HTTP And FTP Server (How to check if they work)

I have an HTTP server and also an FTP server on my home computer.

Sometimes when I'm away (at work for example), I want to connect to my FTP server, and I can't, could be firewall, settings, etc.

When I get home, I open command prompt, type "ftp localhost", and that usually works, and if it does not, I'll fix it (got no problem with that)
Same with the http server, I just type localhost in my web-browser, and I can see my web-page...

But now the problem is that when I'm at home, I can't test for everything, like if the connection goes through my firewall & router...

How can I test if my http server and ftp server are working properly AS IF i'm outside of my network ?

I was thinking maybe there is a free service on the net where I connect to it with ftp (for example ftp some.server.com) and that server would connect back to mine, and route everything back to my computer, some kind of loop-back ?

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But now the problem is that when I'm at home, I can't test for everything, like if the connection goes through my firewall & router...

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You can try to access the ftp via your external ip address (public)

http://whatismyip.com/

http://ipinhere on your own computer is almost the same as trying from work.

aslo, if you have not forwarded the ports (or the router does not forward them by default) then you will need to forward the ports. (unless your web/ftp server supports UPnP)

Thanks for your reply...

I did try to connect through my external IP (and through my DNS name) and both worked, and yet, from work it does not... (and also, other people tell me they can't connect)
And before you are gonna say it... No, at work they don't block any ports/web-sites (I built the network there, so I know)

Before I used to have a dial-up connection + my cable (what I have now), I could test for everything, by connecting with dial-up with the other computer, but unfortunatelly, I don't have the dial-up connection anymore.

The ports are also forwarded properly... I don't know what else to do...

I wish there was something like what I described in my previous post, something that will connect to my computer from outside, and to tell me why is not connecting (i.e. time-out, DNS name not found, or other stuff...)

Hmm... I just did a security scan, and it told me that port 21 & 80 is open...
http://www.auditmypc.com/freescan/selscan.asp?S=2059

I think this is what I wanted, to tell if it's reaching the ports...
But then, why it does not work from work, weird... hmm, have to wait until I get to work, and double check again...

What web/ftp server are you using?

Your Firewall may be decideding that requests from your external IP address are good while any other external address are bad.

I'm using IIS (Windows XP Pro)
I have a HotBrick SoHo 401 physical router, and Kerio software firewall...

P.S. I'll get to work in about 1:30 hours, i'll check then if it's working or not...

Now it works, I can connect to my server (FTP & HTTP), I did not even do anything to it... huh

I'm starting to think that it was my internet provider... in the last couple of days, my internet was very slow up to the point where there was no point on using the internet, but today it's OK, so I gues they were making some kind of changes. It's not the first time they make changes without saying anything.