UPnP and multiple Xbox 360s (4-8)

xcrustwadx

ok time is now set properly via the general menu. Sorry, I glanced there for a time setting but I missed it. Should have done CTRL+F. Thank you.

xcrustwadx

OK. The script/cron job definately works. I just checked the upnp status and it's completely cleared! This is great.

Are there any plans to build in a timeout for upnp port mappings?

The reason I ask is because it has been said that Xbox never bothers to release the ports when it is powered off (which I can certainly say is true from firsthand experience). I know that this is actually a problem with the implementation on the Xbox's end and not with miniupnpd but restarting the service every morning seems like it may not be the best solution. If there is any way I can help, please let me know.

rsw686

My debate about adding it into miniupnpd is deciding when is the port inactive. I'm not sure how easy it is to see the last activity since once the rule is created pfSense is dealing with the redirects not miniupnpd. I'll contact the miniupnpd author and see what his opinion is on this.

xcrustwadx

1. Can I manually remove one upnp record/mapping without restarting the entire service and clearing ALL mappings?

2. Would it be feasible for me to write a custom script that removes a particular upnp port mapping once the DHCP lease that requested it expires?

Im starting to think… why incorporate a band-aid into the code of miniupnpd, which works fine, that is a workaround for a problem that should be solved on Microsoft's end... ie send the "I'm done with this upnp mapping, you can remove it now." packet. I'd rather make an "external" band-aid to avoid adverse effects on miniupnpd(a script for instance).

I'm not too clear on how DHCP protocol works but the pfsense web UI seems to know when a host is down and no longer using its lease.

rsw686

@xcrustwadx:

1. Can I manually remove one upnp record/mapping without restarting the entire service and clearing ALL mappings?

2. Would it be feasible for me to write a custom script that removes a particular upnp port mapping once the DHCP lease that requested it expires?

Miniupnpc is the client which can talk to miniupnpd. You would need to compile this for pfSense. Then it could be used to tell miniupnpd to remove a mapping. This is something that could be added to the pfSense UPnP implementation. I could see this being useful for others.

The easiest way to compile for the pfSense platform is to use the pfSense Developers edition. I think you can still get this on the snapshot server.

@xcrustwadx:

I'm not too clear on how DHCP protocol works but the pfsense web UI seems to know when a host is down and no longer using its lease.

True, but that is a bandaid fix as well. Not everyone is going to want or need that feature. The DHCP protocol marks the lease as inactive when its renewal time expires and the host has not renewed the lease. However some people set this time limit to days.

rsw686

I forgot to mention that if you use Windows XP you can remove the mappings by going to the Network Connections folder. Right click on Internet Connection click Properties, click Settings, and you can delete individual mappings.

xcrustwadx

Thanks for the tip. You need the Windows XP uPnP UI installed on the XP machine first and then this will work. I have just used it. Im currently using VM to install pfsense dev beta 1 and I will attempt to compile the miniupnpc.

rsw686

@xcrustwadx:

Thanks for the tip. You need the Windows XP uPnP UI installed on the XP machine first and then this will work. I have just used it. Im currently using VM to install pfsense dev beta 1 and I will attempt to compile the miniupnpc.

I just built miniupnpc successfully use gmake. You'll need to add gmake using

pkg_add -r gmake

To build

/usr/local/bin/gmake

From here you could add check boxes next to the mappings on the UPnP Status page and a remove button. You could even write a script to search the current mappings and then remove any with xbox in them at 7:30 in the morning. Or if you want to get detailed write the script to compare the mappings with the dhcp leases and remove the inactive ones.

rsw686

@rsw686:

From here you could add check boxes next to the mappings on the UPnP Status page and a remove button. You could even write a script to search the current mappings and then remove any with xbox in them at 7:30 in the morning. Or if you want to get detailed write the script to compare the mappings with the dhcp leases and remove the inactive ones.

Turns out that the new version of miniupnpd can clean out old mappings. I have compiled the binary and updated the webgui. The other improvement is called secure mode which locks down clients to only creating mappings to their IP. If anybody would like to test it out and let me know how it works that would be great. I plan on adding this into the cvs for 1.3, but for now you can update your 1.2 version with the following.


cd /tmp
fetch http://wgnrs.dynalias.com/pfsense/miniupnpd/upnp_support
chmod +x upnp_support
./upnp_support update

Afterwards you'll need to reconfigure upnp via the webgui. Please note that if you don't like the new version you'll have to manually restore the old files.

hoba

@rsw686:

Afterwards you'll need to reconfigure upnp via the webgui. Please note that if you don't like the new version you'll have to manually restore the old files.

Or reapply the 1.2 release full update that will reset all files back to release versions ;)

xcrustwadx

RSW686: I just saw your post sorry it took so long. I check back here occasionally. I have applied the patch you posted on March 17 and I will test this weekend for sure at my secondary location. I will also attempt to try at my other location which has the multiple Xbox 360s.

Does the "upnp bypassing the traffic shaper problem" still happen in 1.2 final? If so is this in the works for 1.3?

rsw686

@xcrustwadx:

Does the "upnp bypassing the traffic shaper problem" still happen in 1.2 final? If so is this in the works for 1.3?

There is a way to compile miniupnpd to use an ALTQ queue. I'm not sure how this would tie in with the traffic shaper.

eri--

Well what i recommend is to add an option to tag packets that match the miniupnp nat/rdr/filter rules and not make them terminating ie not use quick.

This is the same at what ftp-proxy on latest openbsd does and it helps a lot catching things up queueing them and so on.

Please suggest to the author of miniupnpd to make this change and be done with it.
One pfSense 1.3 you can match tags from the filter rules created in the gui.

This is the best design and would make miniupnd compeletely standalone and not watching at other information it does not need to.

I do not know if PNP protocol supports classes but if it does it would be nice to allow the option to specify one tag to be applied to specific traffic served by this daemon and then matched by tag from the user so to shape or not allow it at all.

I hope this helps you somewhat.
As for the change iirc it is just ~10 lines of changes max.

rsw686

@ermal:

Well what i recommend is to add an option to tag packets that match the miniupnp nat/rdr/filter rules and not make them terminating ie not use quick.

Miniupnpd was using rdr pass on, but I have recompiled it so that it is creating an rdr and a pass rule. I have also disabled the quick setting. So now I have rules that are looking like this

jellyfish:/tmp# pfctl -aminiupnpd -sn
rdr on fxp2 inet proto udp from any to any port = 46678 label "Azureus UPnP 46678 UDP" -> 10.10.1.150 port 46678
rdr on fxp2 inet proto tcp from any to any port = 46678 label "Azureus UPnP 46678 TCP" -> 10.10.1.150 port 46678
jellyfish:/tmp# pfctl -aminiupnpd -sr
pass in on fxp2 inet proto udp from any to any port = 46678 flags S/SA keep state label "Azureus UPnP 46678 UDP"
pass in on fxp2 inet proto tcp from any to any port = 46678 flags S/SA keep state label "Azureus UPnP 46678 TCP"

Your saying I need to tag it as well. So at the end of the rule it should have a tag UPNP or something of that sort like the below?

pass in on fxp2 inet proto udp from any to any port = 46678 flags S/SA keep state label "Azureus UPnP 46678 UDP" tag UPNP

The option already in the upnpn daemon can append queue SOMENAME to the rule. I could easily add in the tag option like above if that is better.

eri--

Yeah a tag option is better and get rid of the queue option compeletly.
It is not needed and is cumbersome.

Please add the tag to the rdr rule so it produces
rdr ….blabla.... tag MYTAG label "whatever" -> to $whatever

it is better in the rdr since it is the first thing that takes a look at the packet ;)

I would also like to see the rdr being generated for multiple interfaces so the PNP traffic can be loadbalanced with the help of tags.
But that is more homework i guess.

rsw686

So I could do rdr pass….blabla.... tag MYTAG label "whatever" -> to $whatever and skip the separate pas rule?

The additional features can come once I get the basic thing working in 1.3 with the traffic shaper. ;)

eri--

@rsw686:

So I could do rdr pass….blabla.... tag MYTAG label "whatever" -> to $whatever and skip the separate pas rule?

No since that extra "pass" might bypass the ruleset.
Just add the tag on the rdr that is my suggestion, you still need the separate rules to pass traffic.

rsw686

Sounds good. I just wanted to make sure it was implemeted the best way. 1.2 upnp just uses one rdr pass rule and I wasn't sure what was more efficient. Thanks.

xcrustwadx

Is it that uPnP bypasses the traffic shaper all together or does it's traffic just get automatically sent to the default queue? I'm on 1.2 Final and it looks like the upstream traffic from utorrent using a random port via upnp is being "picked up" in the "qwandef" queue status graph.

So… if I design my shaper solution around this fact, I might be able to make it work, correct? (and not have to wait until 2009 for 1.3)
For instance: I know Xbox 360 traffic will be uPnP and so will be in the default queue automatically. I can make my P2P stuff go to another queue of lower priority and saturate it completely. Then I'll see if my ping times are OK. If they are OK, or at least less than with no shaping, then I'm headed in the right direction!

I'm going to test this when I get home.

Also the 1.2 final release has a working version of upnp which DOES NOT, from my experience, need the script/patch provided by RSW686 for the older version(I believe this patch is already included in the recent PFsense releases). I'm back to using a residential ISP with 1 dynamic address and we have 8 Xbox 360s here (all upnp, all open NAT status) as well as a PS3(uPnP as well) all playing nicely online. My pfsense uptime has been around 72 days and I haven't restarted miniupnpd in about 2 weeks. The only reason it has restarted is because of the troublesome power outages. My last issue in the traffic shaper

Thanks again for your help.

eri--

Yes your assumtion is correct.