Is there a firewall i my Airport Extreme?

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Level 1

10 points

Is there a firewall i my Airport Extreme?

Hi

Is there a firewall in my airport extreme? I'm trying to use this EchoLink software on my PC (yes it's in my Mac Network). It's an amateur radio program that allows licensed amateur radio operators to connect over VOIP.

I had AVG Internet security suite for the PCs here. I uninstalled it due to some problems. But before I re-install it (yes PCs need protection ha ha) I tried the program. Still can't connect.

Comcast says there's no firewall on the modem so that leaves my Airport Extreme.

I need to open some ports. The following is taken from their manual.

I need to open UDP Ports 5198 & 5199 and open TCP port 5200

If this isn't the problem then I can't figure the thing out.

Thanks if you can help.

Allen

MacBook Pro - iMac - Mac Pro and 1 pc, Mac OS X (10.6.1), Final Cut Studio 2

Posted on Sep 1, 2011 4:56 PM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

159,166 points

Sep 1, 2011 5:42 PM in response to allenz

Yes, your AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBS) employs a simple NAT firewall.

You would use the AirPort Utility to configure the AEBS for port mapping to open the required ports on this NAT firewall.

The following are the basics for setting up one of the newer 802.11n AirPorts for port mapping/forwarding:

AEBSn - Port Mapping Setup

To setup port mapping on an 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBSn), either connect to the AEBSn's wireless network or temporarily connect directly, using an Ethernet cable, to one of the LAN port of the AEBSn, and then use the AirPort Utility, in Manual Setup, to make these settings:

1. Reserve a DHCP-provided IP address for the host device.

AirPort Utility > Select the AEBSn > Manual Setup > Internet > DHCP tab

On the DHCP tab, click the "+" (Add) button to enter DHCP Reservations.
Description: <enter the desired description of the host device>
Reserve address by: MAC Address
Click Continue.
MAC Address: <enter the MAC (what Apple calls Ethernet ID if you are using wired or AirPort ID if wireless) hardware address of the host computer>
IPv4 Address: <enter the desired IP address>
Click Done.

2. Setup Port Mapping on the AEBSn.

AirPort Utility > Select the AEBSn > Manual Setup >Advanced > Port Mapping tab

Click the "+" (Add) button
Service: <choose the appropriate service from the Service pop-up menu>
Public UDP Port(s): <enter the appropriate UDP port values>
Public TCP Port(s): <enter the appropriate TCP port values>
Private IP Address: <enter the IP address of the host server>
Private UDP Port(s): <enter the same as Public UDP Ports or your choice>
Private TCP Port(s): <enter the same as Public TCP Ports or your choice>
Click "Continue"

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Answer 2

allenz Author

Level 1

10 points

Sep 1, 2011 7:15 PM in response to Tesserax

Hi Tesserax

Oh Boy! I'm supposed to understand all this? ha ha ha I'll try but never got into this stuff before except maybe back in '95 and Dos 3.2 and 5.

Anyway, My Airport Extreme is probably around 2008. Maybe 802.11g? Everything here is hard wired (cat-5) to the extreme except my Mac Book Pro laptop. I do video production so don't transfer video wireless ;-)

Let me look in my File cabinet to see if I have instructions to get into the firewall. I'll look around to see if I can understand your instructions. Mac Address I know because for a while I used that as my LAN security. but how to find it in the Airport?

Anyway I'm sure I'll have more questions tomorrow.

thank you very much for your help though. At least now I know why EchoLink is not getting out.

Regards

Allen

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Answer 3

Tesserax

Level 10

159,166 points

Sep 1, 2011 10:15 PM in response to allenz

My Airport Extreme is probably around 2008. Maybe 802.11g?

2008 would most likely be an 802.11n version. Please take a look at the following Apple Support article to help figure out which model you have.

Let me look in my File cabinet to see if I have instructions to get into the firewall. I'll look around to see if I can understand your instructions. Mac Address I know because for a while I used that as my LAN security. but how to find it in the Airport?

Hopefully, the info I provided will help set the stage of what will be required. The idea in the first step is to dedicate a static IP address for the device you want to port map to so it can always be "found" as the target for the map. The second step is where you would use the AirPort Utility to actually configure the maps themselves.

The following is an AirPort Utility snapshot of the actual port mapping window:

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Answer 4

allenz Author

Level 1

10 points

Sep 2, 2011 12:25 PM in response to Tesserax

Hi Tesserax

Okay I do have the 802.11n.

Now the IP address for the device? It's a software I need to open the ports for. EchoLink, you can google it. So all I would need to do is open those UDT and TCP ports by listing them in the screenshot you show?

Now that you showed me the screen shot I'm beginning to understand.

Thanks again

Allen

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Answer 5

Tesserax

Level 10

159,166 points

Sep 2, 2011 12:41 PM in response to allenz

Ah, EchoLink as in the HAM world, gotcha!

Ok, for each of the fields in the Port Mapping window:

Service: <you can ignore this item; it will self-populate with 'Custom' after you make some entries>
Public UDP Port(s): 5198-5199
Public TCP Port(s): 5200
Private IP Address: <The IP Address of the PC hosting the EchoLink software. From my previous reply, you will want to assign a 'static' IP address from the pool of DHCP-provided IP addresses to your PC. This way traffic inbound from the Internet will always be able to find this PC.>
Private UDP Port(s): 5198-5199
Public TCP Port(s): 5200

Be sure that if you're running a software firewall on the PC, that these same ports are opened. Otherwise, inbound traffic from the Internet will make it through the AEBS just to be blocked by the PC's firewall.

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Answer 6

allenz Author

Level 1

10 points

Sep 7, 2011 7:40 AM in response to Tesserax

Again thanks very much. It will be a short while before I can do this though as I have a deadline to meed on a video project.

Regards

Allen

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