Metronet and Port Forwarding

[Danimal66]

So I just switched from Uverse to Metronext Fiber Optic internet and I've had to cancel my last 2 sessions because I've spent hours trying to get port forwarding working.

With Uverse I just opened up the TCP port 1802 and worked.

Metronext uses a ZyXel router and I opened up the port and it doesn't work, I went through the troubleshooting guide and set a static IP to my machine and changed the rule and it didn't work (didn't do this ever with Uverse)

Next step check, Windows 10 shows I have a public network. Also never changed this with Uverse anyway tried to follow instructions to turn it to private and guess what there is no option to do that. I follow the instructions to the letter and the page that comes up for me is turning on a metered connection so no idea how to make it private or what that would screw up.

Metronet is fairly new so there tech support isn't the best. I told him what I was doing and he said that won't work they need to give me a static IP. Umm what, every provided uses dynamic ip's, they never had to give me a static one.

If I didn't have hundred of dollars into this system I would just give up and go back to Roll 20.

I need help please

[Trenloe]

1) You need to get your Public network changed to private. Do you have links to what you've tried?
2) Metronet might weill be sharing a public IP address with many users, which is becoming more and more common now as there aren't enough public IPv4 addresses to go around - which might be why they said you need a static IP address (where they allocate just one public IP address to you only). From a Windows command prompt run tracert 8.8.8.8 and post the results here - this will help us identify if this is the case.
3) If you are on a shared public IP address then you'll need to either get a static IP address from Metronet, or use a VPN solution, info here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?43607-Port-Forward-Alternatives

[Danimal66]

First thank you for trying to help.

1. I've tried this an others https://www.tekrevue.com/tip/change-public-to-private-network-windows-10/ more importantly this image: https://cdn1.tekrevue.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/change-public-to-private-windows-10.jpg I don't have the top portion, it starts at metered connection.

2. trace route results.
Tracing route to google-public-dns-a.google.com [8.8.8.8]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms EMG3425-Q10A.local [192.168.1.1]
2 1 ms 1 ms <1 ms 10.211.32.1
3 3018 ms * 2948 ms 10.192.110.201
4 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms 69.174.129.154
5 14 ms 14 ms 14 ms eqix-ch-100g.google.com [208.115.136.21]
6 12 ms 12 ms 12 ms 108.170.244.1
7 12 ms 13 ms 12 ms 108.170.236.101
8 13 ms 13 ms 13 ms google-public-dns-a.google.com [8.8.8.8]

Trace complete.

3. I don't know if I am, honestly I called tech support 3 times and it was the same guy and he didn't sound entirely knowledgeable. I'm not a novice with this, and his responses left me wondering if he knew what he was talking about.

[Zacchaeus]

Your second and third hops are to public IP addresses so it looks like your ISP is sharing IP addresses as Trenloe notes above. If your ISP is willing to give you a static IP address then you should be able to port forward but otherwise it looks likely that you'll need to seek a VPN solution

[Trenloe]

Your second and third hops are to public IP addresses so it looks like your ISP is sharing IP addresses as Trenloe notes above. If your ISP is willing to give you a static IP address then you should be able to port forward but otherwise it looks likely that you'll need to seek a VPN solution
Those hops are to "Private" IP addresses, which I'm sure is what you meant to say. Otherwise your assessment is correct. :)

[Trenloe]

1. I've tried this an others https://www.tekrevue.com/tip/change-public-to-private-network-windows-10/ more importantly this image: https://cdn1.tekrevue.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/change-public-to-private-windows-10.jpg I don't have the top portion, it starts at metered connection.
Strange that you don't see the option to change the network profile.

There are multiple different options to change the profile from Public to Private here: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/6815-set-network-location-private-public-windows-10-a.html You may need to use one of the options after option #1.

[Zacchaeus]

Those hops are to "Private" IP addresses, which I'm sure is what you meant to say. Otherwise your assessment is correct. :)

Gah, yes, that is what I meant. Thank goodness you're still here to put me on the right path even after all these years :)

[Danimal66]

I tried to change it using the power shell option and get this

Set-NetConnectionProfile : Unable to set the NetworkCategory due to one of the following possible reasons: not running
PowerShell elevated; the NetworkCategory cannot be changed from 'DomainAuthenticated'; user initiated changes to
NetworkCategory are being prevented due to the Group Policy setting 'Network List Manager Policies'.
At line:1 char:1
+ Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceIndex 9 -NetworkCategory Private
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : PermissionDenied: (MSFT_NetConnect...652AFCF50DBD}"):root/StandardCi...nnectionProfile)
[Set-NetConnectionProfile], CimException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : MI RESULT 2,Set-NetConnectionProfile

[Trenloe]

I tried to change it using the power shell option and get this

Set-NetConnectionProfile : Unable to set the NetworkCategory due to one of the following possible reasons: not running
PowerShell elevated;
Are you an Administrator on your computer? Did you open Powershell elevated - i.e. as an Administrator (you should see "Administrator" in the title of the Powershell window).

[Danimal66]

Are you an Administrator on your computer? Did you open Powershell elevated - i.e. as an Administrator (you should see "Administrator" in the title of the Powershell window).

Well I should be but I better check that as well.

I called Metronet they claim to port forward or to even use a VPN I need a static IP. They will give me one for free for 1 year then it is $10 a month. They said it will take 5-7 days to get put on my account.

I really don't understand the VPN part, I VPN into my work system via laptop but I guess I would be hosting the VPN? I'm not that familiar with VPN's etc.

So entirely frustrating

[Zacchaeus]

Well I should be but I better check that as well.

I called Metronet they claim to port forward or to even use a VPN I need a static IP. They will give me one for free for 1 year then it is $10 a month. They said it will take 5-7 days to get put on my account.

I really don't understand the VPN part, I VPN into my work system via laptop but I guess I would be hosting the VPN? I'm not that familiar with VPN's etc.

So entirely frustrating

The good thing here is that by the time your year is up Unity will have solved the Port Forwarding issue and you won't need to be charged. Assuming to get in on the Unity Kickstarter of course.

[Trenloe]

I called Metronet they claim to port forward or to even use a VPN I need a static IP.

I really don't understand the VPN part, I VPN into my work system via laptop but I guess I would be hosting the VPN? I'm not that familiar with VPN's etc.
You don't need a static IP for a VPN - you won't be hosting the VPN.

Look at the VPN options I linked to above - some are free, but require more work, the PureVPN option is easiest, but there is a monthly cost associated with that and you would need to get the Dedicated IP option (at $1.99 a month), you don't need the PureVPN port forwarding option. So, you may pay around $5/month using PureVPN (depending what deal you get at the time of signing up). It may be worth you taking up your ISPs offer of a dedicated IP address - then you wont have to run any VPN software at all, and as Zacchaeus mentioned, you won't need this if you move to FG Unity when that comes out.

[Danimal66]

I took them up on their offer and I was already in on FGU.

Thanks I will just wait, still no idea why I can't change to a private network

[LordEntrails]

I took them up on their offer and I was already in on FGU.

Thanks I will just wait, still no idea why I can't change to a private network
Let us know if you need someone to help you test a connection to you.

[Trenloe]

... still no idea why I can't change to a private network
Once you get the dedicated IP address setup, you will probably be able to get it working with a public network - it's just you'll need to add exceptions to your security/anti-virus apps as most will block app communication/accepting connections when on a network connection marked as Public.

[Danimal66]

Once you get the dedicated IP address setup, you will probably be able to get it working with a public network - it's just you'll need to add exceptions to your security/anti-virus apps as most will block app communication/accepting connections when on a network connection marked as Public.

I was able to change to a private network, I did a windows update and then the option was back where it should be.

Now I wait for a week what should take 1 hour to do.

[Danimal66]

My static IP was given to me yesterday, set it up on my router and then ran the test in FG load campaign screen and got a success so I believe I am all set.

[Trenloe]

My static IP was given to me yesterday, set it up on my router and then ran the test in FG load campaign screen and got a success so I believe I am all set.
That's great to hear! Quicker than they said. :)