Config port forwarding on Netgear Orbi

[MiataMx5]

Does anyone have the experience to config the port forwarding feature with a netgear mesh routers?

Hub: VMB4540r3

Router: Netgear Orbi RBR20 (one router plus two satellites)

Connect the base hub to the router and enable port forwarding feature on Arlo app

Login netgear portal and config port forwarding (Advanced>Advanced Setup>Port Forwarding/Port Triggering>Add customer service>Protocol (TCP/UDP)>Ports (shown in the app)>Internal IP address>Base VMB4540)

After the configuration, the status still keeps 'Not Available' even restart the router

[StephenB]

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@MiataMx5 wrote:

Does anyone have the experience to config the port forwarding feature with a netgear mesh routers?

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Yes.

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@MiataMx5 wrote:

Connect the base hub to the router and enable port forwarding feature on Arlo app

Login netgear portal and config port forwarding (Advanced>Advanced Setup>Port Forwarding/Port Triggering>Add custom service>Protocol (TCP/UDP)>Ports (shown in the app)>Internal IP address>Base VMB4540)

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You did this the correct way.  But it looks like the port is still not open.  You can check that using

• https://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/

If that says the port is still closed, then either you are accidently double-routing, or your ISP is blocking the inbound connection.

(1) Many ISP "modems" are actually gateways - functioning as a modem+router.  Check the WAN address of the Orbi.  If it is a private address, then you are likely double-routing (though the CGNAT described below is still possible). Private address ranges are:

• 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255
• 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255
• 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255 
• 169.254.0.0. to 169.254.255.255 (APIPA or "automatic private IP address).

If this is your situation, you either need to put the gateway into a bridging mode (so it is no longer routing), or you need to forward the port in the gateway also (gateway->orbi router,  and also orbi router-> smarthub). 

FWIW, I double-route myself - my ISP-supplied gateway provides program guides and on-demand programming to my set top boxes.  If I switched to bridging, I'd lose that stuff.  So I intentionally double-route.

(2) Some ISPs use something called Carrier Grade NAT (CGNAT).  They do this because the internet has run out of IPv4 addresses, so they use CGNAT to share the same address with multiple customers.  When this technology is used, the ISP generally cannot forward ports (or unsolicited inbound traffic).  Mobile broadband (t-mobile and verizon for example) both use CGNAT.  Starlink does also (but perhaps not in all situations).  There are landline ISPs that use this also.  In some cases they might be able to disable it for you (note they might charge for that).  You'd have to contact them and see.

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@MiataMx5 wrote:

Connect the base hub to the router and enable port forwarding feature on Arlo app

Login netgear portal and config port forwarding (Advanced>Advanced Setup>Port Forwarding/Port Triggering>Add customer service>Protocol (TCP/UDP)>Ports (shown in the app)>Internal IP address>Base VMB4540)

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One additional tip.  Normally routers dynamically assign IP addresses to the client devices on the network (DHCP).  So the local IP address of the smarthub might change from time to time.  That will result in the port forwarding going to the wrong device.

The way to prevent that is to assign/reserve an IP address for the smarthub.   You do that from Advanced->Setup->LAN - you'll see "address reservation" partway down that page.  Make sure that the IP address you reserve is the same one that you forwarded.