Port forwarding on ZTE MC801A 5G router not working

[elarry]

To access the OpenVPN server on my home network from outside, I need to set up port forwarding on the ZTE MC801A 5G router provided by Three. I found the settings in the router settings under Advanced Settings - Firewall - Port forwarding. I entered the LAN IP address of my OpenVPN server, set the port range to the port used by the server, and applied the changes. However, both canyouseeme.org and yougetsignal.com reported that the port was still closed. Restarting the router and my computer didn't help.

I called Three Customer Services. They said that they didn't restrict port forwarding, and advised me to contact the device manufacturer, ZTE. I called ZTE and described what I did. They confirmed that my procedure was correct, and told me that my router was custom-made for Three, so Three could have limited the functionality...🙄 When I called Three again telling them my conversation history, another Advisor said that it could be due to the default Safe Browsing restriction (adult content filtering, of which I failed to see the relevance) on Three home broadband. However, even if they removed the Safe Browsing block, port forwarding is still not working.

This is frustrating - I used to have the same settings on my Virgin Media Superhub 3 and it worked smoothly. I saw a few posts online reporting similar problems on this router. Someone said port forwarding only worked when it was in bridge mode, but I don't have another router and don't plan to have one. Has anyone successfully set this router up for port forwarding?

[spangle1980]

I actually had to subscribe to this forum to THANK YOU ALL for the comments above.  This has been driving me mad for weeks now, and the switching from AUTO -> MANUAL just worked.  I couldn't actually believe it, that DDNS now works 🙂

THANKS SO MUCH

[Valpid]

Guys just tried port forwarding and everything work like a charm.  The key is that you can't reach public ip and forwarded port from the network itself. You need to setup it and check it via other network e.g. your phone with mobile internet (not the same as in router) and it works. But if you will try to do it from router network it will not work!  
A screen shot for my port config:

 

 

[Caz]

Unfortunately, your screenshots is blurry at this end, but I'm glad you managed to get port forwarding working. I've been with a few other ISPs prior to Three, and have never had any  such issues before. 

[Frankygee]

Odd I just spoke to 3 business today as I have a ZTE MC888. They categorically stated 3 does NOT support port forwarding. I mentioned that of the 6 ISP's i have used over the years, none have blocked port forwarding. However the lady I spoke to confirmed from technical that Three as a company do not support port forwarding. In addition there is no second line support for these routers an I should speak to the router manufacturer. I plan to call back as this doesnt sound right but the lady was adment they do not support port forwarding.

[Caz]

I did manage to get the port forwarding working on the same model/router, a few months ago. I only used it in PF mode for about two months and then took a break for three months or so. .. went to set it all up again two months ago, and I have been trying ever since, but I cannot get it working again.

I think Three have maybe blocked ports, or something :(.

[Prydd21]

I have found a way around all this CG-NAT and IP address sharing, without getting involved with anyone who says 3 doesn’t do this or that, I have experienced this issue.

there is a free software “ Tailscale”

it instructs how to set up a raspberry pi as a subnet router, this creates a virtual LAN that mirrors your 3 router LAN because the raspberry pi is always accessible. It acts like a open port in to your LAN and anything connected to your 3 router LAN network is accessible.

I dont pretend to be a tech wiz kid and when the so called experts start using all their abbreviations it confuses me, but I managed to do this and it works.

Tailscale help is very good and I am more than willing to help anyone without criticism.

hope this helps.

[Valpid]

Hi,

I just make it work and I added screenshot  🙂 check my message in main thread. 
Best regards, 

[elarry]

Thanks for following this up and sharing your findings. I happened to use a Raspberry Pi as my OpenVPN server at home, which I tried to access from outside my home through port forwarding. I wonder whether I could set up Tailscale on the same Pi. I'll find out more this weekend and may have to ask for your help if I'm stuck - hope it's OK.

Many thanks in advance!

[Prydd21]

did you find the answer? 
possibly that three share IP address and port forwarding is not possible?