Port forwarding to Multiple computers on a LAN

[jimbo45]

Hi all
I want to be able to RDP to maybe 3 or 4 different machines on a Remote LAN (OK I'm not THAT well off to be able to afford a large number of machines -- these will be Virtual machines).

On a LAN with Bridged networking these machines behave just like REAL physical machines with their own IP addresses.

Now in my router I can only see a way of Port forwarding to a specific IP address on the Lan

So anyway round this.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[baarod]

Hi all
I want to be able to RDP to maybe 3 or 4 different machines on a Remote LAN (OK I'm not THAT well off to be able to afford a large number of machines -- these will be Virtual machines).

On a LAN with Bridged networking these machines behave just like REAL physical machines with their own IP addresses.

Now in my router I can only see a way of Port forwarding to a specific IP address on the Lan

So anyway round this.

Cheers
jimbo

Nope. Nature of the beast I'm afraid. TCP needs two distinct endpoint addresses. NAT routers get around this by assigning LAN addresses to machines behind them and then keeping a NAT translation table to map that traffic by MAC address. When port forwarding is enabled it statically links one internet port to one lan IP/port. You are right about bridging though. I can get multiple IPs assigned by my ISP if my router is set into bridge mode. That way there's no need for NAT and all machines get real internet addresses so no need for port forwarding either. Only problem is that it's ISP specific and most will charge you for extra IPs...

 

[Digger]

ok, not quite sure what you mean by their "own ip addresses", do you mean those ip adresses are assigned from the router or somekind of pc ICS DHCP?

second thing, and not quite sure, just throwing this out. I notice you dont have a place for port range forwarding. Wondering if, and depending on setup and if this is possible. In theory yes, but it would have to pass at NAT level then your adapter (like i said depending on setup). And you would have to modify the reg on the other pcs a different port, "1 up" from each other. Theoretically this seems plausible. Given some work on it, and how you go about assigning the ips to the VM question.

you are ahead of me jimbo, am way behind in testing things here myself due to this adapter of mine. Very intersting journey you are taking. Leave a trail of breadcrumbs will you?

 

[jimbo45]

Hi Digger

By "Own IP addresseses" I mean that these have their own IP address on your LAN BEHIND your router.

e.g 10.2.x.1, 10.2.x.2 etc or 192.168.x.x ===> 192.168.x.z

As far as the external Internet sees you it's just (for a normal home ISP) a single external IP address such as for example the CIA at 198.81.129.136 have fun with that one if you can get in

This means that to access your own network you need something that splits up the request AFTER it passes through your router since all external incoming requests go via the single address you get from your ISP.

Cheers

jimbo

 

[Digger]

In theory jimbo, this should work. The only hurdle that causes concern is all inet traffic that would be routed to the VM would first have to pass MAC, then NAT, then the local physical pc adapter, then VM. In thought and theory again, brainstorming a little here, the adapter at local pc level would have to again act as a NAT, a traffic cop for all that traffic. This is why the question and thought i had in my head about the ICS DHCP.

If you setup an ftp server on a VM, can you get outside access? can you pasv transfer, inside and out? havent had time to lookup any real info reguarding this, just trying to use my wits and a lil network common sense.

 

[Digger]

have you tried to telnet in to the machine? telnet VM-IP 3389

from what i read its very possible. the VM adapter and itself should be like a physical machine/address/server. Like you stated, therefore forwarding either 3389 to each VM-IP on the router should work, but only allow one connection. So, you would have to 1+up a port or down, for each VM machine in the registry. Shouldnt have any problems, or have to enter any arp or routing table entries, i wouldnt think.

in depth techie read: Using the VMRC client to access virtual machines

can you mtsc / console [VM-IP]? i also take it that you have RD enable for administration?

[edit] of course you would also have to edit the router's forwarding for each VM adapter address for its specified RD/TS port