MiniPortal: Basic Access Test

MiniPortal's web (and FTP) servers must be accessible from the internet in order for internet users to view your web site.

The Basic Access Test is designed to help you find and fix common problems in running a web server.

The Basic Access Test actually runs 3 separate tests. The results of these tests can be used to make any configuration changes needed to enable web site access.

There are also some other configuration issues to be aware of.

Accessing a Web Site (on your Web Server) from the Internet

Whenever someone who wants to visit your web site enters its domain name (or URL) in a web browser, a number of steps take place before any pages (or 'content') are displayed in the visitor's browser:

  • the name (or URL) of the web site is located (or 'resolved') to an IP address,
  • a request is sent to that IP address on a particular network port, requesting the contents of that URL from the web server,
  • the web server accesses or generates the contents of the URL,
  • the contents are sent back across the internet to the visitor for display in the browser

Although this appears simple enough, it requires that the domain name be officially Registered on the internet, that the domain is supported by a DNS, that the IP address remains valid 'long enough' for the web server to use, and that the IP address is either the same as the machine running the server, or is forwarded by another device (a router) to the machine running the server.

Most of these steps are taken care of when you setup a Trial subdomain name or a domain name. But, the configuration of your computer system and internet connection (ISP access) can require some changes to make web site access possible. The Basic Access Test will help you make any required configuration changes.

Common Access Problems

If a visitor cannot access your web site, it is almost always because of one or more of the following reasons:

  • MiniPortal is not running
  • MiniPortal has not been configured with the Subdomain or Domain Name
  • a Router has not been configured
  • Firewall software has not been configured
  • a Proxy Server is blocking access to the web server port
  • an ISP is blocking access to the web server port
  • the web server is not running on the default port (port 80)

Run the Basic Access Test to help find and fix these problems.

The Basic Access Tests

1. IP Address Lookup

Purpose: finds the 'external' IP address that visitors to your web site will use.

Details: this is the address that your domain (or subdomain) name will have in the DNS. This is the only IP address that can be used by visitors to access your site from the internet.

How the test works: whenever a visitor accesses a web server, the IP address of the visitor is known by the web server (it is just the IP address at the 'other end' of the network connection). This test just displays the (external) IP address of the machine that started the test (i.e. your machine).

Possible Problems:

  • if you are using a router, the router will need to be configured to pass web server requests arriving at this IP address to the IP address of the machine running MiniPortal (the test will display a link to router configuration information)
  • if this IP changes too rapidly, you will not be able to successfully run a web server

Additional Information:

  • if the machine running MiniPortal is directly connected to the internet, compare the IP address displayed to the address(es) listed by MiniPortal (roll your mouse over the MiniPortal icon at the bottom right of the screen). If one of the addresses listed is the same, then this is the correct IP address. If the address(es) listed are different, wait 2 minutes and repeat the test. If the address(es) are still different, then the machine is either not connected directly to the internet, or the IP address is changing too rapidly to use MiniPortal.
  • if the machine running MiniPortal is not directly connected to the internet, then the IP address listed by MiniPortal (roll your mouse over the MiniPortal icon at the bottom right of the screen) is your internal address. Internal addresses often begin with 'the numbers 192.168'.

2. Web Server Test

Purpose: checks that a web server is running at the IP address found above.

Details: this is the web server that will be accessed by visitors using the IP address found above.

How the test works: the test sends a simple HTTP 'GET' request to the IP address found above on Port 80 (or on a different port, if specified). If there is a good response, then a web server is assumed to be running.

The test also sends an HTTP 'HEAD' request to the IP address for the URL '/admin'. If there is a good response, the test assumes MiniPortal (and not another web server) is running.

Possible Problems:

  • if there is no response to the 'GET' request,
    • the machine at the IP address above may not have a web server running,
    • a firewall, router, or proxy server may be interfering with access to the web server,
    • the web server may be running on a port different than the port used by the test
  • if there is no response to the 'HEAD' request, then the web server may not be MiniPortal

If there is a problem, the test will display links to more detailed information about each possible problem.

3. FTP Server Test

Purpose: checks that an FTP server is running at the IP address found above.

Details: this is the FTP server that will be accessed by visitors using the IP address found above.

How the test works: the test opens an FTP connection to the IP address found above on Port 21 (default FTP port). If there is a response, then an FTP server is assumed to be running.

The test also checks if the response is '220 FTP server, ready'. If so, the test assumes the MiniPortal FTP server is running.

Possible Problems:

  • if there is no response to the FTP connection attempt:
    • the machine at the IP address above may not have an FTP server running,
    • a firewall, router, or proxy server may be interfering with access to the FTP server
  • If the response is not '220 FTP server, ready', the test will assume a non-MiniPortal FTP server is running

If there is a problem, the test will display links to more detailed information about each possible problem.

Note: if you wish to use MiniPortal's FTP server, you must stop the other FTP server and then stop and start MiniPortal. Then, re-run this test. You may use another FTP server with MiniPortal's web server, but you will not be able to control the other FTP server using the MiniPortal Administrator.

Other Configuration Issues

Accessing Web Sites from an Internal LAN: some routers do not allow domain or subdomain names to be accessed on the internal LAN from other machines on the internal LAN (that is, they do not allow you to go 'out' to the internet and then 'back in' to the internal LAN). In these cases, the internal IP address of the machine running MiniPortal must be used instead of the domain or subdomain name. The internal IP address can be found by rolling the mouse over the MiniPortal '!' icon in the status area of the system tray (lower-right part of the screen).

Multiple Web Server Installations: MiniPortal can not be run on both a firewall and a system located behind the firewall at the same time if both share the same external IP address.

MiniPortal can not be run on multiple computers behind the same firewall if those computers share the same external IP address.

In both of these cases, the firewall check may give misleading results.