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    [SOLVED] Need HEEELP! My server cannot be seen by the internet!

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
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    • P
      podilarius
      last edited by

      Did you create a virtual IP or are you using the WAN address to redirect web traffic?  If you are using the WAN address try putting the pfSense web configurator on a different port and restart. Second, if the server was configured to respond with the external address, then you might still have a configuration problem. Are you able to surf the internet from the server? Also, check your routes.

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        tomsawyer2k5
        last edited by

        I did not create any virtual IPs.  I simply forwarded port 80 outside to port 80 inside to a single LAN IP, aka my server.  So yes I'm probably using the WAN address.  I'm not at the pfSense device right now so I cannot check.

        So you mean put the pfSense configurator on any port besides the one the server is using, right?  Then wouldn't that affect the url I have to use to login to the web configurator?  Like is it simply xxx.xx.xxx.xxx:port number ?

        I believe the server is configured to respond with the external IP address.  How is that a problem?  Or are you asking if the server has its own LAN IP or if it's IP is actually the external IP?  If this is the case, then can I somehow configure the server to have a LAN port and be forwarded to the external IP?

        Or perhaps the above is the reason why it's not working in the first place.  It's expecting the external IP, but it is in use by the pfSense device and hence it fails to connect.  Interesting.

        Sadly there is no browser on the server machine because it is UNIX w/custom software.

        Well, I'll post a reply by tomorrow at 9:00am CST, so hopefully someone can be around lurking in the forums just in case.  Of course this is a request :)

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        • chpalmerC
          chpalmer
          last edited by

          On your WAN firewall rule for port 80 enable logging.  That way you can monitor if its getting there.

          Triggering snowflakes one by one..
          Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4590T CPU @ 2.00GHz on an M400 WG box.

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          • stephenw10S
            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
            last edited by

            Easiest (and quickest) way to get this resolved is for you to post screenshots of your port forward rules and your firewall rules.

            You need to make sure your pfsense webgui is set to http (port 443) or set it to some other port. You need to disable webgui redirect in System: Advanced: Admin Access: in the gui.

            Steve

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            • T
              tomsawyer2k5
              last edited by

              Still not working with the suggestions.  Lemme get some screenies up :(

              Update: Here are the screenies:-

              http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/2388/pfsense1.jpg
              http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/7746/pfsense2.jpg
              http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/5104/pfsense3.jpg
              http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/2643/pfsense4.jpg
              http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/5338/pfsense5.jpg

              Hope these work.  I tried changing the Server port from 80 to 443, but no good.

              Update 2: OMG OMG, this is gonna sound stupid.  I haven't solved the issue yet, but it seems like the LAN IP for the server is not pinging, which either means that the local IP is wrong, or it's not responding.  Because it's a locked system I do not have access to this UNIX box and cannot find out what the physical IP on the box is.  So I'll keep you guys in the loop.

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              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                So you are still seeing nothing from outside your network and being redirected to the pfsense gui from inside?

                I don't see a problem with your firewall rules or port forwarding. With the dns override in place I would expect you to be able to access the server internally.

                By default the pfSesne webGUI is on https (port 443). In order to make access to it easy it has a redirect setup so that requests on port 80 are switched to 443. Thus in its standard configuration requests on port 80 or 443 are picked up by the webGUI. Though this is normally only a problem from within the network.

                Try connecting to the server from outside your nework and then look in the firewall logs to see if anything is being blocked. If nothing then try what chpalmer suggested above, enable logging on the firewall rule and retry to connect from outside your network.
                Since incoming packets hit the port forwarder and then the firewall, if you see packets being passed then you know those rules are working correctly.

                Steve

                Edit: Read your OMG. That would explain it!  ;)

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                • T
                  tomsawyer2k5
                  last edited by

                  Thought I'd update the situation: I just found out that the device has 4 ethernet ports in the back! This was after I was granted access to the server, which I bought!  ::)  (It was setup by an outside company and they didn't want to give me access.  But technical support had no problem giving me access, go figure!)  So seems like the cable was plugged into the wrong port and I got the box to ping.  But the server still isn't viewable online!  So still working on that.

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                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    If I was you at this point I'd remove everything you have done and start again. Any previous results are now obviously invalid. It all looked correct though.  :)
                    One thing I would say is that you added a dns override and I would have enabled NAT reflection in that situation.

                    http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Why_can%27t_I_access_forwarded_ports_on_my_WAN_IP_from_my_LAN/OPTx_networks%3F

                    Steve

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                    • T
                      tomsawyer2k5
                      last edited by

                      Ok. I was afraid to add NAT reflection because the docs or forums said somewhere that it's for Really Advanced configuring, and that set a switch in my mind that it changes a major function of the firewall.

                      Oh, I'm able to access the server locally now with the internal IP  :o :)  So all I need to figure out is how to direct that IP to my URL properly.

                      That link you gave me is very interesting…still reading :)

                      BTW, Steve, can you see my post titled "Having issues with DNS server settings with 2 ISPs (Failover issues)"?  Look at those screenies and tell me what you think, thanks.

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                      • T
                        tomsawyer2k5
                        last edited by

                        So I tried what was indicated, but no go.  Should I reconfigure everything and is it necessary to reset everything?  How do I do a complete reset?

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                        • stephenw10S
                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                          last edited by

                          It's probably not necessary to reset everything but you can do it in Diagnostics: Factory defaults: if you need to.

                          Where are you at now?

                          Steve

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                          • T
                            tomsawyer2k5
                            last edited by

                            Actually, I found out that I configured my DNS wrong, specifically my A host.  I was supposed to use an @ symbol but instead I typed in "Comcast" assuming that I could name it whatever I want.  But no, the A record has to have a freakin @ symbol  :P ::) .  So now I gotta wait for the correct settings to propogate.  So perhaps it wasn't the firewall at all that was causing issues :o

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                            • stephenw10S
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              That would also explain it!
                              You should be able to test the forwarding setup though by just using your WAN IP from outside your network instead of URL.

                              Steve

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                                tomsawyer2k5
                                last edited by

                                Ok, now the "501: Potential Rebind DNS attack detected" error is back  >:(  God, what did I do wrong to you?  :'(  :'(

                                When I disable DNS rebinding checks, the URL takes me to the login of my pfSense device! What is going on??  Should I switch pfSense to a non-internet port?  What should I change it to, and then how do I login to the device if I do so?

                                Tried enabling SSH, but that did no good.  What I don't understand is that if I forwarded port 443 to 172.20.2.45, then why is the url getting routed to the login of the pfSense device?  Perhaps there is another setting within pfSense that redirects internet IP to a specific address on my LAN network?

                                Update: Oh no! I put in port 25 for the webconfigurator and now I cannot get in.  Gives me "Webpage might be temporarily down" and then Error 312 Unsafe port. Now what?

                                Update 2: Set pfSense device to factory defaults and did my usual settings.  Now I'm back to stage 1 with the 501 DNS rebind attack error.  How do I get my server to show up when I type in the URL instead of this error or the pfSense login???

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                                • stephenw10S
                                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                  last edited by

                                  From your results it looks like you are testing from inside your network. In order for this to work, using URLs, you need to enable nat reflection or split dns.
                                  This doesn't test the port forward correctly though, you need to test it from a remote location or using a 3g modem etc.

                                  Steve

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                                  • T
                                    tomsawyer2k5
                                    last edited by

                                    I have been using my 3G smart phone to see if I can reach the browser, and I get the same error.  If I tell the pfSense device to ignore the DNS rebinding, then it brings me to the pfSense device login screen.

                                    So it seems that the only issue I'm having is forwarding my LAN server to my static IP.  It's just that my router's login takes priority over what I've forwarded?  And I followed that guide, but no change.

                                    Maybe I'm missing something and need a tutorial on how to setup a server behind pfSense?  I'm trying to forward my server that has a LAN IP to my WAN IP via port 80.  This is what I've been doing.

                                    Update:  Ok, so I bypassed the pfSense router and used a DIR-655 wireless router which was used strictly for wireless only, and IT WORKS!!!  I am able to connect to my server on the internet via the virtual server settings in this router.  BUT, the whole point is to have failover functionality (which I'm still having trouble with the 2nd ISP) and route the server through the pfSense device.  So I don't know where this leaves me, except in a sour area.  Gonna keep trying to route it through the pfSense device.

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                                    • stephenw10S
                                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                      last edited by

                                      This is very weird. You shouldn't need to do anything more than this.
                                      You shouldn't be able to reach the pfSense webGUI from WAN at all unless you open a firewall hole to it directly.
                                      Your firewall rule only allows in traffic that has destination 'your server'.  :-
                                      Are you sure there's no way your phone is using wifi or has cached the page?
                                      Try asking friend to access it to be sure.

                                      Steve

                                      Edit: I can't see anything at saltcreekimaging.com from here in the UK.  :(

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                                      • T
                                        tomsawyer2k5
                                        last edited by

                                        You gotta use https:// before the url, otherwise it won't work.  It's a server config thing.  And the SSL certificate is out-of-date, but I'll update that later.

                                        I was also able to get it to work with the DIR-655's port forwarding.  So this is very wierd.

                                        So right now I'm attempting to get it to work on the pfSense device.

                                        Update: No good, doesn't work via pfSense.  If only I could figure out how the DIR-655 does port forwarding and apply that to the pfSense device, then perhaps I can make it work.  Anyone?

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                                        • stephenw10S
                                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                          last edited by

                                          OK I see your site using https.
                                          If it only works via https then you need to forward port 443 not 80.

                                          Steve

                                          It's definitely running on the standard port, 443.

                                          
                                          pfTop: Up State 1-27/27, View: default, Order: dest. addr
                                          PR    D SRC                   DEST                 STATE   AGE   EXP  PKTS BYTES
                                          tcp   I 192.168.2.10:1545     50.193.66.117:443     9:9     85    21    24  8387
                                          tcp   O 192.168.2.10:1545     50.193.66.117:443     9:9     85    21    24  8387
                                          
                                          
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                                          • T
                                            tomsawyer2k5
                                            last edited by

                                            Already tried that, otherwise how would I have gotten it to work on my DIR-655 router.  Anyway, I've exhausted my brain too much to the point where I've given up on the pfSense device.  Yesterday I was troubleshooting the device from 8am to 12pm! <- NOT A JOKE!  :o  I mean, why is it soo hard to port forward something? It took me like 5 seconds to configure + 20 seconds for the rule to take effect in my DIR-655 and the server was available to the internet.

                                            After giving up, I left the configuration with a sour taste in my mouth.  The comcast connection is hooked up to the DIR-655 while it being connected to only TWO devices in the office: the server and a workstation computer that frequently accesses files from it.  The T1 line is connected to the pfSense device, which is connected to the switch that distributes the internet throughout the office.  So not only is the rest of the office on the slower 1.5mbps T1 line, but also I haven't, or at this point cannot, hookup failover to the pfSense device.  Very sad about this :(

                                            Don't get me wrong, I love most of the pfSense's features like the fact that it's stable, runs on a 2.0+ghz dual core processor that can easily process multiple requests, nat translations, firewall attacks, multiple internet connections, failover, etc. with ease.  The DNS of the T1 line gets translated instantly through the NAT, whereas the DIR-655 occasionally has slowdowns but still solid connection.

                                            What I'm worried about is that in November the T1 internet will be cancelled and this will be a problem for the rest of the office + the fact that I haven't implemented failover.  Not to mention the failover issues I'm having due to DNS not registering to the T1 line when I disconnect the Comcast line (this is talked about in another topic).  Also, the DIR-655 was designed as a home device.  I have no idea how reliable it will be over the next few months, especially since the server is connected to it.  It only has a 200-300MHz processor onboard compared to pfSense device's 2.0+GHz Core 2 Duo!

                                            I want pfSense's incredible processing power for the entire office!  I want Failover to work properly!  I want the server to get through to the internet! SIGH I just need two days rest before I tackle that device again.  So if you guys have any suggestions onto what I should do, please tell me.  I want to love my pfSense device, so PLEASE HELP ME?

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