WRT600N Issues with Microsoft Home Server?

[mpoliver]

Does anyone know of any issues with the Linksys WRT600N router and a computer running Microsoft Home Server?

Before converting my network to a WRT600N, I was able to access my Home Server through clients (wired and wireless) without any problems through the home server control panel using the server password. No issues.

After changing my network over to run off of the WRT600N, I cannot connect to the home server control panel with my wired nor my wireless clients. The home server is still capable of backing up my clients without any issues, but I cannot administer the server box through a client like I had been able to with my old router. The topics I've found online so far state possible issues with port forwarding or with my firewall.

My guess is that the problem would reside with something inherent with the WRT600N router (like the hardware firewall or with the port forwarding settings). But I've been unable to figure out the solution to this. Can anyone help me out?

I greatly appreciate any advice or assistance.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[matthi]

Hi mpoliver,

I'm not familiar with WHS, but it looks to me that your Linksys is blocking specific ports. I assume backups run over CIFS/SMB (ports 135, etc). I don't really know how this control panel works, but let's say this goes through a secured http (https) interface, you'll need port 443 open to be able to access it (this port opening stuff would only be true if your server and clients reside in different subnets with the Linksys (firewall) in between..).

Now, I guess both your WHS and your wired/wireless clients reside on the same part of the router (LAN part), so this Linksys of yours couldn't be blocking anything actually.. Unless you say they are restricting some ports in hardware (which doesn't make sense). If you're sure your client/server settings have not changed since you implemented this new Linksys, you might write their support an email asking if they know any obstructive issues in their hardware?

 

[thiggins]

Just a thought. Since you changed routers, maybe the IP address range changed and you have something set to a static IP using the old range.

 

[Bart]

Is there a uPNP switch in the control panel of your WRT600N? If so, might be best to enable it.

 

[mpoliver]

Still Trying to Figure This One Out...

Thanks guys,

Still having the same issue...here is some more clarification on how I went about making the change, based on what y'all had written above:

When I installed the WRT600N, I configured my desktops (one of which is my MHS box) with static IPs using the IP range of the router (Tim, I had changed the ranges to what you had as your examples in your how-to on setting up an AP), so that I could enable port forwarding if I needed to. I changed WORKGROUP names and ensured that all computers were running on the same WORKGROUP. uPNP was enabled by default (if I recall correctly...if it wasn't, I had enabled it as soon as I set it up...went through all the menus manually).

Also, I have read that port forwarding the 80, 443, and 2125 (think it was 2125, maybe it was 4125) might be a possible solution. After setting up port forwarding, it still did not work. I even shut down all my hardware and software firewalls, and that did not fix the issue.

Tim, I had emailed you a question about the WRT54G AP with the WRT600N router (whether it would be overkill or not...) and you had suggested I look at the new D-link dual band (the 1552?)...I went against your advice and still went with the WRT600N. It works well for my media streaming...I like it for that...just wish I could crack this MHS nut.

I'll try to reinstall the client connector software on my laptop to see if that might reestablish that capability. The server still backs up my computers and I can still access my music and other media from the server box through my clients. Maybe it is just the connector software (yeah, and it COULD be that easy!)...I'll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks again,

Mike

 

[mpoliver]

Got it to Work!

OK, here's what worked...I feel pretty stupid about this...

I uninstalled the client connector software from one of my clients (my laptop, specifically), restarted the client computer, and reinstalled the connector software. I can log into and connect to the server box without any issues now to administer it.

Which leads me to believe that when the connector software is installed on the client, it registers that client and associated information with the server box...this changed when I pulled the server box off of the old WRT54GX router and connected it to the WRT600N and changed the WORKGROUP name. By reinstalling the connector software, I re-registered (or re-connected) my laptop through the WRT600N and that WORKGROUP. Not sure if it was as simple as this, but that's my guess. The WRT600N should work right out of the box for MHS.

Thanks again for your feedback! And, Tim, I love the forums! Thanks for setting these up. You're running one heck of a useful site.

Mike

 

[thiggins]

Thanks for the follow-up, Mike. Nice to get closure.

Glad you're enjoying the forums and the site. Spread the word!