Network change affecting Remote Patrol
hey guys,
Taking off for the holidays and installing my new cameras that Ben helped me get configured, and decided that updating my setup is in order. I decided to change my Mac Mini ethernet connecting directly to my LinkSys router to instead plugging directly into the Switch and then to my LinkSys Router. It's a DLink 4xPOE and 4x100Mbps for 8ports total. It's a Fast Ethernet switch that I had and it works good enough for 4 cameras. I was reading the Network Topology link on the SecuritySpy Home page, and it made sense to make the change and ensure my connections weren't interrupted in any way, especially since my Router is a little old. I made the change and everything locally is working fine, but now I am unable to connect remotely through Remote Patrol. It was working before the connection change. Nothing in my setup has changed, and I am using the web server interface to provide a DDNS link using ****.viewcam.me:### where *** is my name and ### is the port number assigned. My Mini is set to 192.168.1.114 as a fixed IP. I push the test button and get a green light.
I'm not real savvy on Layer 2/3 type stuff, so I don't know if there is a server problem, Remote Patrol problem, or I have a configuration issue that I inadvertently caused. Would appreciate some guidance.
Taking off for the holidays and installing my new cameras that Ben helped me get configured, and decided that updating my setup is in order. I decided to change my Mac Mini ethernet connecting directly to my LinkSys router to instead plugging directly into the Switch and then to my LinkSys Router. It's a DLink 4xPOE and 4x100Mbps for 8ports total. It's a Fast Ethernet switch that I had and it works good enough for 4 cameras. I was reading the Network Topology link on the SecuritySpy Home page, and it made sense to make the change and ensure my connections weren't interrupted in any way, especially since my Router is a little old. I made the change and everything locally is working fine, but now I am unable to connect remotely through Remote Patrol. It was working before the connection change. Nothing in my setup has changed, and I am using the web server interface to provide a DDNS link using ****.viewcam.me:### where *** is my name and ### is the port number assigned. My Mini is set to 192.168.1.114 as a fixed IP. I push the test button and get a green light.
I'm not real savvy on Layer 2/3 type stuff, so I don't know if there is a server problem, Remote Patrol problem, or I have a configuration issue that I inadvertently caused. Would appreciate some guidance.
Comments
It's a good idea to use the switch as the main hub of the network rather than your router. As long as it's connected correctly, adding a switch between your router and computer shouldn't break anything: the switch should just route traffic efficiently around the network to the correct place and doesn't do anything more elaborate than that.
If you are getting an internet connection from the Mac mini, then this indicates that the switch is working correctly. The green light next to the DDNS indicates that there's no problem there either. You say that your Mac mini has a static local IP address - that's good.
So as I see it there are two options: one is that the port forwarding is set up incorrectly in the router. The second is that everything is in fact working, but you are not getting a connection because you are attempting to use the DDNS name from within your network. Depending on your router, the DDNS address may only work if you are outside your network (i.e. connecting over the internet). The best way to test this is to use an iPhone with the WiFi turned off, so it's connected over 3G, and use Safari on the iPhone to try to connect to the DDNS address.
Hope this helps.
To no avail, remote patrol still can't access. I get a green test confirmation in SS. I can enter the DNS address locally via a browser and it comes to the SS web interface. I take my iPhone, turn off wifi, and try to access it via LTE and it cannot access the ***.viewcam.me:8000 address. I am again stumped!! I don't know where to diagnose this. I keep trying things to no avail. I'm beginning to think I have an equipment problem. Anyone have any ideas what I'm missing?
Having two IP addresses usually indicates that you are connected by both wired ethernet and WiFi. If the subnet (the first three numbers of the IP address) is the same for both addresses, then both interfaces are connected to the same network, and it's safe to turn off WiFi and simply use the (faster and more reliable) wired ethernet connection.