Port Mapping on THG3000

[mat-irvine]

Vodafone moved me from a VodafoneConnect35612892 to the THG3000 router. Since then I can't access some of the ports that need to be open for FTP and website maintenance - particularly Port 21. Trying to connect (using Filezilla) I get in infamous 'error 425'.  (Oddly one other 'site I maintain - with a different server -  that uses Port  I8221 DOES work?) Tried filling out the IPv4 Static Port Mapping, but can't seem to get the correct combination, which I think is primarily down to what IP is used (though there maybe other factors involved?)  So the question is - what is the actual data that needs to be entered to open Port 21? Plus does it need to be 'just' 21 or is a range advisable?

Yes I have looked at other posts re: 'THG300 and Port Mapping', but none seem to directly answer this?

TIA

[CrimsonLiar]

Vodafone used to be able to assign hostnames for their business clients, but it's never been "intentionally" made available on their consumer products (as far as I'm aware) - and good luck going through this with customer support!

Personally, I use https://domains.google.com/ but not using the VF router, I'm not sure that it's supported on the router - though there are other ways to get a DDNS up and running...

*Also if the previous router had a host name, surely you'd know what it was???

[Alex882]

Seeing this has been bouncing around for a few weeks without any answers, let me give my twopence worth:

ftp is a strange protocol in that it uses 2 ports - one for establishing an outbound connection with the remote server (this is the port 21 your ftp client connects to), and one for the data connection when you attempt to download content. The second port is a server port hosted by the ftp client. The port number used for the server port is random, so you cannot create a static port mapping in the router for it. (A smart client can use UPnP to create a dynamic port mapping but we are digressing). To overcome this problem, ftp has a passive mode. Passive mode eliminates the need for an inbound connection by instructing the client to make an outbound data connection to the server instead. On the command line, passive mode is entered with the command "pass". If you are using a GUI client, somewhere in the configuration will be an option to specify passive mode.

I think the lack of a hostname is a red herring. In any case, if you really have a static IP address from Vodafone, then there should be a hostname associated with it. You can check with the following command:

dig -x a.b.c.d

when a.b.c.d is your static IP address.

For example, dig -x 8.8.8.8 gives:
;; ANSWER SECTION:
8.8.8.8.in-addr.arpa. 86399 IN PTR dns.google.

A static Vodafone IP address will typically have a hostname that looks like static-a-b-c-d.vodafonexdsl.co.uk.

If you are unfamiliar with the command line interface, you can use this website instead: https://dnschecker.org/reverse-dns.php

Ignore any suggestions that DDNS will help. Your IP address is owned by Vodafone and only they can make the reverse DNS lookup work. No DDNS provider will have access to Vodafone's DNS records. If your ftp server really does require a successful reverse DNS lookup, then you will need to talk to Vodafone.

[Jayach]

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@Alex882 wrote:

Ignore any suggestions that DDNS will help. Your IP address is owned by Vodafone and only they can make the reverse DNS lookup work. No DDNS provider will have access to Vodafone's DNS records. If your ftp server really does require a successful reverse DNS lookup, then you will need to talk to Vodafone.

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From what the OP said I assumed it was the lack of a hostname that was causing the problem. DDNS would give that.

However, I am not familiar with FTP (I thought it was just about dead now) so your explanation is helpful. (Even if I didn't fully understand it)

[CrimsonLiar]

I should have read back further before my last response.  However, a service requiring that an admin who logs in has a static IP, hostname, and PTR record all seems a little extreme!  Could it be that the OP could dial down the security a little on the hosting control page?

*So says the person who's only ever had his pages hacked because of breaches in security on the hosting systems!

[mat-irvine]

OK we seem to have moved on a bit here - mainly ascertaining it does appear to be all down to the lack of a hostname. Connecting to my website server using a different IP address does work, and that one does have a hostname associated with it. (In fact this has been tried a few times with different IPs). But my own one still won't connect, and using one of the 'Check your IP' websites, yep, no hostname. This is now back with Vodafone tech staff!

[Jayach]

Why would anyone expect their IP address to have a host name associated?

[CrimsonLiar]

PTR/reverse DNS look ups, for verification, but you'd normally have to setup the hostname in whatever is verifying you, and if it's not a private email server, then you can usually change the requirement on the server.

So for my google domain, I can't use a PTR record for standard verification, because the reverse query would hit google DNS and not Vodafone.  But I can use a proxy provided by google for the email if I want!  It's all very strange and frankly just sounds like a bad set-up or overzealous security on the remote server!

[mat-irvine]

Sorry! this still hasn't been solved, BUT I have been given new information (from Vodafone) which might give the reason. To briefly explain from the beginning, (and ignoring the fact Vodafone cut me off for a week!)...

1) I renewed my broadband contract in October

2) Vodafone call this an 'upgrade' (even if as far as I was concerned, it isn't), but as VF isn't supplying FTTC now, only FTTP, this 'upgrade' would involve moving me over to full fibre - BUT no-one explained this! I only worked it out (as I have some knowledge...) as I was sent a full fibre/VOIP modem and informed  'an engineer would call' - which I thought odd as none of this would be necessary for a straight FTTC contract renewal?

3) It is since this 'upgrade' when I lost the ability to connect to my web site servers - which came back as 'lack of a hostname associated with my new static IP address'.

4) NEW The most recent info I have, (from 29th Dec), is that Vodafone now has me officially listed as FTTP - BUT  Vodafone didn't seem to know that Open Reach haven't connected FTTP in my area, so I remain FTTC. And it is apparently this discrepancy that means VF can't send a reverse DNS/ hostname,  (though technically 'why' this is, still remains unanswered?).  Slightly unfortunately I was getting this information second-hand as the person at Vodafone explaining this admitted they were not 'technical' and were just relaying the info.  

So although it is 'a reason', frankly I'm not convinced, and could do with more expert opinion!

TIA

[Jayach]

So you were sent a THG3000 router, presumably instead of the HHG2500 you previously had?

The THG3000 is provided to everyone now (for at least 2 years), not just FTTP customers.

It may be that the HHG2500 was supplying the host name, and the THG3000 doesn't. Have you tried with the HHG2500 back on.

[mat-irvine]

Point 1 - correct

Point 2 - OK (Though I must have have been at the very end of HGG2500 supplies, as my FFTC connection is at least 2 years old.)

Point 3 - I initially wondered if it was the change of modem/router - but that was back to the beginning, when I thought it was something to do with 'blocked ports'.  However the modem doesn't generate the hostname, the ISP does, so swapping the modems back presumably wouldn't do any good? Also the new modem is linked to Vodafone which (now) registers the serial number/whatever at its end. So swapping them back would involve phoning VF (itself fraught with problems) and getting through to the correct department to do the swap - with no guarantee this is linked to the problem anyway? Also when the technical person at Vodafone, who eventually manged to reconnect me, could only do this through the new THG3000 modem, he couldn't get the older HHG2500 one to work. Currently it seems it's only going be solved when BT decides to 'FTTP' me - but no-one appears to know when that will be..???  But this still doesn't answer the question - if Vodafone can supply a hostname to an FTTP connection, why can't it to an FTTC?