Aquametrix 2300 Multi-Input Controller User Manual - Manual (Page 34)

N116-133 AquaMetrix 2300 Installation and Operation Manual Page 34
port forwarding, also called port mapping. We recommend talking to your IT department or
IT consultant to set this up. Alternatively, we have outlined some of the steps below.
Every device on a LAN has an IP address that is only meaningful to users on the LAN. The
router that creates the LAN has an IP address that is unique in the world. If you don’t know
what that external IP is, open a browser and enter the URL:
www.WhatIsMyIP.com . The
website will immediately return your external IP. Its address will be very different from the
LAN’s IP addresses and look something like 24.148.220.199.
With port forwarding an item that has its own local IP address is assigned a port number on
the external IP. The port forwarding number is just about any number that you make up.
However we recommend avoiding any number between 0 and 100 and, preferably, a 5 digit
number. Let’s say you choose 5000 for the port forwarding number of a 2300. The external IP
address of the 2300 then becomes (using the above example: 24.148.220.199:5000.
The next task is to go into the 2300 and assign to it the port number that you just created. At
the unit’s local display enter Menu > Advanced Menu (last menu item) > Network Setup >
Web Server Port. Type in the number (in our example—5000) and press the DONE key. Press
the Commit and Restart button and you’re done.
The one task we have not explained is setting up port forwarding on your router. This is
because all routers are different and you will need to consult the manual for the router. Usually
the router’s IP address will end in a “0”, e.g. 192.168.1.0. If so, then entering that number into
the browser will take you to the router’s home web page. There are exceptions. For instance
an Apple Airport can only be accessed through the Airport Utility.
When using port forwarding, operating the 2300 through a web interface is the same whether
you are on your own LAN or outside it. In both cases you use the external IP address with the
port number.
There is one alternative to placing the 2300 on the WAN that some routers employ and that
option is a so-called DMZ. The Demilitarized Zone is aptly named as it is a walled-off section
that sits between the LAN and WAN. The DMZ is a more secure way of web enabling the 2300
as it does not allow the user access into your LAN.
Normally the DMZ allows only one local IP address to reside inside it. To access a 2300 from a
WAN in the DMZ simply enter the external IP address in a web browser, i.e. do not add the
colon and port number. Inside your LAN connect to the 2300 via its local IP address. Just
remember that if your router uses DHCP and the local IP address of the 2300 changes, you will
need to change the IP listed in the DMZ accordingly. If you have more than one 2300 in your
LAN then you will need to revert to port forwarding for all or all but one 2300.
9.3. Dedicated wireless connection via a Smart Phone or Tablet
There are environments in which there is no available local area network or there is a need for
a private network isolated from the network. For these settings a wireless router is the