FTP and other questions (Thomson 784n -> WDR4300)

[Seketh]

Hope you guys can help me out, I'm clueless about networks. So, I have two routers. The ISP provided router, a crappy Thomson 784n connected through powerline to a TP-Link WDR-4300 working as a switch and Wi-Fi AP (LAN to LAN)

 

I'm trying to access my USB HDD through FTP using a dynip provided by my ISP and it simply won't work.

 

I have port 21 forwarded to the WDR-4300 IP, and I have access using the WDR4300 IP, even when connected directly to the Thomson 784n, but I can't connect through my public IP. I'm missing something here, anyone knows?

 

Also, is having the WDR4300 working as a switch the right option? I have everything (DHCP, Firewall, NAT) on the WDR4300 disabled. Should NAT be enabled, for example? Doesn't seem to make a difference, the Thomson 784n is handling everything, right? A LAN to WAN connection should only be used if the WDR4300 was the only AP, correct?)

[+BudMan MVC]

So your wdr4300 is AP.. your connecting it to your 784n via a LAN port on the wdr4300?  Not using its wan/internet port - you want to use it as just an AP/Switch not a nat router.  This how it would normally be used when your isp device is doing nat for you yes.

 

You need someone to access from the outside - sounds like your trying use nat reflection to access it.  Hitting your public IP from the network your trying to be forwarded into.  Loopback forwarding, nat reflection - not all routers support this - and with the way ftp works it is less likely to work.  Ftp has control port 21 and data channel using port 20 - are you passive or active connection.

 

Here is great layman woke through of passive vs active ftp.

http://slacksite.com/other/ftp.html

 

If you PM me the details I will attempt and see if atleast get the control connection.