Can't locate my computer via IP address and ping

[Guest]

I need help in the worst way!

Hardware and system: 10 computers networked with MS Workgroups (no domain),
three incoming DSL connections, one being used with eight computers (shared
connection), with my personal computer and my wife's computer both having
dedicated DSL connections (no connection sharing). Operating system on all
computers is WinXP SP2. One of the problems may be related to the fact that
we own and operate an orphanage in China and we have Chinese DSL connection,
always on.

I want to be able to access my computer via the internet in a remote desktop
environment. I can use remote desktop just fine on my MS Workgroup network...
computer to computer on the network... but when I attempt to access my
computer over the internet I can't find my computer. It appears that either
the IP address I am using to identify my computer is either not the real one
or there is some other problem. To obtain my IP address I have tried many
different methods i.e. 'ipconfig', 'whatismyip.com',
'www.dslreports.com/whois' etc. etc. All methods tell me I am using the
correct IP address for my computer. I can also ping the IP from the computer
and get positive results back. However, if I ping the same IP from another
computer not in our network system, I receive nothing but the 'timed out'
message.

I have tried the Windows XP remote desktop with 'active X', pcAnywhere, VNC
Server/client etc. etc. and nothing will find my computer.

In my search for solutions to this I have seen occasional comments about
proxy server problems. I also read in all documentation that if I can't reach
my computer by ping then the remote desktop or any other type system (FTP or
HTTP) won't be able to connect to my computer.

'www.myserver.org' has an automated port sniffer that also tells me my IP is
the correct one, however when it sniffs the ports there are NONE available. I
have gone into my XP SP2 firewall and opened every port I could think of in
the exceptions module with no success. I have turned the firewall off with no
success.

If we lived in the States we could probalby contact our IPS and find out
what is going on but here in China the only thing we can communicate about is
how much we need to pay them each month.

Oh.. I don't use a router of any kind. I use a common LAN hub for our
networking. By the way our networking is set up properly and works fine.

I have taken my computer out of the network and tried to access it from
other computers... absolutely no success... it simply appears to not exist...
so obviously I can't connect with any remote desktop system.

Can anyone give me some additional help tips?

By the way, I am not sure if I have given enough information for intelligent
advice so if you need to contact me for additional information you can email
me at (e-mail address removed) and I will also check back here frequently to see
if there is some reply posted.

Thank you so much.
Nathan Bell

 

[Guest]

To the best of my knowledge you can only connect to your desktop PC via
another system using the internet if it has a fixed IP address: using the
method described.

Typically the IP address of your modem / PC is dynamically assigned each
time you connect via the DSL modem.

The network connection in the PC may have a fixed IP address for the LAN
purposes, such as 192.168.0.10 - this is not the IP address as it is viewed
by the ISP.

Can you ISP advise if a static IP address is an available option.

 

[Sooner Al]

Is it possible your home PC that is connected via DSL is also behind a firewall/NAT/router? Some DSL
modems, from what I understand, also act as routers. If that is true then you need to open TCP Port
3389 in order to use Remote Desktop.

Things to try...

1. On your home PC, the one you want to Remote Desktop into, run the ipconfig command from the
"Start -> Run -> cmd" command window. If the reported IP address is in the 10.X.X.X, 172.16.X.X or
192.168.X.X range then you may be out of luck.

2. If the reported IP address is not one of those in the private range, then you can run this telnet
test from a remote PC to see if you can pinpoint the problem...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q187628

So the key is determining if the target PC is using a private IP address or if something is blocking
TCP Port 3389.

Additionally if your ISP assigns a dynamic IP to your router, then another solution is to setup an
account with one of the dynamic naming services that map a fully qualified domain name to the IP. In
my case I use a FREE service from No-IP.com. The No-IP.com software runs on my XP Pro box and on a
time schedule basis contacts the No-IP.com servers. The No-IP.com servers then know what your IP is
and maps that to a fully qualified domain name. That information is then propagated over the public
internet. You could then call the client PC using the fully qualified domain name. It works very
well for me when I call my home network using Remote Desktop.

http://www.no-ip.com

Others...

http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com/Default.aspx?tabid=56

Please post additional questions concerning Remote Desktop to the
microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely news group.

--
Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights...

 

[Jack]

Hi

The content of these two links is for slightly different issue. However read
it to the end the principle is the same as the one you need to achieve your
goal.

http://www.ezlan.net/myip.html

http://www.ezlan.net/vnc.html

Jack (MVP-Networking).

 

[Guest]

Hi, from what I recall, 2 PCs DIRECTLY connected to the Internet CAANOT
access each other via Demote Desktop-I am not sure if this applies if they
are connecting via DSL modem/firewalls however.

Assuming that You have enabled Remote Access through the advanced tab of
your network connection (which should open it up in the XP firewall as well)
and iut still does not work, perhaps you could try a work around of enabling
REmote assistance on both machines and emailing yourself an invite every 30
days.

If you are an admin on both machines, you won't need user
permission/interaction to log on. At least it would test access between your
machines (and DOES work with PCs connected directly to the internet)