ASUS DSL-N16 Router: Localhost Connection Issue with Stand-alone PHP Web Server

ASUS DSL-N16 Router: Localhost Connection Issue with Stand-alone PHP Web Server

If you have started using the ASUS DSL-N16 model router recently and are facing issues connecting to a stand-alone PHP web server running on "127.0.0.1:88" to receive "server time", this article will provide detailed context and a solution for the problem.

Identifying the Issue

After setting up a stand-alone PHP web server on your local machine, you might run into an issue where the ASUS DSL-N16 router fails to connect or establish a proper connection to the server when attempting to access it via the localhost address. This issue may cause subsequent requests to the server to fail, resulting in the inability to obtain server time or any other data hosted on the server.

Possible Causes

The issue could be caused by a number of factors, including: - Misconfiguration of the PHP web server - Firewall settings on your local machine blocking requests from the router - Router settings preventing proper connection establishment

Troubleshooting Steps

To resolve the issue, follow these steps:

1. Ensure that the PHP web server is running and configured correctly.
   php -S 127.0.0.1:88

2. Check your local machine's firewall settings to confirm that incoming requests from your router on port 88 are not being blocked.
   sudo ufw allow from 192.168.1.1 to any port 88
   (Replace 192.168.1.1 with your router's IP address)

3. Access the router's admin panel and check the following settings:

   • Firewall: Make sure that no rules are blocking incoming traffic on port 88.

   • Port Forwarding: Set up port forwarding for the router, directing incoming traffic on port 88 to the local machine running the PHP web server.
     WAN > Virtual Server/Port Forwarding > Add new entry
Service Name: PHP Server
Server IP Address: (Local Machine IP Address)
External Port: 88
Internal Port: 88
Protocol: Both
Schedule: Always

References:

• ASUS DSL-N16 Router Manual
• PHP Stand-alone Web Server
• UFW Firewall Setup