I am pretty new to porting and setting up my own server, so excuse my lack of knowledge... I am working through the learning process now.

I'd like to host a website with an extra computer I have. I know that my ISP (Time Warner) will have a dynamic IP. If this is so, I intend to use no-ip.com or somewhere to get me through and then mask my address.

I have 2 routers right now I am running through for hosting on the computer. I am renting a guest house from someone now and the modem is in the other house. He has it run into a linksys wireless G router. I wanted fast speeds and my own network, so I plugged into a wired connection he had in this house and am running my linksys wireless N router. To add to the confusion, I am also running a Hawking N wireless extender. So from the modem to the computer I intend to run as a server I have G router --> N router --> N repeater.

I tried to mess with it yesterday and it ended up taking down the network as I tried to set a static IP with the G (main) router... bad idea, I know. So I just reset everything and I can access the network and internet again as before. Everytime I try to assign a static IP to my N router it kills my connection to the G router (main router). What am I doing wrong here?? I had it working once where I could access the port from outside the network (on my phone) before it killed the entire network.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

11/7/2010 2:41:39 AM

Are you setting the static IP on the N router, or on the G router for the N? There's no reason setting your N router to have a static IP for its link to your G router would cause everything to stop working, unless you've got something wrong. Make sure you've got the right subnet mask and gateway, as well as an IP that isn't already being used.

You could also consider set your N router to be just an AP. Let the G serve as your DHCP server and handle all traffic forwarding decisions (and port forwarding).

Once you figure that out, you can set up port forwarding for port 80. On the G, forward port 80 to the IP of the N router. On your N, forward it to your server's IP address.

11/7/2010 11:28:27 AM

If it was me I'd DMZ the 2nd router and use the 2nd router firewall for port forwards so you don't have to change settings in multiple places.

Or if you're running DDWRT you can set the second router as a seamless repeater.

11/7/2010 1:44:51 PM

I tried setting the N router to a static IP and it keeps knocking out the connection to the G router.

The biggest problem I have is that I believe the process need to go:
1. open port on N router to point to server's IP
2. open port on G router to point to N router

I am unfamiliar with setting up the N router as an AP or how to DMZ. I did google this and their explanations are less than helpful. What is the advantage of taking one of these routes? Does it take out some of the security of having 2 firewalls?

11/7/2010 4:29:43 PM

^ yes. A DMZ (DeMilitarized Zone) completely disables the firewall, but you can only set it for 1 IP on most routers. It's best used for an FTP server or your exact case - allowing the firewall on the 2nd router to handle it. Not inherently "less safe", you're a bazillion times more likely to browse to a site and get a virus.

11/7/2010 7:24:50 PM