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How do I get my apartment/isp (telcom) to let me open a port on my router (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/selfhosted

16 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I reside in an apartment complex where the internet services are not controlled by the management, but instead, they are managed by our ISP, Telcom. Unfortunately, Telcom restricts certain functionalities for users, such as not helping with the opening of ports or providing the admin username/password for my router. Additionally, my router doesn't appear on the network tab of file explorer. Given this situation, what options do I have to address these limitations to port forward?

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The router doesn't have file shares, so it doesn't show up on file manager. You most likely need to connect to that with a browser by IP-address. But as port forwarding can have severe security issues I really suggest that you learn more on what you're trying to do and understand the implications before poking holes to your firewall.

I'm not comfortable to provide step-by-step instructions since doing that wrong can cause all kinds of havoc on your network (and the whole apartment if you happen to have IoT-things around).

[+] [email protected] -16 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I assure that I have researched this for a long time and that I know how to protect this open port.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The fact that you said "my router doesn't appear on file explorer" tells us everything we need to know about your skill level. You don't know the first thing about "protecting this open port" and you aren't qualified to assess the security risks of what you are trying to do.

[–] jake_jake_jake_ 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

i would expect your lengthy research would have included "router model default password", "reset password router model" and "port forward on router model"

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Ok, this should be pretty easy then. Just set up an instance in a cloud service provider (Oracle has lots of free stuff for this) and set up wireguard. Establish a VPN connection to your cloud server and port forward from there.

If you do know how to protect that open port then this should be pretty straightforward.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

One solution would be sending email requesting for them to open ports for you, you can tell them that you need open ports for security cameras and use that port for reverse proxy. That way you dont need more than one open port. Second option is cloudflare tunnels, they do not require open ports at all, but they do require for you to buy domain though. Last option would be to use VPN like tailscale which also do not require open ports at all. All you need is clients installed on devices and connect them on the same network.

Hope some of these help, i actually use all methods for different situations and each of them have pros and cons, but those are all reliable methods.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The better way to go about it is using Cloudflare tunnels or Tailscale.

[–] ezekielmudd 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Tailscale will walk right past those ISP restrictions like a ghost passing through a wall.

[–] spez_ 2 points 1 year ago

I can confirm, because I use Tailscale on my GL.iNet travel router, which is connected behind a router I have no access to. I'm able to access all my services anywhere in the world

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

The only way it would not would be if the ISP only allowed TCP ports 80, 143, 443, 465, 587, 993, and 995. Many public hotspots in my area do this plus deep packet inspection. You would need OpenVPN or SSH for a TCP-based VPN and then a means to disguise your traffic to look like an https session, over say, port 443. It's not easy to defeat but very doable.

[–] SheeEttin 4 points 1 year ago

not helping with the opening of ports or providing the admin username/password for my router

Oh, so it's not your router, it's theirs. Just get your own, then you can open ports and let anyone on the Internet into your network.

[–] UFO64 2 points 1 year ago

What are you attempting to do here? Host for any generic user? Host just for yourself? From only one remote device? From many remote devices?