Port Forwarding

[BigEddie]

I have a new WE826-T2 with the WiFiX GUI. Have it hard-wired by ethernet cable to a laptop and it's configured such that I can get to any website. Access to the internet works, at least in some respects.
What I can't get to work is port forwarding. For example, I'd like to remotely login to the router.
1) In Network>Firewall>Port Forwards I set up:
Name: RouterLogin
Protocol: TCP+UDP
External zone: WAN
External Port: 8080
Internal zone: LAN
Internal IP address: 192.168.1.1 (the router)
Internal port: 8080
2) On the laptop, I go to whatsmyip.org to retrieve the current external IP address. While the laptop is awake it stays constant.
3) On a different PC on my regular home network, I've tried 2 things:
a) typing <external IP address:8080> and
b) from Windows CMD prompt, type "ping <external IP address>"
No response or times out.

Questions:
1) Are my port settings wrong? If so, what should they be?
2) Because "ping" does not work but webpage surfing does, is there some other setting I need to alter in the WiFiX GUI to allow more traffic?
3) There is also a Firewall>Traffic Rules tab that came preconfigured with 9 rules baked in. Could they be causing conflicts? Should I delete them?
4) I saw a video that said modems may also have their own firewall. Is it possible I need to alter my modem config to open its ports? If so, I have a Sierra NC7455 and have downloaded the AT commands manual. But I've never worked with AT commands before, I have no idea what changes would be necessary, and I don't want to brick anything by "trying" things. Any advice?
5) Continuing from 4), is there a default IP address I can type in the laptop to get to a modem GUI for editing? Or can I find it in the WiFiX GUI somewhere?
6) The WiFiX GUI is not well documented and is very frustrating to this newbie. Any suggestions for another compatible firmware that's more "user friendly"?

Hopefully this has been clear. I've spent days looking online for these answers and have made little headway. Thanks all for any help you can provide. - Eddie

[terryjett]

Not sure what carrier you are using, but most will not work with external IP.

This article may shed some light on issue for you (paying close attention to DDNS issues on 4G) https://dyn.com/blog/is-4g-ddns-possible/

I have heard that Sprint assigns IP for each user, but never experimented with it.

Modems do not have their own firewall, or least I have never heard of such. Modems must have some type of interface (like WiFix GUI) to access any of their settings. If you think WiFix GUI is frustrating, you should try others, it will most likely change your mind and appreciate the GUI more

[Didneywhorl]

I'm not experienced at all with firewall rules and port forwarding at all, but...

You say your using the other PC on your regular network. Is this a separate internet connection?

Modems interact with human entered commands via AT commands, usually using a terminal in the routers interface, otherwise a direct serial connection via usb interface (pulled from your router and plugged into a usb adapter). There's nothing you want to change there for these purposes.

What carrier are you using? Sprint, Verizon, ATR, Etc

[BigEddie]

I'm using Verizon.

terryjett, thank you for the article, it is helpful. If I understand the 2nd diagram from the article correctly, the IP address I get from whatsmyip.org is the cell tower, not the router. Then I can understand why port forwarding or pinging would not work. So then, how DOES port forwarding work on this router? I assume it's in the GUI because it can actually function in some manner.

More info and why this is critical to me: I need internet access to be able to communicate with various security devices, thermostats, and smart home lighting in a remote location. There's cable internet there now, I can type in the remote IP address with various port numbers and everything works as I need. The LTE modem/router combination through Verizon is $10/mo vs. $50/mo for cable internet. After about 5-6 months the LTE router will have paid for itself. I have to be able to talk to those devices over 4G or this is a dead end.

I went to Verizon, the guy who's been helping me gave me a tech support number. Maybe I can get a static IP from them, but I bet it will blow up the savings...

[terryjett]

Year or so ago wanted to look into dedicated / static IP from Verizon for project. Called and told $500 just to setup. Told the lady no thanks, that is insane Not sure if that has changed, but not much more than a year ago.

Not that this link directly answers your question, but lot of good info that will give you insight into learning the GUI: https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=21 ... ridge+mode

Like this Whirlpool article (https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2792771) says, impossible without static IP.

Not up on the smart home stuff. Sure there are others here that has more experience than I.

[BillA]

I'm using Verizon.

terryjett, thank you for the article, it is helpful. If I understand the 2nd diagram from the article correctly, the IP address I get from whatsmyip.org is the cell tower, not the router. Then I can understand why port forwarding or pinging would not work. So then, how DOES port forwarding work on this router? I assume it's in the GUI because it can actually function in some manner.

More info and why this is critical to me: I need internet access to be able to communicate with various security devices, thermostats, and smart home lighting in a remote location. There's cable internet there now, I can type in the remote IP address with various port numbers and everything works as I need. The LTE modem/router combination through Verizon is $10/mo vs. $50/mo for cable internet. After about 5-6 months the LTE router will have paid for itself. I have to be able to talk to those devices over 4G or this is a dead end.

I went to Verizon, the guy who's been helping me gave me a tech support number. Maybe I can get a static IP from them, but I bet it will blow up the savings...

As Terryjett has mentioned, most carriers use private IP's, therefore you don't have a public IP to be able to access your devices behind the router. Don't waste your time with port forwarding or firewall, it just won't work.
The only solution I know of to bypass the carrier's private IP limitation is by using an OpenMPTCP-Router (OMR). While you don't have to, as a bonus it also allows you to bond multiple internet sources together for increased speeds. Basically what it does, it connects your router to an external VPN server bypassing all carrier limitations.
https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1078
Quote from the post:
"And this is a big plus for many cellular Internet users -- you now have a real public IP, complete with port-forwarding."

Instead of OMR, you could try running a regular VPN or even a simple proxy which both provide a private external IP.