D-Link DIR-655 router - Port Forwarding or Virtual Server?

[link470]

Hey everyone. I'm just wondering about my home network here. I run 6 servers at home and more than half of them run services outside the network. I use the D-Link DIR-655 router as mentioned in the subject.

I'm curious, I've always used Port Forwarding for things like FTP, Web services etc. But I'm wondering about Virtual Server. Are the two the exact same? They appear to be pretty close. Here are the descriptions for each as shown at the top of the configuration pages.

Virtual Server:
The Virtual Server option allows you to define a single public port on your router for redirection to an internal LAN IP Address and Private LAN port if required. This feature is useful for hosting online services such as FTP or Web Servers.

Port Forwarding:
This option is used to open multiple ports or a range of ports in your router and redirect data through those ports to a single PC on your network. This feature allows you to enter ports in various formats including, Port Ranges (100-150), Individual Ports (80, 68, 888), or Mixed (1020-5000, 689).

I'm currently using port forwarding, but I'm not sure which is prefered or which is better.

Anyways, if anyone has any information on this, that would be great! Thanks!

[tom_newton]

I believe "virtual server" is equivalent to forwarding *all* ports to a single machine. Not only will this throw a spanner in the works, but its a security nightmare waiting to happen. If pf is working as is, i would suggest "if it aint broke dont try and fix it".

[SYNACK]

I believe "virtual server" is equivalent to forwarding *all* ports to a single machine. Not only will this throw a spanner in the works, but its a security nightmare waiting to happen. If pf is working as is, i would suggest "if it aint broke dont try and fix it".

@tom_newton I think that what you are thinking about it DMZ (demiliterised zone) which will forward all external requests that are not handled by port forwards or virtual servers to that internal address.

In answer to the OP I think that they are pretty much the same thing, most of the routers that I deal with have either port forwarding or virtual server options. I think that your router may just be able to group things that would take multiple port forwarders to accomplish into a single port forward configuration.

[pushback]

Hey everyone. I'm just wondering about my home network here. I run 6 servers at home and more than half of them run services outside the network. I use the D-Link DIR-655 router as mentioned in the subject.

I'm curious, I've always used Port Forwarding for things like FTP, Web services etc. But I'm wondering about Virtual Server. Are the two the exact same? They appear to be pretty close. Here are the descriptions for each as shown at the top of the configuration pages.

Virtual Server:
The Virtual Server option allows you to define a single public port on your router for redirection to an internal LAN IP Address and Private LAN port if required. This feature is useful for hosting online services such as FTP or Web Servers.

Port Forwarding:
This option is used to open multiple ports or a range of ports in your router and redirect data through those ports to a single PC on your network. This feature allows you to enter ports in various formats including, Port Ranges (100-150), Individual Ports (80, 68, 888), or Mixed (1020-5000, 689).

I'm currently using port forwarding, but I'm not sure which is prefered or which is better.

Anyways, if anyone has any information on this, that would be great! Thanks!

Hello Link470,

I was wondering if you could give me a hand since you are running six servers I figure you know the nuances.

I am running the same DIR655. I just built a Fedora 10 box. When it comes up with a DHCP private network (192.168... )address ( assigned by the DIR655) I can get the DIR655 to forward port 80. When I change the server to a static private network IP it will not forward! I have been banging my head on this for two weeks. I can see the web server on my LAN but I cannot see iton the ourside (Internet) I have tried it with Ubuntu too with the same result.

I changed the forwarding address from the DHCP address to the static address on the router. I also reserved that static IP address as a static address in the router's DHCP table.

Any ideas?

[Jay]

Hello Link470,


I changed the forwarding address from the DHCP address to the static address on the router. I also reserved that static IP address as a static address in the router's DHCP table.

Any ideas?

If you are reserving the address via MAC allocation on the router, then you should leave the machine set to DHCP.

[pushback]

If you are reserving the address via MAC allocation on the router, then you should leave the machine set to DHCP.

Yes, that's what it was. Thanks!

[link470]

Ya I've done the exact same thing. I either use one, setting the machine as static, and not setting a reservation, or setting the reservation for the MAC address of the computer you wish to set a specific IP address to within the router and leaving the computer on DHCP, since it will always collect the same IP from the server. But I never set both. Some systems seem ok with it, but some just see an IP conflict and end up with either a valid address but no connectivity, or an APIPA 169.254.x.x address. Glad you figured it out and it was something simple! I hate those...lol. The kind of things that make you go "no way, I just spent HOW long on that?". Kind of like FTP. I'm still trying to master that protocol. I'm a network engineer and I still can't make FTP work properly all the time for everyone. I'm at the point where it works "well enough", but it's still a pain. Freakin passive mode and passive ports :P *sigh*

[powdarrmonkey]

In answer to the OP: look at your descriptions. Virtual server is a single port, port forwarding is multiple or ranges of ports.

[fakevrn]

I think the difference is that Virtual server can map public ports to different private ports.

Port forward on the other hand allows using a range of ports, but the public ports are the same as the private ports.

[powdarrmonkey]

2008 just called, they want their thread back...

[grndamgt4]

2008 just called, they want their thread back...

The thread still shows up in google meaning it needs a correct answer, it's to bad the people in 2008 couldn't give a correct answer.
Thanks fakevrn