How can I find the exterior (i.e. the one going to my DSL modem) IP address of my Linksys router?

Question

My home network looks like this:

Me --> Linksys WRT54GS (192.168.1.1) -->Actiontec GT701-WG (192.168.1.0) --> Internet (DSL)

I am trying to set up port forwarding to see if it will increase my bitTorrent speeds

I have the Linksys router forwarding the correct port to my (static) IP address. I need the Actiontec to forward that same port to the Linksys, but I don't know the IP address of the 'outside' interface of the Linksys. I found a site to do a reverse tracert, but it just showed up as a bunch of asterisks (probably my ISP blocking the info).

I tried to telnet into the Actiontec, and traceroute myself, but once I log in (it uses a linux shell) none of my text makes it to the CLI. I tried with "telnet" from the command prompt and also with putty, same problem.

I know that the address in question will have to be on the same subnet as 192.168.0.1 255.255.255.0 (which is how i get to the actiontec) but guess-and-check will take too long.

Answer 1

You need to login to your ACTIONTEC router (you do know you are running TWO ROUTERS here) and put the linksys IP into the DMZ for the ActionTec if you want ANY port forwarding to work!

Here is the advanced configuration for your actiontec router/modem (its both a modem and router!)
http://www.qwest.com/internethelp/modems/gt701/index.html?option=advanced

As far as your LInksys "external" IP, its an internal IP off the actiontec if the actiontec is set to DHCP You can view this from the "STATUS" page of the linksys. The one that shows the WAN address is your "external" address, in this case an internal address off the actiontec. Nothing will work if both of these are in the same IP ranges..
If Actiontec is issuing 192.168.1.x addresses.. you have to set the Linksys to use 192.168.2.x on the Local network or some other range for any of this to work.
If the actiontec is actually at 192.168.0.1 and the linksys is at 192.168.1.1 then you are fine.. (0 and 1 are different lans) if they are both on 192.168.1.x you have major IP issues. Unless you turned off the DHCP of the linksys, and even then your routing to a router and that usually creates headaches unless they are different networks.

Hope that helps
Merry Christmas and God Bless

Answer 2

You can use the Linksys wireless router as an access point or as a router. To have it as a router, take the output (using a cable) from the DSL Modem and attach it to the left most socket. You can identify it with a visibly different print around it. This way you will have to configure the DHCP on the Linksys router to assign IPs to the computers connecting to it. To have it work like an access point (that does not do any address translation), take the output from the DSL Modem and attach it to ANY socket but the one that says "Connect Internet Here" (The one with a visibly different print around it). doing so you don't need to do any configuration and your DSL router that is definitely configured by your service provider will do the DHCP stuff. Good luck

Answer 3

Hi,

I am sure that the network displayed above is incorrect.
Either u must have connected both actiontec and linksys to the dsl directly (as per the IP'smentioned) r the IP shown is incorrect.
Back to business, It is very simple, login to your linksys router and go to status tab, u will find LAN and WAN informations, the IP on WAN is the outside interfaces IP. And to do port forwarding, I would roco u to connect a pc directly to actiontec and then do port forwarding again u need to provide a static ip on the linksys as well.

GoodLuck,
x+ GoosyGeek

Answer 4

Go to the linksys's router page.. and go to the status tab and it should give you its IP assigned by the Actiontec DHCP server

Answer 5

http://www.showmyip.com/ will show you your external WAN IP address, if that's what you're looking for.

If there are more layers, you may have to log into your router and check the address it got from outer layer, whatever that is in your case.