Hi, I am an ACT! consultant and I am looking for advice regarding general router configuration settings. I frequently configure ACT! to allow synchronization between different machines, either across the local network or over the internet. To sync over the internet it is necessary to forward a port (say default port 65100) from the Ext IP of the router to the static IP of the ACT! server machine. In many cases the internet sync settings allow a user to sync both inside the company network and from an external internet connection. In some (infrequent) cases the internet configuration will only allow sync from an external internet connection but will not work from within the local network unless the settings are reconfigured. Is there a general router setting that allows / disallows such a connection or is this a restraint built into specific routers. If it is the former I would appreciate information on how to set the router to allow an internal connection from the internet through the router back to the database server.

Any input will be much appreciated,

Colin Gillie

It depends on the manufacture of the router. Specifically netopia routers will generally cause the issue with the no sync inside without more configuration. Netopia's have quite a few tools but they have to be configured precisely. Linksys, dlink, and (I think) Buffalo routers will forward with out much hassle. Depending on the model of router Cisco might or might not.