Question Cable Modem to use for server

[lsinoff]

I need a cable modem that will allow the Windows 2016 Essential Server in my home to be accessed by my partner across town. There will be a SQL Server Database and a File Share on this Server. I have found that the Cable Modems I own and rent from Xfinity block incoming communication to ports I need. After may hours on the phone, all I get is that this is for my own good. Any recommendations?

 

[bill001g]

There should be a list of supported cable modem on your ISP site. Even though others might technically work you can only buy ones off their list and this list varies a bit by the city and neighborhood you live in. This is partially related to all the ISP that purchased each other over the years and the equipment has not all been replaced.

I would recommend you buy a modem only from the list and then buy a separate router that has more features in particular the ability to run VPN.

I strongly suspect it is not the modem blocking the ports but the ISP. The ports you need to directly share files on a server are not secure and many ISP block these to prevent users from doing stupid stuff. These ports are really designed to share data on a internal lan not over the internet.

The secure solution is to load a vpn client on the remote machine and connect to your router via vpn. You would then be on the same lan and can use the standard ports. ISP seldom block VPN ports and running vpn on the router itself make the vpn a little easier in some ways.

 

[Alabalcho]

Altough VPN-on-the-router is better approach, you may still go modem-only on your setup if you put second NIC on your server, connect the modem there, and install / setup RRAS on the server. Your partner then "dials-in" into your server, and his/her PC becomes part of your network, with full access to server resources.

Don't even think on enabling Windows sharing, or SQL server, on connected-to-Internet server!