Enhanced Web Admin

[normanr]

johnburton: you could just configure your linksys to forward the wed admin port to your desktop machine. Google will probably know how

[Pioneer4x4]

I'll give you a couple of pointers.
1) Change the web server port to some random unused port.
2) Setup your PC with a static IP address. (or reconfigure your router everytime your PC gets a different IP after reboot) What I do is set mine at DHCP, and write down all of the DNS entries that the isp pushed out. Then I set mine manually to 192.168.x.x (in the routers range, but not in its DHCP range). Then I put in the DNS entries that the ISP used.
3) in your router, go to <advanced>, then <forwarding>
In the first column "Customised Applications" just enter GBPVR as a description. In the port range, enter the port used in the config app for GBPVR in both boxes. In the IP Address, enter the IP that your GBPVR machine has (This will need to be verified every reboot if you are running DHCP on your GBPVR machine). And make sure that "Enable" is checked.

[KingArgyle]

I'm using a free dynamic dns service from no-ip.com. If you router supports it (most should), you can have it automatically refresh the dns entry with the correct IP address. Usually takes about a minute or two to refresh the entry, but works great.

You will also need to set your router up so that it automatically forwards the request to the computer that GBPVR is running.

[jksmurf]

GBPVR (WinXP) is running on my desktop which is behind a Linksys router. I have a dynamic IP address from my ISP so have installed DYNDNS.

John,

This is my exact setup too. I am not a network geek (far off it :-)), so maybe I can help by writing this (AFAIR) down in fairly simple terms. Assuming your Internet connection goes through a DSL modem=>Then through the WRT54G Router=>then to your WinXP PC:

A. Make sure you set up the DynDNS a/c first,
With the username, password and your chosen IP address e.g. johnburton.dyndns.org. As the linksys router has DyNDNS already (and one other I think), you do NOT need the IP address updater software. The DynDNS Site has good instructions for the account setup, but from your post I think you have done this already.

If not http://www.dyndns.com/account/services/h...s/add.html is the link to add your DyNDNS Service. You must have already registered!

B. Set up your Router to check for the Current IP address you are being assigned by your ISP and pass that to DyNDNS.org, which then assigns a nice easy static "address" NAME to that IP number
1. Go into the Linksys "Setup" Page and look in the Submenu of Setup, for DDNS
e.g. http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/Reviews/i..._setup.png
2. Click DDNS, which should show a screen with a drop down box of DDNS Service (Click DynDNS.Org)
3. Type Username, Password, host name EXACTLY as you chose in the DynDNS setup on the DynDNS.org Website
4. Apply (or save). It should show the current IP from your provider. Exit the router config.

C. Assign your PC a STATIC IP Address. You MAY or MAY not need this step.

I am led to believe my DSL provider links his service to the (known) MAC address of the NIC (network Interface Card, which they also provided) in the WinXP PC (i.e. not the router, which I bought seperately). In order to get access to my PC from work:

1. In my router setup, I had to "clone" my WinXP's NIC MAC Address to "fool" the DSL modem into "thinking" that it was talking to my NIC, rather than to my modem. This way the DSL modem thinks it is "talking" to my PC, which it is not, but rather to my Router. The router then automatically directs all internet traffic to my WinXP and the DSL modem is "none the wiser".

This site will tell you how to get the MAC address of your PC's NIC. http://www-dcn.fnal.gov/DCG-Docs/mac/xp.html, which you used to have type into the Router setup screen, as 6 pairs of hex numbers. However, the great function "Clone MAC Address" screen (also a sub-menu of Setup) in the Linksys Setup will do this for you automatically.

2. OK, that was the first step and your Internet connection will pass data to and from the Router. But you want to securely access GBPVR on the WinXP, so when you connect to your router from "the outside", you want your router to "send" this request to the PC on which GBPVR resides.

To do this the Router has to know (and forward data to) the "address" of your WinXP PC. You probably have your ROUTER setup for DHCP (where Dynamic IP address are "handed out" to PC's wanting them, depending on "who got there first". normally I leave GBPVR on all the time, so DHCP will automatically assign 192.168.1.100 to my WinXP (assumign the starting block of addresses the router hands out starts with 100). My wife's notebook, when she turns it on gets 192.168.1.101 etc. So you could simply forward any requests "from the outside" to the 192.168.1.100 address and it would work 99% of the time.

BUT, say you turned off your PC and your wife turned hers on. SHE would get the address 192.168.1.100 assigned by the router. If you tried to log into that, of course GBPVR is not on that Notebook, so you couldn't get through to the Webadmin.

So what you have to do if you want to avoid this, is to assign your PC a STATIC IP address. There are two main ways to do this.

Method 1: From within Windows
1. In Windows, Network Connections, right click the properties of your Internet Connection (might just be "Local Area Connection"
a. Click Internet Protocol, properties. It is PROBABLY set as "Obtain an IP address automatically" AND "Obtain a DNS Server address automatically".
b. For the first bit type in an IP Address. I just used one which was OUTSIDE the range of address assigned by the Router e.g. if the router starts at 192.168.1.100 and assigns up to 10 address, it will assign 100->109 (10 address). So you could make yours 192.168.1.10 (say) or 192.168.1.200 (say).
c. Subnet mask will be 255.255.255.0 (nearly always) and the Gateway is your Router's IP, which is the literal "Gateway" to the Internet. IIRC I think it defaults to simply 192.168.1.1, or the default IP address of the Router.
d1. Under DNS Server Type in the DNS of your ISP. To get these DNS Server addresses (2#) use the same link as above http://www-dcn.fnal.gov/DCG-Docs/mac/xp.html and look for DNS Servers (there are TWO sets, type in both).
d2. "Apparently" some providers CAN also change their DNS servers dynamically (see my query and a moderators very good response on this here : http://forum.portforward.com/YaBB.cgi?bo...1126151572 ), which is why you CAN type into the second part under "Obtain DNS Server address" the IP address of your Router (i.e. 192.168.1.1 (if you have to fill in the second address in the DNS Section, choose the DNS server of your ISP).

Method 2: From within your Router, using 3rd party Firmware
2. If you are reasonably brave, and always follow the instructions for a firmware upgrade*, the newer HyperWRT firmware for the linksys will allow you to assign a STATIC Address to any fixed MAC address, from within the Router, obviating the need to do this from within Windows. What this will do is use the WinXP's MAC address (NIC) and assign it your WinXP an IP address of your choosing. This way you do not have to assign the IP address in Windows TCP/IP settings screen in Network Connections, nor (I believe) define a DNS server. I am not 100% sure how this works (i.e. if a conflict exists) with cloning the MAC NIC though, so this part have to be reconfigured. I will be testing this myself sometime soon.

HyperWRT firmware:
WRT54G 4.20.8 Codebase +HyperWRT http://www.hyperwrt.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=594
WRT54GS 4.70.6 Codebase +HyperWRT http://www.hyperwrt.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=588

* i.e. save current config, ensure only ONE cable OPC NIC to Router (remove Internet Cable to DSL Modem), perform a 30sec hard reset by button at back, logi again using default Linksys login, access the Firmware Update Screen, update F/W via Cable only (not wireless), do another hard reset ONLY after finished update, login again, (do not turn off power during f/w upload) then reload your saved config (login will revert to saved config login).

D. Setup "port forwarding" in your router
This is not only for security, but also helps direct the request from "the outside" to the specific application (in this case GBPVR, which is listening on default port 7647), on the particular PC on which GBPVR resides. To do this, go into the "Applications and Gaming" screen of your Router Setup.
Type in
a. GBPVRLogin (e.g.)
b. the Port (Default is 7647, only one so 7647 in BOTH)
c. Both, under TCP/UDP
d. The IP Address of your WinXP that you assigned in Section C above e.g. 192.168.1.10
e. Check enabled. Apply or Save, exit the router config.

E. Setup GBPVR
Make sure in the CONFIG (Misc.) Page of GBPVR you type in a login/username, check Web Server is enabled and define the port (or leave default).

F. Finally, check your Firewall Configuration
It is important to check that the Software Firewall on the GBPVR pc running the webservice has port 7647 opened (or access "permitted") as well. (If you have a firewall, that is). For Firewalls (Windows or Norton) or even Norton Antivirus’s WORM Script Blocking you have to allow i.e. “Permit” GBPVR.exe and the GBPVRecording Service.exe access through the Firewall. Go into the Virus Configuration or Options menu and search for Worm Blocking. Allow the GBPVR Recording Service to bypass the Firewall. If you find that this approach either does not work, as NAV is prone to do, ends up asking you ceaselessly to either “Permit” or “Block” access, try to remove GBPVR.exe or GBPVRRecordingService.exe from the Program Control section of the NAV Worm Script Blocking page of NAV, exit GBPVR, and ADD back in (browse to) those exe files manually FROM NAV’s Worm Script Blocking page, again “Permitting” them access. This is also often the solution for WebAdmin access problems.

So now the Router should check the ISP for the current dynamically assigned IP, tell DynDNS.org the address, which DynDNS will then assign to your domain name johnburton.dyndns.org. When you type http://johnburton.dyndns.org:7647/gbpvr/login.aspx from work to home, it should translate johnburton.dyndns.org to the IP address of your Router, which the request then goes to, which will in turn forward the request to port 7647 on your GBPVR PC and pop up with the GBPVR webadmin, for you to login. That's it.

A very VERY good site for tips is http://www.portforward.com/ (See the FAQs and the Forums)
DydDNS have also some pointers specific to the WRT54G http://www.dyndns.com/support/kb/archive...t54g_.html

Hope that helps somewhat, and is not too confusing. best of luck. If anyone wants something edited or clarified, I'll certainly do the first if it is incorrect and will attempt to do the latter, to the best of my knowledge.
Cheers,

k.

[johnburton]

Thanks to normanr, Pioneer4x4, KingArgyle and jksmurf - I am overwhelmed by the info provided.

I got the internet access working using the advice provided by the first three advisors earlier today. It was a dream run and satisfying to achieve success on the first effort. The port redirects were a breeze.

I did have a minor side issue as I had previously downloaded and installed the DYNDNS auto updater which seemed to be getting confused with the IP address of my PC as well as the IP address of my router and jamming up.

However jksmurf's excellent response came through at the right time. I dumped the DYNDNS auto updater and configured the router to do the updates directly. I actually have a WAG54G router but it didn't matter.

So far so good, I will now try and absorb all the info provided and see if there is any fine tuning I need to do. There will no doubt be some further challenges to come.

[UncleJohnsBand]

Hi

Any chance of being able to set a configuration item to set programme descriptions to a mouse over pop up rather than displayed all the time (kind of a MythTV rip off - see http://mr.geek.nz/epg/online/ for an example).

This would allow the channel rows to stay at a consistant size rather than having to resize for large descriptions.

Just a wishlist.

I copied the above from a stand-alone thread so that the request doesn't get lost.

[j3flight]

...and another small request....

When you click on an "available recording" and its properties pop up in the secondary window... Can you make the left button say "delete recording" instead of "cancel" - it's a tad confusing. It's made worse when you have pending and available recordings with the same name, it's not completely obvious whether you're canceling an upcoming recording or deleting one you've already recorded.

I wouldn't think it would take much to detect the difference in the database and it's only a text change. If possible, thanks a ton!

Jason

[johnburton]

For anyone setting up the Enhanced Web Admin function to be accessed via the internet, it is important to check that the software firewall on the GBPVR pc running the webservice has port 7647 opened as well, if you have a firewall there, that is. Jksmurf may have covered that in his epic but in my rush I initially missed that step.

[jksmurf]

Jksmurf may have covered that in his epic but in my rush I initially missed that step.

Nope, but I added the reference from this WIKI to the epistle
http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FAQ/E...sages#toc3 (which I wrote for the WIKI anyway, so it's not plagiarism :-) ) Maybe the Plugin Developer would like to add the post to the WIKI Documentation for the Plugin when the dust settles and the edit rate become assymptotic...

k.

[normanr]

Any chance of being able to set a configuration item to set programme descriptions to a mouse over pop up rather than displayed all the time (kind of a MythTV rip off - see http://mr.geek.nz/epg/online/ for an example).

This might be possible to do via css styles (and hence themes), with a bit of tweaking.

When you click on an "available recording" and its properties pop up in the secondary window... Can you make the left button say "delete recording" instead of "cancel" - it's a tad confusing. It's made worse when you have pending and available recordings with the same name, it's not completely obvious whether you're canceling an upcoming recording or deleting one you've already recorded.

mmm, it's much easier now that the button is text shouldn't be too tricky, because you're loading up the rest of the program's details anyways. I just need to create a new 'red' button :p