Paypal and Web server

[cchamb2]

O.K., now I have a question regarding the Paypal setup.

First off, the broadband connection is registered with www.dyndns.org and checked/updated as necessary every 10 minutes with a little applet. Plug in the domain (I.have-a-domain.com, for instance) into a browser, and you end up at my location.

The network setup is an ActionTec DSL router/modem (one ethernet port), connected to a NetGear RP114 Cable/DSL Router with 4-port switch. The Firstspot server is on one of the Netgear ports.

I'm trying to confirm that setup, and the network setup before I actually start configuring the Paypal side in Firstspot, and that's where I'm running into trouble.

What would I put into the browser address bar while accessing from *outside* the network to confirm the Paypal setup? My network setup still includes two boxes with dialup access <g>, and I'm finding that browsing from behind the routers (still in the locan network) to the Public IP of the first router has an ambiguous outcome.

Or alternately, what can I provide for a browser that will give me an unambiguous browser view for FirstSpot.

[kevin]

Are you connecting the ethernet port of your ActionTec (router+modem) to the one of the 4 LAN ports of the Netgear box? So that it's on the same network as the FirstSpot's public interface (which you have already connected to another LAN port of Netgear).

Please do not use Netgear's WAN port; because you should treat Netgear as a switch only.

Simplier still, you can skip the Netgear box and connect FirstSpot's public interface to the only ethernet port of the router+modem, like this:

testing client machine --- FirstSpot ---- ActionTec ---- Internet

This should make a good environment for you to test further. Let us know when you hit on any particular PayPal questions.
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~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[cchamb2]

The reason I would want both to remain working is, frankly, security. Double NAT on two devices leaves me with the ability to close down a port on either one (or both) and be protected against attack. Kinda of like being behind a NAT device and deploying a firewall (that is conrrectly configured).

That's all I wanted assistance with, was in determining proactively that the port that FirstSpot needs to talk to Paypal was present and open in both directions. It's not possible to *ping* from outside (the segment from the public IP address) going into the network all the way to the FirstSpot server, and browsing did present it's own issues. However, since port 5789, 80, and 8080 are all opened in the same way, and since I have connectivity on port 80/8080, it' all good.

You'all might want to provide for some server page to be available via the install that can confirm that the port is open all the way through to the Firstspot server from the public IP/DNS-resolveable hostname. I determined the appropriate ports were open by uninstalling FirstSpot and installing Apache 2.05 and browsing to it from a dialup connection. I then removed Apache, reinstalled FirstSpot, and reconfigured.

In the process I have determined an issue with the dynamic DNS service that I can address. I have also confirmed that I've had the same IP assigned to my DSL for quite a while, even though I'm supposed to be getting DHCP service.

[kevin]

Thanks very much for your suggestion, we'll look for ways to improve that in the future.

If you have anything on the PayPal side that needs assistance, please let us know.
_________________
~ Patronsoft Limited ~