Log into the server with your credentials: If it works, it’ll bring you to a login screen: If that happens, double-check your settings or contact your ISP. If there is an error, you will get a message saying that your server is inaccessible for remote access. Now we’re ready to test our remote web access. The 2WIRE will not allow simultaneous forwarding, so if you are forwarding either of the two on a different machine, you will need to remove them from that machine and assign to the server. Remember that you will get errors adding the application to the list if you are currently forwarding either of the two listed ports. ADD it to the HOSTED APPLICATIONS list and save. Filter applications by user-made, and select the custom application you just made above.
We’re just interested in the first two options, so select TCP and FROM 80 TO 80, and FROM 443 TO 443 respectively and ADD TO LIST:Ĭlick BACK, select your server name from the list of connected devices (SHARMA-SERVER for us). Again, we need ports 80 and 443 in TCP, so add those in. This will take you to a new page to add the ports, and you can add a custom name to the application. Scroll down and add USER-DEFINED APPLICATION. Therefore, we need to access it first the default IP if you have 2WIRE equipment is 192.168.100.254, so put that in your address bar. Our ISP is unfortunately linked to the awful 2WIRE 3801-HGV Gateway, which doesn’t support UPnP. So if the upcoming router configuration doesn’t work for you (or if you don’t use a router), consider making some calls to your internet service provider if your remote access is denied. Even if you don’t have a router and a straight ethernet line right into your computer, blocked ports are the sole responsibility of your ISP. Some ISP’s will block ports 80 and 443, both of which we need to actually host the server and access remotely. is an excellent resource and will have guides for you to follow for your specific router/network setup. The method of port-forwarding will depend largely on your router. This is the part of the guide that is largely out of our hands.
Even then, Windows Server 2012 will report these exact same errors, but we can ignore them. The way around this is to simply port-forward and set your router manually. This happens if your router doesn’t support Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), something we painstakingly learned using WHS 2011. We want REMOTE ACCESS on, but you can turn on VPN for safer root remote access:Ĭhances are you’ll get this massive error log after you hit next. Hotmail will work just fine:Ĭheck the availability of your personal domain name, and when it’s registered we’re good to go: You will need a Microsoft-based email account.
The alternative is a free personalized domain name, however it will be managed by Microsoft: If you own one, go ahead and add your information.
You can skip the manual router configuration if you wish, but there’s no harm in letting the configuration wizard try automatically. The next screen will ask about domain name registration.
The one area that still suffers from problems though, is the remote access options, so we’ll guide you through that. As you can see, the user interface this time around is extremely easy to understand and navigate, so we’ll let you fine-tune WS 2012 as you like it. We were originally planning to end the guide here, but recalled the annoying quirks Windows Home Server 2011 gave us. Open the DASHBOARD (first taskbar icon on the bottom left also found on Desktop): It’s a great alternative to RAID, but storage-pooling isn’t what we’re interested in right now. If you have used Windows Home Server 2011, Windows Server 2012 Essentials will come as absolutely no surprise to you:Įverything is there, including the much coveted ‘Drive Extender’ feature that is now called ‘Storage Pool’, an unfortunate omission that makes its triumphant return: We are quite impressed with Microsoft’s streamline of Windows Server 2012. SECTION V: CONFIGURING WINDOWS SERVER 2012