Cross-platform FM8 IWP on Linksys

[paidvacation]

Hi and thanks in advance for any assistance. Forgive me for the length of this post.

I've tried all solutions presented here, still with no luck. Here's the problem:

I'm running FM Pro 8 on both Mac OS 10.4.3 and Win XP networked on a Linksys WRT54G wireless router. I've set up a trial database on the Mac and enabled Instant Web Publishing on port 591 (Web sharing is using port 80). I'm having the same problem as others here:

I'm able to access FM with Safari on the Mac using both localhost and the local IP address provided by the router - http://192.168.1.103:591 - but that's all I can do. My Windows machine running IE 6 can't find this address, even though it's on the same network. I can't find anything using the DHCP IP address of the router, http:// 24.84.??.??:591 (note - my ISP recommended I not use a static IP, as my DHCP address never changes) . Also, I use Ipanema to doublecheck my router's IP address before entering it into the browser.

Firewall is disabled on the router, and I've forwarded port 591 to the Mac IP. Am I forgetting anything? My ISP shouldn't have 591 blocked, as far as I know.

I've tried to test the setup using a bluetooth-connected cell as my dial-up as I read that you can't test using the same network as your server. Still can't find the db. Any other suggestions for testing IWP without having to run down to a cafe down the street?

Thanks again for any assistance.

[Wim Decorte]

I can't find anything using the DHCP IP address of the router, http:// 24.84.??.??:591

If you're inside your network you don't need to enter your Router's external IP to get to the Mac. On your Windows box, just use your Mac's IP address (like you did locally on your Mac).

Forwarding & firewall settings on the router are only for the traffic coming in from the outside, they have no effect on traffic that stays on your network.

Check to make sure your Mac itself doesn't have it's own software firewall engaged. If it has, either disable it or open port 591 on it.

[paidvacation]

Wim:

Thank you so much for your quick response. My main problem was accessing FM from outside my network. Thanks to you, I found one more step I had to take to get it to work. For anyone else that has had the same problem as myself, here's what I did:

Wim was correct - my Mac had it's own firewall engaged. After opening port 591 on the router, I still had to open it on the Mac using these steps:

(On Mac OS 10.4.3 Tiger)

Open System Preferences, open Sharing

Click on Firewall

Click New

From the Port Name drop-down list, click Other

TCP Port Number(s): 591

UDP Port Number(s): 591

Description: (enter Filemaker, fmiwp, etc.)

Click OK

Works like a charm. Now anyone can access my databases online simply by entering my router's IP as such: http://24.84.??.??:591

Thanks again.

Rob