Router Help?

[Sufficient]

So I'm using vibestreamer (http://www.vibestreamer.com/) to be able to listen to my music anywhere.

However, atm I'm only able to listen to my music with any computer within my LAN. I can't go to say my university library and use one of their computers to type in 234.567.324.5:8081 into the web browser to listen to my music.

I have a feeling it's because there are 3 computers on my LAN at home (mine + my 2 roommates) ... and when I go outside the LAN and type 234.567.324.5:8081, it doesn't know which of the 3 computers on my LAN to go to. Is this what's wrong?

I'm sure I have the proper ports forwarded. Do I need to do any type of port or ip redirect on my router? If so, how do I do this?

[geekbot]

I have a feeling it's because there are 3 computers on my LAN at home (mine + my 2 roommates) ... and when I go outside the LAN and type 234.567.324.5:8081, it doesn't know which of the 3 computers on my LAN to go to. Is this what's wrong?

I'm sure I have the proper ports forwarded. Do I need to do any type of port or ip redirect on my router? If so, how do I do this?

Yes, this is your problem exactly. By default routers don't let anything in (WAN->LAN) unless it's in response to a request from inside the LAN. Computers do the same- you probably had to open up a port on the server computer. Now you have to open up the port on the router (and tell the router where to send it).

In your router config, find something like "port forwarding". You'll need to add a port and an IP to forward to. The port is 8081 and the IP is the local IP of your vibestream server computer (probably a 192.168.x.x number).

PS. And once it's all working let us know your password so that we can make fun of your music and kill your bandwidth.

[Sufficient]

Yes, this is your problem exactly. By default routers don't let anything in (WAN->LAN) unless it's in response to a request from inside the LAN. Computers do the same- you probably had to open up a port on the server computer. Now you have to open up the port on the router (and tell the router where to send it).

In your router config, find something like "port forwarding". You'll need to add a port and an IP to forward to. The port is 8081 and the IP is the local IP of your vibestream server computer (probably a 192.168.x.x number).

Yeah, the thing is that I'm sure I have forwarded my ports correctly. I have to do so for bittorrent trackers, so I'm sure that part is ok.

Is forwarding ports different from redirection?

I'm also thinking that because I'm using a common port 8081 ... that my provider maybe automatically blocks these common ports?

[Maverick]

You probably need to configure the router's firewall to allow the packets to go through.

I'm also thinking that because I'm using a common port 8081 ... that my provider maybe automatically blocks these common ports?

If you want to make sure that that isn't (or is) the case, put the LAN IP of your vibestreamer in the DMZ zone of your router. It is then completely exposed to the outside world and all traffic (and ports) are forwarded to the device.
You shouldn't make this a permanent solution unless your vibestreamer has a sufficient firewall.

[Sufficient]

The problem turned out to be the blocking of the common ports. So I'm using a different range now and it works!

Too bad vibestreamer doesn't reencode to lower bitrate ... so I basically have to buffer the entire mp3 (essentially dling the song) to play it smoothly.

[Maverick]

alright, good that it works now