Simple routing quesiton

[Paddy]

I have setup a small website that works fine externally.
The site uses port forwarding to the server which is working.

The problem is, that if I connect the the URL from inside the LAN i get redirected to the router web interface.

If i browse the routers ip i need to be able to configure it, but if i browse to the domain name, I want the router to forward me to the server's IP.

Is this possible?
I have a Netgear DG814 with latest firmware.

[Paddy]

bumperty bumperty,
bumperty bumperty,
bumperty bumperty,
bump bump bump

[Paddy]

hmmm, I believe that I am referring to NAT Loopback?
I wonder if my router supports it...

[Paddy]

hmm.. not sure, is there a software workaround?

[schmosef]

If your client PC is windows based then I'd use a hosts file entry for internal resolution to the appropriate IP. If you're Linux or Mac based, someone else will have to tell you what the equivalent setting is.

[Paddy]

good idea with the hosts file.
how'd i do it?

[agallag]

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

File is plain text with no file extension. Add a line at the bottom like so:

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

127.0.0.1       localhost
1.2.3.4         servername

[schmosef]

haha.

-find your hosts file. It's probably in "C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\"
-open it with notepad
-add an entry to the bottom of the file with the internal IP of your web server and the domain name you want to use for resolution (eg. myserver.com).
-save and close the file.
-close down any internet app you might have running (like IE)
-run IE(or equivalent) and test your domain name. It should resolve to the internal IP listed in the hosts file.

[Paddy]

Oh yeah!

you guys rule!

Ok, so i've got three threads left... any takers?

[Paddy]

looks like a cheap way to hijack a browser though....

[Fat Tone]

Yup, dead common attack

[Paddy]

fantastic though!
I've intergrated coppermine (an opensource gallery) and phpBB2 (an opensource forum), but they authentication script only works if you specify a domain name. it works perfectly from outside the LAN, but from inside its a biatch to get to work.

this has done the trick though

I wonder... if i browse to my domain outside the LAN, will the host file still point to it's internal IP (which is valid, but behind NAT)

[schmosef]

I wonder... if i browse to my domain outside the LAN, will the host file still point to it's internal IP (which is valid, but behind NAT)

I'm not sure what you mean but from now on, any DNS calls (made from the PC with the hosts file entry) for the domain names you've configured (in that hosts file) will return the IP(s) you specified therein.

[Paddy]

right.. so if i need to access my site from outside the LAN, then i will need to change the hosts file, as NAT will prevent me from accessing the IP directly...

[schmosef]

I thought that outside your lan you're doing a port redirection as configured on your router? And you said that was working.

Outside your lan, your external IP is in effect.