I am new to Filemaker Pro 8.5 (any version for that matter). I have a database all set-up for a non-profit that I am working with, and decided to try IWP. At home, it works just fine. I am able to access the database on the web without a problem (using the same computer as where the FMP database resides).

I wanted to try accessing the database from work, so I turned on my home computer and opened the database.

When I got to work, I tried to access the database, and I get an error message that "Safari can’t open the page.

Safari could not open the page “http://192.168.1.47/” because the server stopped responding." I get a "timed out" message in FireFox without making a connection.

Any ideas? Is there something special that needs to be done to access the database beyond my home computer? I'd like to have the non-profit people have access to the database from their location.

Thanks,

Ken

192.168.1.47 sounds like a "local" IP address. ie. the one you use at home.

Your ISP will allocate an IP address to your home (a "public" IP address), but this will be random (to some extent), and you will also need a router at home to direct the traffic from the "public" IP address to the IP address of your home computer.

You problem has nothing to do with FMP - but everything to do with IP networking.

It may be easier to think of them as a "local" and "external" ip address.

The reason it works at home is because you are sitting on your local network and so is your copy of filemaker and the file it's hosting.

When you leave your home however, and connect at work, you are now on the "local" network at work, but have disoconected to the one at home.

You now have to find your home address on the world wide web using the "external" ip address, and as IdealData states, you will then need a router pointing the data from that external ip address to the appropriate ip in this case: 192.168.1.47

Here's a little diagram:

At Home:

You

|

Home Network Connection

|

Connection forward directly to filemaker through reference via local ip address

|

FileMaker

At Work:

You

|

Work Network Connection

|

World Wide Web

|

Your Home (located by external ip)

|

Router forwards connection via port to filemaker host

|

FileMaker

My diagram is kind of bad but...

Why is nothing ever easy. Thanks, IdealData & Genx. How much would a router cost? Does it matter that I use DSL, without a set IP address (it changes with each connection, at least I think).

If I plan on using just a very small number of computers outside of my home to access this database, it there anyway to "tell" the outside computers how to get to the database, through some sort of configuration?

I really have no clue. :)

Regarding the router i'm not sure, but as for the ever changing i.p. address -- perhaps, there is something called a dnsalias that you can get that will act as a static reference to your dynamic ip.

Look it up on google, search... on second thought's here's a link directly to a free provider / product.

http://www.dyndns.com/services/dns/dyndns/

Thanks for your help, Genx. I'll have to try it this evening and test it out tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed!

Crossed they be then -- only cause you asked so nicely :)

I'm going to open up this thread again to see if I can get some clarification.

How to I have the router "point" the external IP Address to the LAN IP Address?

I have a LinkSys router and I know both the LAN IP and the external IP Addresses.

Thanks for any help.

Most routers allow you to configure them through an in-built web page, or at least their own proprietary application.

I don't know the LInkSys router so you'll need to read up on it or call their tech support.