Being very new, my first post was on the welcome introductions and my second was to ask for technical support. The second one didn't appear (moderated?) which is OK because I fixed the problem and want to share this fix. I'm not sure if I said something in my original post to break the rules or offend anyone (sorry BT and Linksys support if I flamed you!).
Anyway the technical issue at hand is all over the internet forums: when BT provide a bundle of 5 external static IP addresses to a business customer, using PPPOA, nobody can work out how to actually get them to connect. Calling BT and Online chatting with Linksys doesn't always help. Here is the solution. BT give a block of 5 static IP addresses: e.g. abc.123.def.30 to .34 - they may not tell you but you also get 29, 35 and 36.
Step 1) Connect your ADSL modem / router to BT using PPPOA, your username and password. This gives a dynamic external IP address.
2) Turn off NAT on your modem / router.
3) Set the LAN interface address to the IP address BEFORE the first of the 5 you are given (e.g. abc.123.def.29).
4) Set the LAN gateway address to the IP address AFTER the last of the 5 you are given (e.g. abc.123.def.35).
5) Set the LAN network mask to 255.255.255.248 - because you have a block of 8 IP addresses, 5 of which are for your internal devices to use as their IP address.
6) Connect the WAN port of a DSL router to one of the ports on your ADSL modem / router.
7) Set your DSL WAN settings to an IP address out of your block of 5 (e.g. abc.123.def.30).
8) Set up your internal LAN settings on the DSL router in the usual way (e.g. 192.168.1.1 / net mask 255.255.255.0). Plug your computers into the DSL router, and use port forwarding to direct incoming traffic to e.g. abc.123.def.30 to a computer on your internal network.
9) You can also connect other computers, CCTV machines and other DSL routers into your ADSL modem / router ports - just remember to give each of these devices one of your 5 external static IP addresses. They too will be accessible from the internet, but remember if they are computers or servers they will also be outside your DSL router with it's built in firewall - hopefully the firewall on your ADSL modem / router will be strong enough.
I can't give any warranty with this advice - and if anyone wants to contribute to the discussion / has a better idea please contribute here ...
Anyway the technical issue at hand is all over the internet forums: when BT provide a bundle of 5 external static IP addresses to a business customer, using PPPOA, nobody can work out how to actually get them to connect. Calling BT and Online chatting with Linksys doesn't always help. Here is the solution. BT give a block of 5 static IP addresses: e.g. abc.123.def.30 to .34 - they may not tell you but you also get 29, 35 and 36.
Step 1) Connect your ADSL modem / router to BT using PPPOA, your username and password. This gives a dynamic external IP address.
2) Turn off NAT on your modem / router.
3) Set the LAN interface address to the IP address BEFORE the first of the 5 you are given (e.g. abc.123.def.29).
4) Set the LAN gateway address to the IP address AFTER the last of the 5 you are given (e.g. abc.123.def.35).
5) Set the LAN network mask to 255.255.255.248 - because you have a block of 8 IP addresses, 5 of which are for your internal devices to use as their IP address.
6) Connect the WAN port of a DSL router to one of the ports on your ADSL modem / router.
7) Set your DSL WAN settings to an IP address out of your block of 5 (e.g. abc.123.def.30).
8) Set up your internal LAN settings on the DSL router in the usual way (e.g. 192.168.1.1 / net mask 255.255.255.0). Plug your computers into the DSL router, and use port forwarding to direct incoming traffic to e.g. abc.123.def.30 to a computer on your internal network.
9) You can also connect other computers, CCTV machines and other DSL routers into your ADSL modem / router ports - just remember to give each of these devices one of your 5 external static IP addresses. They too will be accessible from the internet, but remember if they are computers or servers they will also be outside your DSL router with it's built in firewall - hopefully the firewall on your ADSL modem / router will be strong enough.
I can't give any warranty with this advice - and if anyone wants to contribute to the discussion / has a better idea please contribute here ...
