Servers

I use several computers.  For my server node I used an old Windows Vista Ultimate machine.  Any 'pro' or 'ultimate' version of windows already has 'IIS (internet information service)' built in, although they may not be installed.  To check, go to 'administrative tools' in your windows start menu.  If you see 'IIS manager' then the feature is installed.  If not, go to your control panel and select 'programs' or 'programs and features'.  On the left select 'add or remove windows features'.  Be sure to check everything to do with IIS, http, and ftp.

I am not going to go into how to build a web site, or how to configure the servers, but lets assume that a standard web server runs on port 80, and a FTP server runs on port 21.  Those two ports are the ones we are concerned with.  Other servers and applications use different port numbers, so adding them to your node is very similar.

Change to 'NAT' mode

Connect to the node where you want to host a server or device.  Click on the 'setup' menu and log in.  The first screen shows general information about your node and allows you to make some settings.  Other menu items are also available on the top of the screen.

When setting up your node you want to select 'NAT' mode instead of the standard '5 port direct'.  In the center of the default setup screen you will see a pull-down menu that is displaying '5 host direct'.  Click that menu and select 'NAT'.  Be sure to click the 'save changes' button at the top of the page when you are finished making this setting (or any other setting) on this page.  Your node will make the change and may ask you to reboot.  If so, reboot the router and come back to this setup screen when finished.

Connect a device and forward ports

You must physically plug your server machine or device into the node.  The machine will have a 'dhcp lease' shown at the bottom of thescreen under the 'port forwarding' section of the setup screens.  Enter a name for the host machine and press the 'add' button.  This captures the 'MAC address' of the machine.  Once the MAC address is known, the node can deal with the machine directly, regardless of the port you have it plugged in to.

Using NAT mode makes 'DMZ' mode available.  The machine you place into the 'DMZ' is where you forward ports to.  Select the host (the machine you just captured) in the 'DMZ server' pull-down menu.  For example, I set a host name of TX1000 for my server machine when I added the DHCP reservation, and TX1000 is now available in the DMZ servers menu.  The host name will be available in other parts of the setup screens too.  Now that the host is set you can forward ports to the machine or device.

'Port forwarding' is how you direct certain traffic to the correct server.  For example, if someone wants to go to a web site they type 'http' :// web address here.   The 'http' tells the server at the web address that it wants port 80.  In a similar fashion, a 'ftp' :// address tells the server that it wants port 21.

So, when a person wants to view your server they can go to your node address with an 'http' request and view whatever is on your server.  An example is http://KC3APN-BASE    The 'http' directs the server at 'KC3APN-BASE' to watch for and use port 80 for transferring information.

Common Ports

Web server
Port 80

FTP server
Port 21

IRC Chat Server
port 6667

IP Camera
port 8088

RTL_TCP SDR
Port 1234

We want to forward the ports to the correct device.  You can have multiple devices and server applications either running on or connected to a node.  To forward a port, select the host name from the 'LAN IP' pull down menu.  Enter the outside port (requests come in from outside).  Now enter the LAN port that the request will be directed to.  Usually these numbers will be the same.  Be sure to press the 'add' button.  Add as many entries as you wish.  If you make a mistake you can press the 'del' button next to any entry to remove it.  Just a note, you will usually select 'wiFi' as the interface unless you are operating a gateway and want to access the node from your home router or internet connection.  If this is the case select 'WAN' as the interface.  I usually select 'Both' under the 'type' menu.  You can select 'TCP, UDP, or Both' from this menu.  Some server applications want one or the other so I just use 'both'.

When you are finished making entries be sure to press the 'save changes' button near the top of the page.

Advertised services

This is where you list what services are available on your node.  You can make a clickable link that will show up on your node status page when others visit your node.  In my example I have a web server, a FTP server and an IRC server. To make a link to a service.  Enter a name for the service.  It is suggested that you always include your call sign in this name so your service name does not duplicate any other mesh users service name.  Adding your call sign keeps it unique.

Place a checkmark in the 'link' box to make it visible and clickable on your node status page.  Now enter the first part of the url, such as http, https, ftp, etc...  Now enter the port number where the service can be accessed (you entered these in port forwarding).  Press the 'add button when you have finished.

You can add as many services as you like.  If you wish to remove one press the 'del' button next to the entry.

Be sure to press the 'save settings' button when you are finished.