Cannot get listening port to work

[trance728]

I have been at this all day, trying everything I can to get this to work. My listening port will not work and I am stuck with the yellow status light, which I am sure is slowing down my speeds.

Here are my specs:

PC running on Windows 7

BitComet v:1.27

Norton Anti-Virus (Disabled while trying to access the port)

Wi-Fi through Apple Airport Express

Scientific Atlanta DPC 2100 Series modem

Comcast cable internet service

I have set my computer to a static ip, set the Airport express to port forward to that ip and used a random port from BitComet (23978). I have added that port to exceptions on Windows firewall. I downloaded the PF Port Checker and I cannot get it to show the port being open, even when I disabled both the Windows firewall and the Norton Anti-virus. I also am not sure what the ip address that is listed in BitComet by the yellow status light is coming from.

I am completely lost at what to try next, I have tried going exactly word for word through the tutorials and nothing I have done has worked. Any help on getting this fixed would be hugely appreciated.

Edited July 11, 2011 by trance728 (see edit history)

[The UnUsual Suspect]

I recommend as a first step, connect your computer direct to the modem using ethernet cable. If the port is then open, you'll know it's your routers port forward setting that's wrong.

I looked on portforward.com to see if there was a guide for setting up the airport express, but they only list the airport extreme, which is probably a full router not just a wifi connection.

I'll also add that for much less then the cost of an airport express device, you could have gotten a complete router, containing usually 5 or more ethernet ports and wifi access. If I'm not mistaken, this device limits you to only wifi access.

In addition, Apple is notorious for wanting to do things their own way. For example, get any generic mp3 player and you plug it in and copy files to it just like any usb device and your done, but buy an iPod and you end up installing their bloated itunes software that attempts to train the user to do things the apple way, not the way the rest of the world does things.

I suspect the same applies with your device, and it most likely is controlled only using proprietary software, where nearly every other router is controlled via any web browser.

If you're able to confirm it's the apple device, then you're going to have to figure out the settings it needs, or contact their customer support.

Also, the WAN IP address is your internet IP address that's assigned by your ISP. The IP used in windows is assigned by your router and is your LAN IP address. The reason for an open listening port is so that connections on this specific port to your WAN IP are forwarded to the correct IP on your LAN.

WAN=Wide Area Network (internet)

LAN=Local Area Network (your home network)

[clean76]

If you are still having trouble try downloading the program http://www.simpleportforwarding.com/download. Really easy to use and worked really well for me!

[The UnUsual Suspect]

If you are still having trouble try downloading the program http://www.simpleportforwarding.com/download. Really easy to use and worked really well for me!

This program operates the routers web user interface and simply does the settings for you. It will only work on routers that it supports and I think forwarding your port is easier then installing a program, let along learning how to use this program. The portforwarding process is very easy once you know how to do it, so it's probably best to just follow a step by step guide and do it yourself instead of relying on yet another computer program to do yet another simple task.

Also, my experience with apple products leads me to believe that this device cannot be operated from a web user interface (but I could be wrong), and if so, this program won't work.

[clean76]

If your router is not on the list of supported routers, it will guide you through a way to get it supported! Try it, great program! You can get a windows version of this program and it is much easier than going through a step by step process, it did everything for me! The list of supported routers is pretty extensive!

Edited July 12, 2011 by clean76 (see edit history)

[kluelos]

I and used a random port from BitComet (23978).

Since the Airport Utility won't work without the appropriate Apple hardware, I can't check for certain, but this is extremely likely to be what the problem is.

For security reasons, routers like the Airport Express don't like to open their firewalls to anything that isn't expecting it to be open and prepared to deal with it. (Therefore, the requirement for a static IP address on the computer.) But also therefor, the requirement for a specific port, not a random assignment that changes every time.

Tell BitComet to use a particular port and uncheck the Random box. Likewise tell the Airport Express to use that particular port, probably at the same screen where you tell it what the computer IP address is. Use the same number for Public port and Private port, if it asks -- you aren't trying to do port-translation.

I suggest you use port 65432. It meets all of the rules and is really hard to forget.

Also make sure you have BitComet UPnP disabled.

See if that doesn't get things working.

---

The Airport Express interface is entirely proprietary and secret, unlike most of the rest of the routers in the world, which have a built-in web server for an html interface, or a built-in telnet server for a command line interface.

Because that is so, the SimplePortForwarding program won't know how to control Airport devices. If it could, it certainly already would -- you don't just "overlook" Apple, after all. Requesting that they add support won't help, if Apple won't reveal the interface. And why should they? Nothing in it for them.

[The UnUsual Suspect]

That was the exact point I was trying to make. Apple doesn't control their products in an industry standard way, they do it the "apple way". This has the effect of training it's userbase to be totally ignorant of how things are done in the rest of the world. One example is a friend of mine who badly wanted an album. I gave them the album they wanted, sent them a collection of MP3 files.

They had no idea how to get them on their iPod and after spending a couple hours trying to figure it out, they gave up and purchased the album from iTunes.

This makes Apple computers very happy, they have kept one person in ignorance, and increased their holdings both today and in the future.

Any other mp3 player would be just a matter of plugging it in and copying the files, and any other wifi router would be a matter of logging on with ANY web browser and changing the settings, but the apple device requires you to install their software to do it.

What happens if you use Linux and don't have a windows or Mac computer to do the setup? Then you can't make any changes at all.

[trance728]

Ok, I am now currently hooked straight to the modem and I have a green light, so It must have been the Apple Airport Express. I guess I will be looking into another wireless router if I can't get this port open through the Apple one. The speeds are sooo much faster right now, but I do need my wireless for the rest of the house. And no, crApple does not use web based configurations, you have to use their utility to change settings which apparently does not allow much modification. BTW, I am not a big Apple fan myself, the router is my fiances. And the experience I have had with Apple and now that they are on the warpath and trying to sue every mobile phone company, I don't think there will be any new Apple products making their way into the household.

Now that is all said, I would still like to try and figure a way to have the Apple router work if at all possible so I don't need to go spend money I don't have at the moment.

[The UnUsual Suspect]

If your wifi is used only for internet connection, not for streaming video from one pc to another computer or media player (for example), then wifi "g" network (54mb/s) will do nicely and you can get a router in the $20-30 price range (usd). If you want faster wifi "n" speeds, then you can get one for about $40-80 range if your not looking for something super high end. I'm not a huge dlink fan, but I recently purchased a DIR-655 extreme N wifi/gigabit router for $70. It has 5 1000mb/s ethernet ports and supports wifi speeds upto 400mb/s. I can stream 1080p video to any of my wireless computers while downloading at 2500kB/s on another, so it does it's job well enough.

I've also seen refurbished wifi routers as low as $10.

However, you should be able to setup portforwarding in the device you have. Try their support website and user forum, and as a last resort, try calling them. If they give you the "we don't support p2p", tell them it's the only way your Linux distribution is available and ask them if it's their policy to refuse to help Linux users? lol

Good luck

[kluelos]

If you do decide to get a new router, which I went through not long ago, I determined that you do not get your money's worth with routers. Paying a lot does not get you a better product, and you are as likely to do well with whatever is on promotional sale at your electronics megamart, as with any name-brand product.

I don't know of any brand that does not have its share of horror stories. That includes Cisco, whose name (but not expertise) now graces a line of SOHO routers. I personally would never buy another DLink product, because they dropped all support in 2008 for a router that is still in the market pipeline, and which I happened to buy last year.

So don't pay a lot for it, no matter whose name is on it.

You SHOULD be able to get the Apple working, with a static port number, though.