Can't Open Ports

[chinagreenelvis]

I have a Verizon DSL Router that I've used to set up port-forwarding to 6112 UDP and TCP to my computer using its hostname.

In Windows 7 Advanced Firewall, I have set up two rules; one for TCP and one for UDP to allow inbound connections to port 6112.

• With both firewalls on, I test port 6112 on www.canyouseeme.org. The message I get is "I could not see your service ... Reason: Connection timed out."

• With the router's firewall on and Windows Firewall off, I get the message "I could not see your service ... Reason: Connection refused." All other ports get "Reason: Connection timed out."

I have tried this with and without the custom rules for port 6112 in Windows Firewall. Results are the same.

Edit: I assume the router is working properly, because when the port-forwarding rule is disabled on it (even when the firewall is turned to off/low security), I get the "Connection timed out" message, both with and without Windows Firewall being active. Only when the router allows the port to pass through to my computer do I ever get "Connection refused" messages, and that only seems to happen when Windows Firewall is disabled.

 

[eibgrad]

So let's make it simpler. What happens if you connect the PC directly to the modem? IOW, let's completely bypass the router. If that doesn't work w/ either the Windows firewall up (and appropriate ports opened) or down, then you need to concentrate on that problem first. Only once that's working should you return to using the router.

 

[chinagreenelvis]

Well, in my case, the modem is the router. So there's that.

Long story short, I get "Connection refused" when Windows Firewall is turned off, and "Connection timed out" when it's turned on, regardless of whether or not I use port rules in advanced settings.

 

[chinagreenelvis]

Odd; "Connection refused" must mean that the port is working; With Windows Firewall off, if I fire up Warcraft 3 (which uses port 6112) and host a custom game, people can join. If I tab out of the game and go to canyouseeme, I get a success message. I get the same success message with the firewall turned on, as long as I have a custom rule for that port.

Strange that the ports don't open unless a program forces them to. I seem to recall that isn't how it works.

 

[Hawkeye22]

I have a Verizon DSL Router that I've used to set up port-forwarding to 6112 UDP and TCP to my computer using its hostname.

I'd assign a static IP address to your computer and use this address to forward to instead of using a host name.

 

[sturm]

Odd; "Connection refused" must mean that the port is working; With Windows Firewall off, if I fire up Warcraft 3 (which uses port 6112) and host a custom game, people can join. If I tab out of the game and go to canyouseeme, I get a success message. I get the same success message with the firewall turned on, as long as I have a custom rule for that port.

Strange that the ports don't open unless a program forces them to. I seem to recall that isn't how it works.

When you test the port, you have to have a program running to accept information coming in on that port. Windows will reply with the connection refused if there isn't a program running to accept it. Hence the reason you get success when you have warcraft 3 running.

 

[chinagreenelvis]

Best answer selected by chinagreenelvis.