Router will NOT forward essential ports

[Flangewhistler]

Using TalkTalk’s help chat line, I spent half an hour explaining to “J*****”” that I had spent several months, literally, failing to set up port forwarding for my NAS.

I made it perfectly clear that following the instructions on the TT website did NOT allow me to forward ports 80 and several others which are essential for the NAS to function. In spite of following the instructions, the necessary ports remained closed and rendered my server useless.

Was there something I had missed or misconfigured in the thirty or so weeks during which I had spent every spare minute trying to resolve the issue? I have never had this problem with any other router. It was always quite simple. Maybe I had overlooked something obvious…. Old age, maybe?

“J*****””” claimed to be able to fix the problem, and was sending me detailed instructions which would put everything right.

Again I expressed concern that following the web site guide had NOT helpes, at all.

J***** assured me that I should not be concerned because he was sending specific instructions that would allow me to do exactly what I wanted.

Imagine my horror upon opening the email I had been sent to find that these “specific instructions” were nothing more than a link to the very page whose information I had been following - over and over again - for several months. The information does not work.

Realizing I have been fobbed off, and having read other posts on the TT forum, I believe that the Huawei DG8041W router I have is actually incapable of accepting the appropriate configuration and that the ONLY way forward is to have it swapped out for a different brand.

How, please, can I arrange this?

TIA

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Morning

The router is on its way, please allow 24-48hrs for this to arrive.

Please let us know how you get on.

Thanks

Debbie 🙂

[Flangewhistler]

I have now updated my profile with my landline number, as per your request, though I must point out that it has never had a handset connected to it.

I can, however, usually be reached on my portable cellular telephonic apparatus, as the young folk round here tend to call it.

Thanks again.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Morning

Please can you add your TalkTalk landline number to your Community Profile, I can then send you the replacement router.

Thanks for your help @KeithFrench

Debbie

[KeithFrench]

Hi Ivan,

Glad to help. If you need any assistance with the Sagemcom, let me know.

[Flangewhistler]

Thank you everybody.

I am so impressed with the speed and usefulness of your replies that I am fair speechless...

Michelle - I have just replied to your email, by asking for that replacement router you offered to be sent out. Can I leave the matter in your hands or do I have to contact anyone else?

Keith - thanks for your interesting and spot-on reply which confirms my suspicions and conclusion.. Unfortunately, I cannot map port 80 to a different number because one of the gizmos on the NAS, "Let's Encrypt," necessary to generate X.509 certificates for Transport Layer Security encryption, will only run and talk to the mothership on port 80.

Without self-geneated  certificates, Mozilla and one or two other apps which have decided to "protect" us with more and more layers of awkwardness, will not allow https connections and lock all connections out. There seems to be no way round this, just as there is no way round Google's suddenlty locking users out of Drive, ostensibly  for "security" reasons though of course it is just to prevent third party apps writing to their storage.

I look forward to my new router arriving, and I will wait by the front door trembling in excited anticipation..

Things are looking a lot brighter.

Thanks once again.

-- Ivan, AKA Osbert Flangewhistler

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

Would you like us to send a different make and model of router for testing purposes? We would also send a router returns bag so that one of the routers can be returned.

Thanks

[KeithFrench]

Hi @Flangewhistler 

@Michelle-TalkTalk has asked me to help you with this problem. I can help with the exact method of forwarding ports on any TT router. However, you cannot forward TCP port 80 on the DG8041W without using a different external port like 9080 & translating it back to a local port of 80. I have requested this be fixed in the next release of firmware. For the time being, I would recommend using a Sagemcom hub. I dare sare that TalkTalk might be happy to swap your router out for one, if you ask them in your reply to my post.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning,

@KeithFrench - Would you be able to offer any advice please?

Thanks