DIR615 Loopback Working (Strange)

Wi25 · 15-01-2011, 07:04

Hi

Just thought I would post my experience and hopefully get some answers.

Had Netgear router, replaced with DIR615 from VM. Firmware 1.00VG (May 2009). Really miffed that the router did not support loopback.

As a secondary school teacher I create many sites for learning purposes but annoyed at having to constantly update the hosts file to test my creations. Even more annoyed that my iPodTouch and HTC Wildfire cannot see my sites internally - especially as I am trying to develop android apps. Even more annoyed that the HTC cannot be used behind a proxy server in school. Tried downloading many apps to circumvent this, including downloading Opera. As Opera is basically a proxy, I thought I would try it inside my LAN at home to view my sites - hey presto it worked. So I downloaded Opera to my laptop to see if that would also allow access, I deleted the references to my sites in the hosts file - hey presto it worked again (but this time in IE!). Now I thought that maybe loopback was working - so I tried the Safari browser on my iPodTouch - again success.

The last time that I tried this was yesterday - and had the familiar "can't do it" screen - or an endless wait in the browser. So something has changed since yesterday - and I am unsure as to what it is. I have not updated any firmware on any item - I need to keep it simple so don't try workarounds in firmware (android or other).

I would like to think that the installation and use of Opera on the HTC was responsible for kickstarting the DIR615 into loopback - but maybe I am just being optimistic. I cannot seem to get back to not having loopback to test the theory.

So far it has worked on all my devices - iPodTouch, HTC, 3 Laptops (Vista, Windows 7) and my desktop (XP).

Has Virgin pushed something to my router? Does Opera kickstart loopback in routers? I am totally bemused - but happy.

My point is - the DIR615 does have loopback - it has suddenly started working without any firmware change - or flashing of ROMs - or any other technical jiggery pokery on my behalf.

It is not the best router by far, it is free, and now that it has loopback, fulfills all my needs. And to think, I was considering complaining and buying a new one only yesterday. Divine intervention or what?

Kymmy · 15-01-2011, 09:01

Welcome to Cabkeforum

I've moved the thread to the correct forum where you should get your answers

qasdfdsaq · 17-01-2011, 23:32

I'm not sure what you mean exactly by "loopback". As a computing term as far as I'm aware it refers to a virtual interface on a particular machine that allows it to access itself. It would have nothing to do with accessing a server on a different machine or data going through your router. Loopback has nothing to do with routers or web pages, at least not in the way you mention.

Can I suggest you try to explain your problem again but completely avoid the use of the word "loopback" and just explain what exactly you are trying to do and what you see as not working.

Additionally it'd help if you told us what exactly you put in your hosts file that "fixes" the problem, since the hosts file cannot have any effect on how your router behaves but might help us figure out what you're trying to achieve.

Also, what results do you get pinging the server and what exactly your web browser says when it's not working would be useful.

zi99y · 23-01-2011, 16:00

Just came across this thread when googling for this exact issue. I also have a D-Link DIR-615 from Virgin Media and use web services on the LAN and externally on the web.

To clarify, what he is referring to (unless I have got it completely wrong) is the ability to access a web service on a public IP from inside the LAN. For example if you have a MySQL server on 192.168.0.50 port 3306 and your routers public IP is 69.32.54.2, once you have forwarded port 3306 so you can access externally, "loopback" would allow you to use 69.32.54.2:3306 to access the server from within the LAN instead of 192.168.0.50 on the same network.

Anyway the reason I signed up to post here is that previously I had not been able to do this, but now it seems to work for me too. I don't know what the change might have been but I just did a factory reset on my router and there have never been any firmware updates to my knowledge. Let's just hope it stays this way.

However, I do notice that accessing sites/services this way is a fair bit slower, I guess it's because of the longer route to access it.

No idea if "loopback" is the correct term - I've heard it called that before but agree it's rather confusing as 127.0.0.1 is called the loopback.

timgil · 04-02-2011, 11:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by zi99y

No idea if "loopback" is the correct term - I've heard it called that before but agree it's rather confusing as 127.0.0.1 is called the loopback.

It is a confusing term - but I think it is correct.... The difference is, the router supports loopback (its a feature) or not. The other loopback is the NAME of an internal virtual interface, the loopback interface.

One is a name of an interface, and one a feature that a router has - two slightly different meanings (although the loopback interface does of course support loopback by definition) for two different uses.

Im going to try my 615 again then, to see if it now works - didnt before which made it impossible to run OpenSim on my home network and be able to access it externally. My old router works fine - but I think its developed a fault as I get random DCs now - had that since before I had my network upgraded but dont remember getting that when I used the new 615 for a few days before I realised I couldnt get loopback working on it.