Setting up Netgear router for FTP

stevenrw · Oct 21, 2009, 08:09:41

I have the opportunity to do some work from home and the company wants to look at using FTP for file transfer. They are telling me that I have to configure my router (DG834G) firewall to accept FTP, and because its not their own equipment they have been a bit reticent in assisting me. They are suggesting I switch it off and rely on my software (ESET) firewall only, but I'm not absolutely comfortable with that.
Does anybody know how to go about setting the firewall parameters in Netgear routers?

David · Oct 21, 2009, 08:40:10

Hi Steverw

Just to say hello someone will be here shortly to help you out

http://www.idnet.net/support/guides/hardware/netgear_dg834g.jsp

Might be worth checking this out ?

Lance · Oct 21, 2009, 09:44:31

I assume you are going to operate a FTP server on your network then?

Allyoi should need to do is forward the relevant port to the ip address of the machine the server is on. I seem to remember the default port is 21 but may be wrong.

I've not used the router you have before, but port forwarding should be a pretty simple thing to do.

Glenn · Oct 21, 2009, 10:35:13

http://portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Netgear/DG834G/FTP.htm has the How To

stevenrw · Oct 21, 2009, 10:48:11

Thanks for the help guys - much appreciated. I'll get onto it at the weekend.
One question for Glenn however. Can you elaborate on the static IP address thingy. This is NOT the IP that I connect to automatically with IDNet is it.
Is it just a ficticious "notional" one that my PC will adopt? And does that prompt on the web page open me up to attack? Why would a web page need to know my static ip?

somanyholes · Oct 21, 2009, 11:22:20

It seems very strange to me that a company would expect you to setup an ftp server on your own network. It should really be the other way around. Are you sure that they want you to setup an ftp server, not just make sure your firewall will allow outgoing connections to an ftp server located at your compaines workplace?

Steve · Oct 21, 2009, 11:26:50

The router needs to know where the port has been forwarded from hence your PC/computer has to have a constant IP address on your LAN ,there are 2 ways of doing this on the netgear one is to create a static IP for this device which removes it's control from the routers DHCP server however please make sure you assign a static IP address which is outside the range of addresses controlled by the router's DHCP server as there is the potential for another device on your LAN to pinch that address and create a conflict. I think the easier way is use the LAN IP setup option which allows the router to allocate the address of your computer via DHCP but you can choose to always give it the same address i.e 192.168.0.6 or whatever. Then you create your service to forward port 21 to that address and then make the service active.

The instructions on the web page are to create a virtual server to help you setup your router I have never used it I just follow the instructions for creating and activating the service.

somanyholes · Oct 21, 2009, 11:34:52

another question.... do you vpn in to the workplace ....

stevenrw · Oct 21, 2009, 12:29:39

Quote from: somanyholes on Oct 21, 2009, 11:22:20
It seems very strange to me that a company would expect you to setup an ftp server on your own network. It should really be the other way around. Are you sure that they want you to setup an ftp server, not just make sure your firewall will allow outgoing connections to an ftp server located at your compaines workplace?

Yes (I think) they just want my firewall to allow access to their FTP server.
Sorry, I don't know what vpn is (in response to your second question)

I do really appreciate all of you taking the time to assist. The company really should be guiding a dummy like me. Trouble is I believe they think everybody was born with all this knowledge and setting this stuff up is just a formality. I think I need to go bang some heads together at the office rather than render my network either unuseable through me blundering around not really understanding what I'm doing.

Glenn · Oct 21, 2009, 12:55:20

Steve, so do want to setup FTP access in to your office? The link above is for allowing an FTP client access to aFTP server on your network.

Sebby · Oct 21, 2009, 16:08:53

Quote from: stevenrw on Oct 21, 2009, 12:29:39
Yes (I think) they just want my firewall to allow access to their FTP server.

If this is the case, you don't need to port forward - that's only if you're setting up an FTP server in your network.

somanyholes · Oct 21, 2009, 20:54:22

Ok. As we now know you are connecting to a remote ftp server you have more questions

1. Have you tried to connect yet?
2. how do you try and connect to the ftp server. e.g. what software do you use when trying to connect?
3. do you get any specific errors when trying to connect?

It's highly unlikely that your router will be blocking the connections... It's more than likely a general config error or possibly some form of security software on your machine.

Lance · Oct 21, 2009, 21:57:44

Or the firewall at the other end

somanyholes · Oct 21, 2009, 22:22:07

putting my money on pasv mode

stevenrw · Oct 22, 2009, 16:29:01

Just to close all this out....
Thanks again to everybody for taking the time to assist, it really is appreciated.
I went back to work and banged a couple of tables and they've scrapped the idea in favour of a live connection to the company's intranet via AT&T Global Network Client which they installed. Lets see how that works. At least the pile of poo that is the company's IT dept will support it anyway. (Call me old fashioned but that seemed to be the easiest way to do it from the off......)

Thanks again. I may have need of your collective expertise again in the future.

Sebby · Oct 22, 2009, 21:51:28

Best of luck.