how can I access my server from outside of my lan?

Question

I set up my own debian server at home and I can connect to it via ssh from any computer in my lan, but if I try to do it with my phone ( when using mobile data and not Wi-Fi) it does not work.

When I try using the browser to connect to my server, it times out and says it can not connect to that address.

I went to my router and enabled port forwarding. I set up port range 20-80(so either ssh or http requests ) to forward to 192.168.1.129 (my server ip) and still I get nothing when I enter my external ip address in the browser.

What am I doing wrong?

Solution

To connect from outside your own LAN, you need

a) The external IP address provided by your ISP, which is NOT 192.168.1.129 - that's a non-routing address, and can only be seen from inside your LAN. Use ipchicken.com or similar sites, and find what your external IP address is. ISPs often change those frequently, so check shortly before you leave. The only way you can get a fixed IP external IP address from your ISP is to pay for it, and ISPs charge a pretty penny. Alternatively, you can use a Dynamic DNS Service to translate for you.

b) Open ports through the firewall of your ISP's gateway, or if they only provide a modem, then the firewall in the router the modem connects to. However, leaving a port open is risky, as rogue PCs on botnets are always searching for open ports, so have the firewall use a non-standard port, and forward those ports' traffic to the standard port you have open on your server, using the router's or gateway's instructions.