What is my true IP address??? Help Me!!

[RadXPictures]

I recently tried using the site no-ip.com to create a subdomain that would automatically redirect to my current IP. I downloaded the client, and it told me my IP address was 68.163.167.203. But I have an FTP server on my computer, one I made using Filezilla, and I can access it through either 127.0.0.1 or 192.168.1.111. When I go into Run / Cmd / ipconfig, it confirms that my IP is 192.168.1.111. However, I just went on whatismyip.com and it told me my IP is 141.0.8.158. All I want is no-ip to detect my IP as being 192.168.1.111 and change if it changes. I want to be able to type in the subdomain I specified and have an authentication box come up that allows me to access the files on my server. Why is this so complicated? What is my REAL IP? And how do I fix my no-ip detection issue?? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[abhijit]

192.168.1.111 is the IP created by your router.

[CVMichael]

RadXPictures,

Any IP that starts with 192 or 10, and (127.0.0.1 means current computer IP), it means it's an internal network IP. This is how ALL networks work.

Your INTERNET IP is whatever no-ip tells you it is... So if you want someone (or you) to access your computer from outside your network then the IP is your internet IP (the one no-ip says).

I attached a diagram with how a regular home network looks like

[RadXPictures]

RadXPictures,

Any IP that starts with 192 or 10, and (127.0.0.1 means current computer IP), it means it's an internal network IP. This is how ALL networks work.

Your INTERNET IP is whatever no-ip tells you it is... So if you want someone (or you) to access your computer from outside your network then the IP is your internet IP (the one no-ip says).

I attached a diagram with how a regular home network looks like

Thanks so much. Well, if that's the case, the subdomain I gave my no-ip address is ischoolmain.serveftp.com. However, when I try to access the page on my computer it won't load and gives me an error page. When I try it on my iPhone, it asks for a password when I don't have a password set for my computer. My computer isn't even on right now and it just asked for a password. How do I find on my PC the IP no-ip detected to prove it's right? Do I have to change something in Filezilla to make my server accessible through no-ip?

[dilettante]

192.x.x.x and 10.x.x.x are all non-routable private network numbers.

This means nobody can reach them from outside the LAN without some sort of assistance from a NAPT (network address and port translation) router or similar mechanism. This is often called "many to one NAT" or simply NAT though that's an oversimplification since there are many kinds of NAT.

Most SoHo routers support NAPT along with things like "DMZ" and "port mapping" hacks to make internal hosts visible on the WAN side of the router. That's what you'll need to take advantage of if you want anyone to connect from outside.


FTP is a lousy protocol choice though. It is insecure and troublesome at both ends because it was never designed to be firewall-friendly.

Even the cheapest home NAS devices offer secure forms of FTP or Web access now. Many of them will even configure the required port mapping for you via UPnP. You can get a $90 1TB box and just plug it into your router for file sharing and media streaming. There is no reason to tie up a PC's resources and leave it on 24x7 in this day and age.

[dilettante]

When I try it on my iPhone, it asks for a password when I don't have a password set for my computer. My computer isn't even on right now and it just asked for a password. How do I find on my PC the IP no-ip detected to prove it's right? Do I have to change something in Filezilla to make my server accessible through no-ip?

Sounds like your DNS name is pointing to somebody else's router or maybe you have your router's admin pages exposed to the public Internet.

What does "When I try it on my iPhone" mean? Are you using a browser (port 80) there? Or do you have an FTP client on the phone that you are using?

[dilettante]

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Jughead>nslookup xxxxx.yyyy.com
Server:  UnKnown
Address:  192.168.0.1

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    xxxxx.yyyy.com
Address:  xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

C:\Users\Jughead>

[RadXPictures]

Sounds like your DNS name is pointing to somebody else's router or maybe you have your router's admin pages exposed to the public Internet.

What does "When I try it on my iPhone" mean? Are you using a browser (port 80) there? Or do you have an FTP client on the phone that you are using?

I mean that I go into safari and type "ischoolmain.serveftp.com" into the address bar and click enter. But that was on my wifi. I just tried it on 3G and it didn't load at all. How could it point to someone else's IP if no-ip detected that IP and set it as the hosts destination?

[dilettante]

How could it point to someone else's IP if no-ip detected that IP and set it as the hosts destination?

Well some Web server is prompting for a logon. If the IP address is resolving to your router's public address that means your router's admin pages are exposed to the outside world, not a good idea.

We should go back and blank out your IP address and DNS name in these posts too.


Scratch that.

If you only get that logon prompt from inside your private network you should be ok.

[CVMichael]

I mean that I go into safari and type "ischoolmain.serveftp.com" into the address bar and click enter. But that was on my wifi. I just tried it on 3G and it didn't load at all. How could it point to someone else's IP if no-ip detected that IP and set it as the hosts destination?

I have iPhone too

So... what happens is that when you are on WiFi, you are accessing your computer from within your network, so then the network IP (192.168.*.*) is the one that works.

When you turn off your WiFi then it goes from outside your network (from the internet). For that you have to setup your router to forward your port 21 to the computer that has the FTP server installed on.

Let me put it this way:
When you are at "Computer 1" (from my previous diagram), to access the internet it does not have problems, it goes through the router (cuz it's only one), and then internet.

The other way around it the tricky part. When you want from internet to access your FTP (or whatever), then the connection goes to the router first, so now how does it know if it should go to "Computer 1" or "Computer 2", you have to tell it! That's why you have to "forward the port" to the computer you have the FTP server installed on.

I attached a screen shot with my forwards, but I had to erase the IP's and Ports.

[CVMichael]

My computer isn't even on right now and it just asked for a password. How do I find on my PC the IP no-ip detected to prove it's right?

Did you checkmark "ischoolmain.serveftp.com" from the list in your no-ip client ?

Do you have the client installed on the server computer ?

If not, then no-ip will not be able to get your current IP, and it has the IP you had when you subscribed to no-ip service.

You IP probably changed, and someone else probably has the IP you used to have.

By the way, to verify your IP, go in google.com, and type "What's my IP", and you will get plenty of websites that will tell you the IP of your Internet

[RadXPictures]

Did you checkmark "ischoolmain.serveftp.com" from the list in your no-ip client ?

Do you have the client installed on the server computer ?

If not, then no-ip will not be able to get your current IP, and it has the IP you had when you subscribed to no-ip service.

You IP probably changed, and someone else probably has the IP you used to have.

By the way, to verify your IP, go in google.com, and type "What's my IP", and you will get plenty of websites that will tell you the IP of your Internet

I downloaded the client, but I still cannot reach my server from the Ip it detects. When I search "Whats my IP", it gave me a completely different IP that I had never seen before. Although I cannot access my server using 3G using ischoolmain.serveftp.com, I can access it by typing in ftp://[email protected]. My goal is to get no-ip to read my IP as being 192.168.1.111 or me being able to reach my server using ftp://[email protected]. Currently no-ip tells me my IP is 68.163.167.203.

[CVMichael]

If it works when you type "ftp://[email protected]", then it means you were connected through your WiFi, and NOT 3G...

[RadXPictures]

If it works when you type "ftp://[email protected]", then it means you were connected through your WiFi, and NOT 3G...

I just realized that.. I've been reading articles about web servers online, and like stated above, I think port forwarding is the way to go. I just have to find out what the username and password is for our router. I'll get back to you if that doesn't solve the problem.

[CVMichael]

I think port forwarding is the way to go.

You make it sound like it's optional, but it's not... port forwarding is the only way your gonna connect from outside your network.

If you never setup a username and password for your router, then you should be able to find out the default username and password on google by typing your router model and "default login" (or something like that)