ISP blocking "home server" - Suddenlink

[loomdog32]

I am unable to get placeshifter to connect over WAN... I am about 99.999% sure it is being blocked by my ISP (Suddenlink).. When I called their tech support, They immediately said its a "server" and not supported. They wouldnt even tell me if/what ports were blocked/throttled... Is there anything I can do???

[matt91]

you probably need to find a port this isn't blocked. you would need to forward an open port (maybe the FTP or telnet ports 21 & 23 would work if you don't otherwise use them) at your router to your sage server.

i've never done this, so i'm just guessing here.

[xxLJLxx]

Originally Posted by matt91

you probably need to find a port this isn't blocked. you would need to forward an open port (maybe the FTP or telnet ports 21 & 23 would work if you don't otherwise use them) at your router to your sage server.

I think this should work. I remember having Suddenlink giving me problems when trying to setup a home file server. I've never messed with Placeshifter but it should be similar. Either way, I simply changed the ports that were open and it fixed it.

[Skiier__Dude]

Lots of different services out there that can test to see which ports are open on your home address. Here's one: http://www.whatsmyip.org/ports/

[loomdog32]

finding an open port is an issue... this is direct to modem, no router.. I cannot use torrents at all. if I can connect, I never see anything above 1k down / 10k up.



to even get this pic to photobucket, I had to email the attachment, I was unable to direct load it to the site

[CollinR]

Change ISPs.

[loomdog32]

My ISP options:

Dial Up - HAHAHAHA, copper wires

Suddenlink Residential - This is what I currently have
Suddenlink Business - HAHAHAHAHA, $100+ for 1mb, $400+ for 2mb

cellular - HAHAHAHAHA, no 3G coverage from any provider - may as well use dial up

WildBlue/Hughes.Net - why pay $50 plus for worse speed that I have now?

--possible future--
att dsl - thats been talked about for a few years, but never happened
clear wire - again, been talked about expanding service to my area, but never happened


I called tech support again, didnt say anything about a server, just that every port except 80 is timing out.. I was told that "since I can surf web pages, everything is OK".. UGH

[wayner]

Maybe you should think about moving?

[Fuzzy]

At the very least call their service department constantly asking why 'normal' internet services aren't working (like torrents, and such). If they advertise internet access, they should provide it, if they choose not to, at least they will have to pay for some more support staff to handle your calls.. ;-)

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by wayner

Maybe you should think about moving?

I suppose it depends in which "Permian Basin" he/she lives.

[DMZ]

My current location is suddenlink. Seems to be open for server and other type 'normal' internet things.

Hope it stays that way.

My other location is with Comcast and it's been okay. Ran a server for couple years from home late 90s, hosting web, smtp/pop and ftp.

I really can't figure why ISP are so bitchy about what you do with the connection.

torrent type transmissions have since been blended into products which are truly 'normal' use these days. Streaming music video and whatever all normal stuff people who pay for -broadband- should be able to use. It's bad enough that for the roughly $300/month comcast (TV and Cablemodem) gets from me I can't get any better upstream than I do..

I don't run anything on the cablemodem there except a few online game clients from time to time, steam, and whatever. It's not like I am running a video streaming rental business or any kind of commercial high use stuff, ever.

If someone wants to put something like the little HP mediasmart online to share family picture or video big deal. Some of the horrible websites like most TV networks have probably comsume more bandwidth just loading them in IE than most of the things people have difficulty doing because their ISP consider them commercial service perks available for $xxx more.

[loomdog32]

I am in West Texas, not Europe... I could move to a bigger city (Lubbock or Midland/Odessa), but that would also mean a 4x increase in living expenses and moving away from family - the reason I moved here...


A tech showed up while I was at work. All the wire going from the ped to the house was old RG5 cable and was replaced with RG6.. They also replaced my splitter and lines going to my HTPC (If I knew to expect them, I wouldve unhooked it so it wasnt seen)....

the good - I now get 80-90% on QAM where I was getting 70-80% and I can actually use more than 1 digital tuner.. I can actually connect with some internet apps..

the bad - Still no placeshifter.. I can see the computer, I can connect for 1-2 minutes, then nothing for 1-2hrs.. Torrents behave the same (ill probably call complaining about not being able to download the latest *nix package via torrent)...

FYI, this area is attached to Suddenlink out of Lubbock (Well I call tech support, thats where its located... tho people Ive talked to in Midland do not have any of these issues.. They also have a choice in cable providers too.. hmmmm.... maybe the ability to drop on cable provider for another makes them change their stance on stuff like this.......)

[Fuzzy]

Well, in theory, they only have to provide good enough service for you to keep paying, which you seem to do. I's unfortunate, but until there is competition, or more cancellations, they probably won't change anything. They probaby limit the bandwidth because they don't have a strong enough link in the area. That would explain the difference between Midland, and the sticks.

[loomdog32]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Well, in theory, they only have to provide good enough service for you to keep paying, which you seem to do. I's unfortunate, but until there is competition, or more cancellations, they probably won't change anything. They probaby limit the bandwidth because they don't have a strong enough link in the area. That would explain the difference between Midland, and the sticks.

I totally agree with you, but the level of service I currently have is no longer offered. I actually pay for 768k dn / 256k up. I actually get 1m dn / 512 up (the min speed currently offered).. I can get 20mb dn service here, but whats the point, when i cant actually use any services that actually use/need that amount of bandwidth...

Can I access the internet, yes.. Can I use IM programs, yes.. Can I video chat, sometimes.. Can I use any "local server" type service, NO.. Can I use ANY P2P file sharing protocols, NO.. What it comes down to is, I just cant do anything the ISP considers "bandwidth intensive" and they block those services just because they may become that way

[Fuzzy]

Well, by service, I was meaning the quality of the service (that being the internet access itself, AND the customer/technical service). By virtue of you still paying, you are happy with what you are getting, at least as far as the carrier is concerned.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by Skiier__Dude

Lots of different services out there that can test to see which ports are open on your home address. Here's one: http://www.whatsmyip.org/ports/

Doesn't that only work if you have something listening on those ports? And it gets extra complicated if you're using NAT on a wireless router, since you'd have to forward ports to a computer that's actually listening on them.

ISP's might block certain ports, or perhaps ranges of ports, that are either associated with either servers (e.g., ports 80, 25, 21, etc.), dangerous protocols (e.g., ports 137-139 for netbios), sometimes even p2p applications (though, this seems to be rare now, since p2p programs are better at changing ports now). But, it seems like ISPs usually leave most ports alone.

Are you sure you properly forwarded ports on your router to your Sage server? UPnP sometimes takes care of that for you, but it's better to just do it yourself if you know it needs to be done. A problem with port forwarding might also explain your problems with bittorrent.


Update:
Oops. I missed your comment about being connected right to the modem. But, my statement about needing to actually have applications listening on ports for the port scanner to work still applies.

[Fuzzy]

I believe there are a couple websites that download an activex or java control that temporarily listens to the ports to check them. Not sure if that one does.

[loomdog32]

After the last tech came out, I was able to ping across most ports..

My issue now, I can see the computer, I can connect for 1-2 minutes, then nothing for 1-2hrs.. Torrents behave the same.. the ports are obviously monitored and anytime they see heavy traffic, they are then blocked..

[reggie14]

It might be interesting to try to do a packet capture while streaming across the Internet. That might be hard to set up though. But, then you could see if your ISP is doing something like what Comcast did, which was sending TCP resets to block Bittorrent.

[loomdog32]

Originally Posted by reggie14

It might be interesting to try to do a packet capture while streaming across the Internet. That might be hard to set up though. But, then you could see if your ISP is doing something like what Comcast did, which was sending TCP resets to block Bittorrent.

Im pretty much just given up on even tring to use stuff like placeshifter or torrent.. I can use my internet service for what I "need"..

If anyone has any suggestion on how to get placeshifter to work, awesome, bring it on!!