NAT issue using 3G modem

Questions? Suggestions? Need help? Talk about anything related to Yawcam...
Post Reply
Jmckinley
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:31 am

NAT issue using 3G modem

Post by Jmckinley »

I have a remote pc using a 3g modem that I want to support live streaming from.

Unfortunately, the IP address the PC sees is not one that I can use to gain access to the stream remotely, due to the NAT table of the wireless carrier.

NOTE: a dynamic DNS service is NOT the solution for this (thanks in advance).

We can use a VPN, but that is a pretty heavyweight solution. I was wondering if I can get YAWCAM to "publish" the stream to a server that we would then have someone access.

Even if I can force yawcam to locally record video upon motion, I can make that work - any prior work done here?

Other ideas/implementations/suggestions appreciated!
z3r0c00l12
Moderator
Posts: 1210
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:50 am

Post by z3r0c00l12 »

Ok, so let's make it a bit clearer for others to be able to troubleshoot properly.

1) The 3G modem works?

2) You have an IP address?

3) You can access the internet through the modem?

4) You have no other way to connect to the internet but the modem?

5) Yawcam is running locally on the PC with the modem?

6) You don't have a firewall blocking yawcam? or simply not allowing it through properly?

7) NAT Table of the wireless carrier? Please explain this one.

8 ) Have you tried other services through the modem such as HTTP, FTP, telnet server through the modem?

9)The port you are using for yawcam is blocked by your ISP (Wireless carrier)?

If you can maybe draw a picture of the topology you are working with it might help. Such as :
YawcamPC ))))) WC-----Internet------PC
or maybe you have something different like :
YawcamPC---PC )))) WC-----Internet-----Router-----PC

Legend :
)))= wireless transmission
----= wired transmission

If you want to "publish" the best way is most likely, uploading pictures to a server using FTP (built-in to yawcam) and have a script update an html page on the server.

z3r0c00l12
Jmckinley
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:31 am

Post by Jmckinley »

First, thanks for reaching out!

See in-line answers

1) The 3G modem works?

Yes, all web browsing works fine

2) You have an IP address?

Yes

3) You can access the internet through the modem?

Yes

4) You have no other way to connect to the internet but the modem?

Yes, it is the only connectivity

5) Yawcam is running locally on the PC with the modem?

Yes

6) You don't have a firewall blocking yawcam? or simply not allowing it through properly?

No firewall blocking it on the PC (which is a Vista box)

7) NAT Table of the wireless carrier? Please explain this one.

The Network Address Translation (NAT) means that in the network infrastructure, the carrier translates the IP address I see on the PC is different from the IP address seen by the external world. The NAT table handles the "housekeeping" to map the IP addresses.

8 ) Have you tried other services through the modem such as HTTP, FTP, telnet server through the modem?

Anything where I, as the remote node, initiate a session to a service works just fine.

9)The port you are using for yawcam is blocked by your ISP (Wireless carrier)?

Issue is more fundamental: I cannot even do a basis ping of the IP address that the 3g-based PC displays.

If you can maybe draw a picture of the topology you are working with it might help. Such as :
YawcamPC ))))) WC-----Internet------PC
or maybe you have something different like :
YawcamPC---PC )))) WC-----Internet-----Router-----PC

1 Yawcam (USB-based camera on a Vista machine
2 3G card from Virigin Wireless (USA)
3 Web
4 DSL-connected PC trying to access the Yawcam, using the IP address of the 3G-Connected PC

FYI, we have a good solution for pushing the JPGs up to the server, and that works just fine over the 3G modem. It is trying to access the live stream that is killing me!
z3r0c00l12
Moderator
Posts: 1210
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:50 am

Post by z3r0c00l12 »

Ok, now this brings us to the point, where you may not be able to do this. I will still try to help you solve this, but I have a feeling your wireless carrier's NAT will be blocking everything you try, meaning your ISP might be using a single public address for all subscribers to their 3G service. You may be able to run a VPN connection from there, allowing people within your VPN to stream without the hassle of your ISP. A good example of this is a mesh network setup using Hamachi.

1) What you can try to find out if you will be able to view the stream, is visit any website that displays your public IP address, such as WhatIsMyIP.

Once you have this IP, try having the DSL PC connect to yawcam using this Public IP address. You will use the address as http://[public-ip]:[port]

2) You mentionned you use Vista, I would like to know if you have the windows firewall disabled.

3) Is the IP address of the 3G modem a public address or a private IP address?

Private ip addresses range from :
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

4) You mentioned not being able to ping your 3G ip address, which might mean, you either have a private ip address, a firewall or your ISP's NAT is blocking it. Yet again, once you obtain your public ip address, you might be able to ping it.

z3r0c00l12
Jmckinley
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:31 am

Follow up

Post by Jmckinley »

Thanks - see in-line answers.

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 9:36 pm Post subject:
Ok, now this brings us to the point, where you may not be able to do this. I will still try to help you solve this, but I have a feeling your wireless carrier's NAT will be blocking everything you try, meaning your ISP might be using a single public address for all subscribers to their 3G service. You may be able to run a VPN connection from there, allowing people within your VPN to stream without the hassle of your ISP. A good example of this is a mesh network setup using Hamachi.

1) What you can try to find out if you will be able to view the stream, is visit any website that displays your public IP address, such as WhatIsMyIP.

Once you have this IP, try having the DSL PC connect to yawcam using this Public IP address. You will use the address as http://[public-ip]:[port]

Thanks - tried that exact thing early on - no luck

2) You mentionned you use Vista, I would like to know if you have the windows firewall disabled.

Yes

3) Is the IP address of the 3G modem a public address or a private IP address?

Private ip addresses range from :
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

Was a public IP address

4) You mentioned not being able to ping your 3G ip address, which might mean, you either have a private ip address, a firewall or your ISP's NAT is blocking it. Yet again, once you obtain your public ip address, you might be able to ping it

Pinging what the PC thinks is its public IP didn't work.

Thanks for the help - I think VPN is the only fallback, unless people have found a way to either:

1. Publish the MPEG, just like you can with JPEGs in YAWCAM

2. Find a way to capture the stream to a local file, where my other bits can then upload it (not a "live" stream, but even a 30 sec clipfrom the prior minute or two would be fine).

Regards,
J
malun
Site Admin
Posts: 1589
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2004 1:29 pm

Post by malun »

There is no way of pushing the video stream from Yawcam to an intermediate streaming server. This might be something to thing about for future versions...

You might want to try something called yoics:
http://www.yoics.com/

Instructions for yawcam here:
http://www.yoics.com/2008/05/yawcamyoic ... le-webcam/

Not sure if this is what you are looking for though...

/malun
aiib
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2022 12:29 am

Re: NAT issue using 3G modem

Post by aiib »

Is there a solution for this problem?
If so I would love to hear!
Post Reply