Problem viewing CCTV Camera's behind Router

[timebot]

Ok here goes.......I have a small Home Network of 4 computers....2 wireless laptops and 2 desktops all are running Windows XP Professional....I'm using a Motorola SB5120 Surfboard Cable Modem and a Linksys WRT54G Wireless G Broadband Router....Everything works fine on the Network......I can see and connect with all other computers on the Network and share files were I have allowed permission.... The problem is that on one of the desktops I have a CCTV Security Camera setup that runs when I'm not at home that I have been able to view my home with from my office....Since I put the router on the network I can no longer connect to the camera's from my office......If I take the router out and connect straight back to the desktop that has the camera's I can once again view the camera's over the internet....I know the router is changing all of the IP addresses behind it so I guess I need to have this one computer in front of the router but when I try that I can't get the router back on line. Any help would be greatly appreciated....

 

[StumpedTechy]

The best thing to do is find out what ports your CCTV software requires open and open them to the specific PC.

I.E. you have an internet address of W.X.Y.Z (change this to what your external IP is) Then when you take this PC and you put it behind the router its IP is now A.B.C.D (well your router has to know to take ports 1,2,3 and have W.X.Y.Z pass them to A.B.C.D

THe main thing to remember is the PC on the internal side you want to set up with a STATIC address. Don't let the router give it DHCP or else someday you will see A.B.C.D is now A.B.C.E and yet again you won't be able to connect remotely.

If you want to post more speficis I.E. you internal addressing strucutre, the actual software used for the CCTV I am sure we can give more help.

 

[timebot]

The camera solfware is pico2000. I wouldn't know how to find out what ports it uses.....Should the router be set to static IP are just the computer with the camera's attached. If I set the router to Static it sets my IP address automatically and my local IP to 192.168.1.1 It leaves DHCP enabled and the starting IP at 192.168.1.100 Should I disable DHCP altogether and re assign the other computers IP addresses manually.....Thanks again.......

 

[redcivic]

Let DHCP work, just assign that computer with the cameras an Ip within that DHCP subnet. then consult the camera manufactures to make sure everythings working right with the software.

 

[StumpedTechy]

I would NOT leave it static IF they software requires certain ports open in order to communicate out.

Here is the steps I would do.

1) Talk to the software manufacturer and find out if any "firewall ports" have to be opened when and if they say yes write them all down. Also make sure to note if they need TCP or UDP (thought most apps use TCP it never hurts to ask).

2) IF they say no ports need to be opened then you need to find out What needs to be done to make it work behind a NAT firewall.

3) If they say the ports must be opened DO NOT (and I stress that) let your CCTV computer be set to DHCP. When port forwarding in the router you must designate an IP and if you have it set to DHCP then you may find a time when the lease is not released and your CCTV PC gets a new IP on your network and you can't connect to your CCTV PC remotely anymore.

What I would do is leave DHCP on for any other computers you want on your network and just assign an IP under the 100 and hardcode all of the information (I.E. type it all in manually in the TCP/IP properties) from your computer as it had it on DHCP. Usuallly i do an IPCONFIG /ALL on the PC get the following items IP, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, DNS and type it all in verbatim as how I saw it on DHCP with the exception of the X.X.X.Y from the IP. I would change the Y to be some numbe under 100 (the first IP your DHCP is set up to be.

Really the next step is what the software supports as far as WAN networking.