Issues Accessing Website Behind Router

[MstrBob]

Okay, so I have an Apache Server, along with MySQL Database and a bunch more (xampp, dude, really awesome!) running on my system, which I use for all my php scripting (save me bandwith and all). But, is mondo helpful for me here, to be able to access the website from the internet. However, I have a small, wireless network here at me home, which is behind a broadband router with a firewall (Linksys, if it helps). Anywho, they said that I can host a website, but I need to use a DDNS (First D is for Dynamic. Apparently, it hides my IP or some such.) They recommend a company called DynDNS (http://www.dyndns.org/services/dyndns/)
So I used them (they're free and all). However, I when attempting to use that address, I keep getting a security prompt to enter my router's username and password, and if I do, I can redirected to my router's control panel. Now they say you can set up a website with this and all, what is going on!? In case you're wondering, yes, I tried their "live techs". However, after being on hold for an hour and twenty-seven minutes (yes, I kept track) I gave up. This is seriously bothering me, surely a router can't provent you from hosting a website!

[PeOfEo]

look in your router for something called 'dmz', demilitarized zone, put your computer in that. It will let you accept incomeing requests and take you out of the fire wall. You will have a completely open connection to the internet. On the flipside you could be more vulnerable. I am in a dmz, but my ports are stealth so I am relatively safe from a portscan.

[MstrBob]

EDIT: Actually, let me revise this post. I was reading up online here, and they said that stealthing breaks some RFC rules (whatever they are x.x) and this website says that it is rather futile to try and hide your ports, as you won't be "invisible" online. He instead recommended that one closed their ports. Seeing as how I know absolutely NOTHING about this kind of stuff, what's the max number of ports I can close, and how can I close them if my computer is in the dmz?

[The Cheat]

Your router automaticly makes you stealth and closes your ports. It will not respond to any sort of incoming requests. This is for your own good. It protects you from people breaking in and snooping around your computer. It also stops some viruses from ever having a chance to infect your computer.

I think what you need to do is configure your router to forward all requests to your ip address on port 80 to the server machine.

Someone please correct me if im wrong.

[PeOfEo]

Thats good advice The Cheat, but its not going to help him run a server. Stealth ports are a good thing, just recently there was that worm that basically port scanned other computers and somehow got in from there, if your ports are stealth the worm couldn't find you and you would have nothing to worry about. Stealth ports are not an absolute protection, if the hacker knows your ip you are screwed, but it can help you so that maybe the bad guys will not get your ip to begin with. The best defence is just keeping up with updates, watching your processes and network useage (checking up from time to time), and get a good adaptive software firewall, maybe some real time anti virus. Of course if this is just a home server, you should be pretty safe. Real time anti virus and good adaptive software and hardware firewalls would be an investment if you are using this server for commercial use.

[ray326]

Stealth ports are not an absolute protection, if the hacker knows your ip you are screwed Well yes and no. If your host is not accepting connections on ANY port (normal Linksys setup) then no one can get in regardless of their knowledge of your address. I work for a big dog in the MIC so our Internet IPs are well known worldwide and no one gets in unless we want them to.

MstrBob, The Cheat has the answer for your Linksys setup but make darned sure you follow PeOfEo's advice about latest Apache security patches. Once a connection is established there are MANY exploits that can give an attacker control of your exposed host. Note that even though Linksys refers to this as a "DMZ host", it is not. A DMZ host is sandwiched between two firewalls that allow connections to be opened WITH it but not BY it. So if your exposed host is compromised, your whole LAN is compromised.

[MstrBob]

Thankyou dudes oh so much! I've used port forwarding so that only apache's 1 port is available. It's mostly for testing purposes, but in case you were curious (I have no idea why), here it is. (http://wdhaven.gotdns.com/proj_x/)

[PeOfEo]

ahhh connection refused/404. I looked at yours now look at mine
www.quasi-ke.servebeer.com