enable WAN WebUI Access

[StephanK]

First: Thank you! I was running an old version of the Asus firmware on my RT-AC88U. I had downgraded in 2019 when a new version stopped my OpenVPN client. I use the Asus to provide me with my own VPN access to my home in Germany. I live in the US. Now the newest firmware was forced on my router and I could not downgrade it anymore. OpenVPN did not work anymore. I switched to Asuswrt-Merlin 384-19 and everything works again!!

Small issue: The RT-AC88U is behind another router and a firewall. I want to access the Asus from within my local network. It has 192.168.1.120 as a local IP address. I can access that address from the Asus WLAN. But I can not access it from my 192.168.1.* It used to work a long time ago.

My settings:
Enable Web Access from WAN: Yes
HTTPS Port: 8443
Enable Access Restrictions: No

Any idea?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Sorry, this makes no sense. There is no such setting as "Enable Web Access from WLAN". Do you mean WAN?

"I can access that address from the Asus WLAN": Again, do you really mean WLAN (wireless LAN) or do you mean WAN?

 

[StephanK]

One WLAN was correct, one was a typo. Thanks for the info, I edited it.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I want to access the Asus from within my local network. It has 192.168.1.120 as a local IP address. I can access that address from the Asus WLAN. But I can not access it from my 192.168.1.* It used to work a long time ago.

What is the IP address range on the WAN side of the Asus? What is the Asus' WAN IP address?

What is the IP address range on the LAN side of the Asus? What is the Asus' LAN IP address?

Which of these two networks are you referring to as "my local network"?

 

[StephanK]

My "local" network (and WAN to the Asus) is 192.168.1.*
The Asus has 192.168.1.120

On the LAN side, the address is 192.168.2.1. DHCP range 192.168.2.2 - 192.168.2.254

 

[StephanK]

From the LAN side I can access the router via https://192.168.1.120:8443

From the WAN side not.

 

[ColinTaylor]

OK, thanks for clarifying that.

I can't think why you cannot connect. What error message are you getting in your browser?

 

[StephanK]

This site can’t be reached
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

telnet 192.168.1.120 8443 fails.

All traffic gets blocked.

I am on the same hub in the same network.

 

[dodge]

You likely need a DDNS type service to resolve it from the Internet.

 

[ColinTaylor]

You likely need a DDNS type service to resolve it from the Internet.

He's not accessing it from the internet.

 

[StephanK]

Firewall and port forwarding are disabled. No DMZ.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Very strange. Maybe there's a bug and the web server isn't listening on the WAN interface for some reason.

Log into the router, go to Network Tools - Netstat and list the netstat listening sockets. Scroll the output looking for any lines with 8443.

 

[StephanK]

Active Internet connections (w/o servers)
Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address                                       Foreign Address                                     State       
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52747                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52760                                  TIME_WAIT   
(deleted 100 similar lines)
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52589                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52604                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52573                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0    252 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52778                                  ESTABLISHED
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52557                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52738                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52668                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52671                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52561                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52567                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52689                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52579                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52735                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52603                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52658                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52741                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52745                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52758                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52676                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52662                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52772                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52577                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52563                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52652                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52555                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52736                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52583                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52759                                  TIME_WAIT   
tcp        0      0 RT-AC88U-2240.:8443                                 192.168.2.81:52759                                  TIME_WAIT   

Active UNIX domain sockets (w/o servers)
Proto RefCnt Flags       Type       State         I-Node Path
unix  11     [ ]         DGRAM                       504 /dev/log
unix  2      [ ]         DGRAM                    171845
unix  2      [ ]         DGRAM                     16758
unix  2      [ ]         DGRAM                      4529
unix  3      [ ]         STREAM     CONNECTED       2013
unix  3      [ ]         STREAM     CONNECTED       2012
unix  3      [ ]         STREAM     CONNECTED       2009
unix  3      [ ]         STREAM     CONNECTED       2008
unix  2      [ ]         DGRAM                      2003
unix  2      [ ]         DGRAM                      1968
unix  2      [ ]         DGRAM                      1870
unix  2      [ ]         DGRAM                      1552
unix  2      [ ]         DGRAM                      1432
unix  2      [ ]         DGRAM                       506

 

[StephanK]

There is a VPN connection established, but you don't see it here. Turning VPN off does not change the WAN access issue.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Can you do it again but with the settings in my screen shot: Display listening server sockets, and Resolve name = No.

 

[StephanK]

Sure. Sorry that I did not do it before. I have a different settings screen ;-)

Active Internet connections (only servers)
Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address                                       Foreign Address                                     State     
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:5473                                        0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:18017                                       0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:3394                                        0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 192.168.2.1:515                                     0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 192.168.2.1:1990                                    0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:139                                       0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 192.168.2.1:139                                     0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 192.168.2.1:9100                                    0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:7788                                        0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:80                                        0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 192.168.2.1:80                                      0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:53                                        0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 192.168.2.1:53                                      0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:3702                                        0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:48503                                       0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:8443                                      0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 192.168.2.1:8443                                    0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:445                                       0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 192.168.2.1:445                                     0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
tcp        0      0 192.168.2.1:3838                                    0.0.0.0:*                                           LISTEN    
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:9999                                        0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:42000                                       0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 127.0.0.1:42032                                     0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 127.0.0.1:40500                                     0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 127.0.0.1:53                                        0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 192.168.2.1:53                                      0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:67                                          0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:5474                                        0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:18018                                       0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:1900                                        0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:7788                                        0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:1900                                        0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:38000                                       0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:3702                                        0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:59000                                       0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:37000                                       0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 192.168.2.255:137                                   0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 192.168.2.1:137                                     0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:137                                         0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 192.168.2.255:138                                   0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 192.168.2.1:138                                     0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:138                                         0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:50316                                       0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 127.0.0.1:38032                                     0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 127.0.0.1:58000                                     0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 127.0.0.1:59032                                     0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 192.168.2.1:40624                                   0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 127.0.0.1:37064                                     0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:45000                                       0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 192.168.2.1:5351                                    0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:5353                                        0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:38646                                       0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:43000                                       0.0.0.0:*                                                     
udp        0      0 127.0.0.1:61689                                     0.0.0.0:*                                                     
Active UNIX domain sockets (only servers)
Proto RefCnt Flags       Type       State         I-Node Path
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING       2064 /var/run/rast_ipc_socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING       3620 /var/run/cfgmnt_ipc_socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING       1343 /var/run/wlcnt_socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING       1349 /var/run/nt_center_socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING       2131 /var/run/amas_lib_socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING       1658 /var/run/avahi-daemon/socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING       1922 /var/nmbd/unexpected
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING       1231 /var/run/netool_socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING       2004 /var/run/lldpd.socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING       1241 /var/run/protect_srv_socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING       1530 /var/run/nt_actMail_socket

 

[dave14305]

Firewall and port forwarding are disabled.

What do you mean when you say Firewall disabled?

 

[ColinTaylor]

OK I just compared your output to mine and that looks correct. It appears that you need the firewall to be enabled for remote access to work because it is the firewall that NATs the external address to the internal address.

 

[StephanK]

What do you mean when you say Firewall disabled?

Enable Firewall No

 

[StephanK]

OK I just compared your output to mine and that looks correct. It appears that you need the firewall to be enabled for remote access to work because it is the firewall that NATs the external address to the internal address.

Thanks. When I enable the firewall, it still does not work. Do I need any port forwarding?