This is making us(me and mom) wonder if this might not work right since port 21 has to be open. Due to another SITE, Webkinz that I use and some problems with the site not working right- in the instructions they sent back in an email, one was to make sure port 21 is open. They did not tell us how to check these settings though. So, we have not been able to do this step since we do not know how to do this.
For those that don't know what webkinz is, it's a site that we build websites on, play games, build rooms for our pets we got, chat with others, etc...
Then at the end of the email says if this doesn't work to contact our ISP and make sure security settings on the modem are not set to high. Which since we haven't even checked the settings for the ports, have not called our ISP about this last step of what to do.
Thought of something to add to this. Just now typed in a search for port forwarding to try and UNDERSTAND what exactly this means. Found a site that allows to test ports, and if I click on 21, it says it's closed. Same for the other port http 80 is closed too. Here is the url for the site I found and it tells us our external address at the top of the page, then down the side has DIFFERENT ports to click on. http://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/

So, since we need port 21 to be open for backing up websites, and it's not, looks like the tool for backing up my sites that are on Geocities isn't going to work. http://portforward.com/routers.htmI just went to the site you gave me, but don't understand anything or what to even do at this site.
It says about setting up the router. I thought it already was setup already. If it wasn't then I don't see how we would be online right now. It was bought when we switched from Earthlink dialup to Bellsouth DSL about a couple years ago. It is a wired router running from my computer to my mom's and we have the external modem too that they sent us. My nephew and his dad tried to help get us setup. His dad did the wiring and sense my nephew is better at computer stuff than his dad and has helped others setup the stuff at their homes and stuff did the rest of the stuff. Of course they did run into some problems though and we did have to call a repairman to find out why my mom's computer wouldn't connect and was due to some connector things in the wall not holding together right.
Still don't understand how this has to do with backing up my sites on Geocities that is leaving soon.
Should we call a repairman to help with this or would ISP be better one to call? We don't understand a thing about what all to do here and afraid we will mess something up with our internet since it looks like it has to do with internet settings by a video on Youtube on port forwarding and so many other stuff. What
Ok I just looked at that site and relized that they didnt have the right program there anyways, Try calling the ispBefore calling them, could someone please tell me what exactly to tell them? Like what program it is we need? Don't understand what we are even doing either. So, maybe someone can explain this a bit better. never heard of port forwarding until now. Tell them you need to open port 21 and whyjust checking, you are using a router? And do you know what the brand of that router is?

I have a linksys router and port forwarding is not difficult to set up ... well, at least that's how I get port forwarding to work on my computer I use That will be a problem, they don't help with routers. They keep saying that they only help if you can't get connected to the Internet, and we are connected to the internet.
Yes, it is a Linksys router. My nephew and his dad came and set everything up for us a couple years ago when we switched from Earthlink Dialup to Bellsouth DSL. Only thing is that we did end up having to call a repairman to help get things working because my mom's computer would not connect to the Internet. The modem and the router are both hooked to my computer which is in the bedroom and goes out to my mom's computer and we have it setup doing wired.
I don't even understand what port forwarding is even for in the first place. Could someone explain that to us?


1. Check out this link I listed below, it has instructions on how to configure a linksys router (maybe what you have might LOOK a bit different than what they have because it's either different router model or different router software but should be similar since it's all linksys stuff.)

http://www.dnsexit.com/support/knowledge_base/router/Linksys-2.htm

Note: when it asks you to enter password and uername, type admin as the password and leave the place where you can type in the username empty (that is the default login information if you have not manually changed the login details yourself)


2. Regarding port foprwarding, Port forwarding is letting the router know which ports to forward to which local machine. As the remote machines (usually the ones servicing the server or the website that you are attempting to connect to) do not know about what computers you have connected to your router, if a port is required, port forwarding tells the remote machine where the your machines are. Hopefully this helps, it's just a really short simplistic explanation of port forwarding.
I don't understand why we are needing to do port forwarding anyways? We are already connected to the Internet. We wouldn't be if the router wasn't working. Like I said, my nephew and his dad got the modem and router hooked up for us when we switched from Earthlink dialup to Bellsouth DSL. But then like I said, we had to call a repairman because my mom's computer wouldn't connect to the Internet and our ISP wasn't helping us much on this and kept saying it was a problem with the router and it wasn't. It was a problem with the connectors in the wall.
I did just try to login though and look around though and looks like the hacker has changed the password, maybe even the username too. Both mine and mom's computers keeps having terrible problems with hacking, spyware, viruses, all that stuff.
The only thing I'm trying to do is backup my websites that are on Geocities since they will be leaving soon. I think maybe July 1st. Yeah.... Yahoo is retiring geocities so it will no longer be in service.

There are things you just have to do, and it's not always going to be just simple as just being onto the internet and everything works. You'll need to tell your computer to do specific things at times, port forwarding being one of them if it's necessary. This makes sure computer talks with port properly if it isn't already. A port is open, but some APPLICATIONS may not be able to communicate with that port without port forwarding.


Well, did you check out the instructions from the link I sent? Hopefully you get things to work, sorry you're having so much difficulties. Maybe when the technicians come to your house, ask them your specific questions and have them explain to you step by step what's happening.
After reading more about this my mom is scared for us to do any of this. She is afraid that this is going to mess something up and things are working just fine.
Also is thinking that port forwarding is something we don't want to do in the first place. It says it's for setting up a public service on the network.
What service would this be? We already have our Internet setup and connected all the time ever since getting DSL. We have Bellsouth.
The other thing it says this, so makes me wonder if we don't want to do this after all,
Why no FTP port? First of all, the less ports open, the more secure your home network is from the Internet.
Then the other thing too we are reading on this page too is this at the bottom-
The changes take place immediately and you should be able to access your webserver by typing in the IP number of your DSL or Cable Modem (WAN IP number).
Wouldn't this already be setup though since we are connected? Makes it sound like we are setting up the Internet.

We haven't even called any technicians and don't even know if we need one in the first place. Wouldn't even know who to call since the last ones we called, they did things that we didn't like, so don't want to use them anymore. One of them broke my scanner, and the other one seems to have caused worse problems too. I guess if this is something that needs to be done maybe my nephew can do this since he setup the router when we got Bellsouth DSL.

certainly, don't want to get another problem on your pc in addition to all the troubles already faced. Port forwarding is not really difficult to do but I'd suggest you get your nephew, a technician or someone knowledgeable that can go over and help you in person to do it for you if you are worried.

But as for open ports, if you have a firewall, an antivirus protection software at least, I think you should be okay. I hope everything goes alright for you

And like I said, there are things that you need to do so that the internet knows what you want it to do, It's not like the internet is connected and everything will instantly work without some configurations now and then.