scan shows the ports as closed when the service starts failing so I imagine there is some security rule buried in the firmware which is closing things down after 7 days. Odd.. beats me.

[#3]

Does sound odd, I have several ports forwarded and haven't encountered this issue.
How long have you had the router?

[#4]

Had it two weeks. Enough for the problem to present itself after the 7 day period twice.

This and previous router both using 4.7.5.1.83.8.237.2.2 Firmware with Software Variant AA

[#5]

@APP

As you seem to have had your connections working (albeit intermittently) my intended suggestion of checking the Broadband Firewall found at Connection Settings on the PN portal probably won't help, but at least if you weren't aware of it you are now. 

[#6]

@RobPN I should reiterate that I know my way around the TCP/IP stack very well and have tried the standard list of troubleshooting, including the firewall. Also, there is nothing intermittent about the connections working. They fail after a very precise period (on 3 occasions on 2 different routers with the same hardware).

The fact that Port Forwarding stops working precisely 7 days after I configured it (to the minute, I tested it) suggests a Firmware error (and this is supported by other people online experiencing the same problem with this model of router). I also belive this is linked to the fact that the Ethernet connection fails to show up in any network mapping or list of connected devices, despite being active on the LAN and working fine both inside and outside the LAN.

What I really need is to change the Firmware version which I feel should fall to PlusNet support however their Tech Support team have already decreed that it's user error (despite doing zero troubleshooting) and the harware is perfect and cannot fail, so they refuse to provide this`

I don't wish to sound like a d--- but this experience is exasperating. PlusNet customer service next to terrible and technical support so far has been non-existent). Like I said, I can solve this by placing the NAS in the DMZ or purchasing a 3p router but I don't really see why I should need to do either. The Plusnet router should work as advertised really.

[#7]

You could always start some low-level monitoring of your ethernet stream a few minutes before the 7 days is up & check if any strange requests take place such as DHCP leases expiring (for example) simultaneously with the port forwarding failure.

[#8]

Many routers seem to struggle with port forwarding to devices that they didn't assign the address for. I have seen symptoms along the lines of what you are seeing i.e. it works to begin with but fails sometime later on.

To mitigate this try configuring your device to obtain an address via DHCP and configure the router to issue it with a fixed address.

Edit: Apologies; just re-read your original post and see that you've tried this already. I'm at a loss what else to suggest other than buy a better router!

[#9]

Sounds like it could be related to the issue here - https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Software-version-4-7-5-1-83-8-237-2-2-No-devices-showing-on-...

[#10]

Sadly @MJN I feel that is where I will end up... but would like to try a firmware update first. Shame PlusNet refuse to provide this.

[#11]

Thought you may be onto something there @bobpullen as had not tried user defined IPs in Port FOrwarding rules but sadly no luck.

Did this poster ever have their problem solved?

[#12]

No, but I'm still looking into it.

[#13]

Hi peepz ...

Well, there is an issue with PORT forwarding as far as I am concerned when using Hub One.

Do this:

when assigning your application/ports to your device, do not use the network name of your device, use "User Defined IP Address" for your device, type it in, and it will all work 🙂

I hope this helps.

Let me know if it works 🙂

[#14]

I'm trying to set up access, by Amazon's Alexa, to the Audio Station app on my Synology NAS.  This apparently requires HTTPS access to the NAS so Synology Support tell me to make sure that Port Forwarding is set up on ports 80 and 443 to the NAS box.

I'm no expert but I go to the Port Forwarding page on the router and there is no mention of any port numbers.  I ask Synology what to do next and they wash their hands saying they support their products and not my router.

So I spend half an hour or so waiting to speak to PlusNet Support only to be told that PlusNet "doesn't support port forwarding".  Instead, I am pointed to the website www.portforwarding.com to seek guidance.

That website does not exist!  There are just some squatting ads on it.

If there's someone connected to PlusNet reading this, please will you assist a longstanding customer (9+ years) with what I assume, from the tenor of Synology's request, should be a simple and straightforward matter?

Help!

Thanks

[#15]

I don't have the "User Defined IP Address" option. Where would it be hiding? All I have is the drop down network name options.

I can't get my XClaim AP to communicate with the web console to pick up new settings. Worked fine on Sky