AUTAPF FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Additional support resources

To find additional questions and answers, and/or to ask your own questions, see the AUTAPF Support Forum.

To see a quick example of how to use this program, click Here.

Answers

How do I use this program?

Make sure you follow the below steps very carefully:

  1. Download program.
  2. Run the program.
  3. Examine the user interface.
  4. Realize there is a button titled New.
  5. Press the button titled New.
  6. Realize a new dialog window has come into view.
  7. Examine this dialog window, then think for a while.
  8. Realize the new dialog is a form with settings (entry fields).
  9. Fill out this form (the one which has recently come into view).
  10. Realize there is a button titled OK.
  11. Press the button titled OK.
  12. If the program states a field to have not been filled out correctly, think for a while, then continue from step 7.
  13. Realize there is a button titled Start.
  14. Press the button titled Start.
  15. If the status indicator located at the left side of the list item indicates Error starting, realize there is a button titled Edit, press the button titled Edit, and then continue from step 6 but fill the form out differently when you again arrive at step 9 (that is, if you make it there).
  16. Try using application(s) and/or multiplayer game(s) for which you have set up port forwarding (contact the respective technical support team(s) if necessary (this does not include NetworkActiv)).
  17. If it seems as though the newly set up port forwarding is not working correctly, think for a while, then realize there is a button titled Edit, press the button titled Edit, and continue from step 6 but fill the form out differently when you again arrive at step 9 (that is, if you make it there).
  18. If things are still not working out and you believe you have set up the port forwarding correctly, think about your other network settings and arrangements, fix them if you see fit, then continue from the correct step.
  19. If all seems to work well with the newly set up port forwarding, be thankful.

Congratulations! You have now set up port forwarding.

The Status states Error starting, what's wrong?

This means NetworkActiv AUTAPF was unable to listen on the selected local interface IP address and/or local port.

Follow these guidelines:

  1. Make sure the selected local interface IP address is valid: You can do this on the configuration dialog for the selected entry (right-click and choose Edit). Currently available local interface IP addresses show in the Local interface IP address drop-down list.
  2. Make sure the selected local port is not in use (by another port forwarding operation, another instance of AUTAPF, or any other program(s)). This may be done by going to the command prompt and typing netstat -n -a. By default, the command prompt shortcut is located in Accessories; Windows 98/ME users, click Start, open Run... and type command.com, Windows 2000 (and higher) users, click Start, open Run..., type cmd.exe, and then press the Enter key.
  3. For certain protocols and/or ports, you may need to be logged-on with an Administrative user account.

When running as a Windows Service, any changes I make to the configuration don't take effect. What's wrong?

This is normal.

The nature of this problem is that when you run the program while the Windows Service instance of AUTAPF is running, there are technically two instances running, in which case the later one (AUTAPF started manually) will probably not be able to listen on the ports - since they're being listened on by the service instance of AUTAPF. This would be indicated by Error starting in the Status field of AUTAPF when run manually in this case for those ports which are already being listened on by the service instance of AUTAPF.

When logged-on to Windows through Terminal Services and running AUTAPF as a Windows Service, you may not see the AUTAPF icon in the System Tray, even though AUTAPF is running (as a Windows Service). To be able to configure AUTAPF in this case, you would need to either log-in to the machine via another means (not Terminal Services) and configure AUTAPF, or you would need to stop the AUTAPF service, start the program manually and configure it, then preferably close the program, and start the AUTAPF service again so that the service instance can load the latest settings from the settings file.

Also to note is that the settings are stored in a file named after the executable but ending in .NAS. Be sure that the instance you run manually is of the same executable file as the instance running as a Windows Service. This is the case by default, but if you have installed AUTAPF more than once, it may not be. You can check which executable is run as a service by right-clicking the service entry in the Windows Services Manager (Start->Settings->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Services) and choosing Properties. You can check which executable is run manually by right-clicking its shortcut and choosing Properties. Make sure that they are in the same folder-path and named the same.

When I start the program up, my previous settings are all gone, what is wrong?<

[This entry refers to an older version of the program. This problem should not exist in the latest version.]

NetworkActiv AUTAPF saves your settings when the program is closed via File->Exit, right-click Close, or the standard X. The settings are saved in a file located in the same folder as the executable and so it is necessary that AUTAPF have write access to this location (on normal systems this is always so, but if you are executing from CD or have custom security settings related to file access via programs, you may need to look into this).

Follow these steps so that you don't lose your settings:

  1. Configure your settings and port forwarding operations as you wish.
  2. Close the program via File->Exit, standard right-click Close, or the standard X in the corner.
  3. Restart the program and make sure that your settings are there. If so, your settings were saved.

I wish for the program to be automatically started, listening, and minimized when I log on to my computer. How would this be accomplished?

With service installation (Windows NT/2000 or higher)
  1. Either install the program with the Install NetworkActiv AUTAPF as a Windows service option selected, or run the program and go to Settings->Miscellaneous and enable the This program is installed as a Windows service option (and then click the Okay button).
  2. Start the program (unless it's already started).
  3. Go to the Settings menu, and choose Miscellaneous.
  4. [Old version only] Make sure the check box titled Automatically start previously running port forwarding operations is checked.
  5. Make sure the check box titled Start program minimized is checked.
  6. Additionally, if you wish for the program to startup minimized to the System Tray, also check the boxes titled Show icon in System Tray and Hide taskbar button when minimized.
  7. Press the OK button.
  8. Close the program if you started it via its shortcut (in the Start Menu, in the Quick-Launch, on the Desktop, etc.).
  9. In the Windows Services Manager, available through Start->Settings>Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Services, find NetworkActiv AUTAPF Service in the list of services, right-click its entry and choose Properties and then set the Startup type (on the General tab) to Automatic and press the Start button (on the dialog) if it's not already started (and then click the OK button and close the Windows Services Manager).
  10. The program should now start when Windows boots up, start the previously running port forwarding operations (if the interface(s) and port(s) are available), and minimize itself; All in automation.
Without service installation (such as on Windows 95/98/ME)
  1. Either install the program (choosing to create a start-menu shortcut), or manually create a shortcut to the permanent location of the executable.
  2. Copy the shortcut to your start-menu's Programs\Startup\ folder. This may be done by drag and drop.
  3. If you have installed the program, skip to step number 7.
  4. Right-click on the shortcut and choose Properties.
  5. In the Shortcut tab (default), locate the field titled Target.
  6. Without altering the quoted executable path, append (add to the end (after the last quote)) a space followed by "-NoInstall" (excluding the quotes).
  7. Run the program (unminimize if necessary).
  8. Go to the Settings menu, and choose Miscellaneous.
  9. [Old version only] Make sure the check box titled Automatically start previously running port forwarding operations is checked.
  10. Make sure the check box titled Start program minimized is checked.
  11. Additionally, if you wish for the program to startup minimized to the System Tray, also check the boxes titled Show icon in System Tray and Hide taskbar button when minimized.
  12. Press the OK button.
  13. The program should now start when you log on, start the previously running port forwarding operations, and minimize itself; All in automation.

Can I have AUTAPF forward (redirect) a range of ports?

Not exactly, the only way to accomplish this would be to explicitly create a port forwarding operation for each port in the range. With the later versions of AUTAPF, this can be accomplished more easily via a text-editor and the .NAS settings file. Do note, however, that it's not recommended to have more than several hundred port forwarding operations in a single instance of the program. To do this, first create a PFO in AUTAPF to see the format, and then copy and paste in the text-editor program (after you close AUTAPF). Be sure to include any invisible tabs that might be on the PFO line made by AUTAPF.

Are there any command line options (switches)?

Yes, run AUTAPF with the command line option -? for a list of available command line options.

Are there any known bugs and/or issues?

Yes, there are a couple of known issues:

1. [Outdated] When the program is started, the previous settings and previously set up port forwarding operations are not restored. To resolve this problem, set up the port forwarding operations as you wish, then set up the other settings as you wish, then close the program by choosing File--Exit. When you have done this, the program should have saved the settings and port forwarding operations to the main settings file located with the executable file. Next time you start the program, the settings and port forwarding operations should be restored. If they are not, try deleting the .NAS extension file located in the same directory as the executable, and then proceeding from the first mentioned step.

2. The program seems to not be forwarding the TCP traffic. It seems as though the client connects but never receives the data sent by the server. A known cause of this problem is having your MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) set too high (or not having one set). To resolve the problem, set the MTU of the server system and possibly of the client system to be 1500 bytes or less. Various programs are available for this task, or you may set it directly using the Windows(c) Registry Editor (NOTICE, use the registry editor at your own risk, damage may occur if used improperly, such damage may require you to re-install Windows(c) before the system is again usable). The location of this setting in the Windows(c) 2000/XP registry is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Services \ Tcpip \ Parameters \ Interfaces \ [Interface GUID]. In the GUID subkey of the adapter you wish to modify, create a REG_DWORD Value named MTU (if one does not already exist). Then, set the value of this Value to 1500 (Decimal) for Ethernet / non-PPPoE Cable / non-PPPoE DSL / Other non-PPPoE broadband connections, 1492 (Decimal) for PPPoE Broadband connections (contact your Broadband provider to determine if your connection uses PPPoE), or 576 (Decimal) for dial-up connections. Please note, the system must be re-booted before the MTU setting(s) take effect.

If you find a bug or issue that you believe is missing from this documentation, please notify NetworkActiv.

I have a dynamic IP address, how do I make AUTAPF update when the IP address changes?

With old AUTAPF or with Windows 95

If you have a dynamic IP address, especially one that changes often (such as dial-up), it is recommended that you set the local interface IP address to 0.0.0.0 (or just leave it blank). When the local interface IP address is set to 0.0.0.0 or is blank, the program will listen on all available local interfaces at all times, even new ones that come to be while it is listening.

If you do not wish for clients from other local interfaces to be able to connect, you can set up filters to control access to the server. For security reasons, this may not be enough in some situations and so Windows port blocking or the like may be necessary.

With later AUTAPF on Windows 98 and up

For the local interface IP address and/or for the remote host address, use one of the MAC Address based entries (those ones that look like 1A-2B-3C-4D-5E-6F-00) that show up in the Local interface IP address drop-down list. Copy-and-paste to use one of these for the remote host address (if you use a local interface IP address for the remote host address). These MAC addresses remain the same for each local interface, even when the local interface IP address changes. AUTAPF will continue to listen on the interfaces immediately after IP address change.

How do I install/run NetworkActiv AUTAPF as a Windows Service?

Service Installation
On Windows NT/2000 (or higher than 2000), you should be able to install/run AUTAPF as a Windows Service by downloading and installing version 1.0.0.7 (Custom build 2005.04.04) or newer. While installing, be sure to choose the Install NetworkActiv AUTAPF as a Windows Service checkbox option on the installation dialog.
To run it as a service
When installed as a Windows service, the service can be started via the Windows command prompt with the command: net start AUTAPF . By default, the command prompt shortcut is located in Accessories; Windows 2000 (and higher) users, click Start, open Run..., type cmd.exe, and then press the Enter key.
Automatic service start with Windows start
To have the AUTAPF service start automatically while Windows boots, see the Windows Services Manager, found through Start->Settings->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Services. In the Windows Services Manager, find the service named NetworkActiv AUTAPF Service, right-click it and choose Properties. On the properties dialog, select Automatic for the Startup type and then click the OK button.

Why isn't there an option for forwarding port ranges?

AUTAPF is an active port forwarder. What this means is that when a connection is established to a port being forwarded by AUTAPF, AUTAPF then establishes its own connection to the remote host (that of the forward to host). AUTAPF listens with Winsock on each port of each started port forwarding operation. To forward a range of ports would require that the program listen on each port in the range.

The problem is that most folks wanting to forward a port range are doing so because of old and outdated protocols such as FTP that choose effectively random port numbers in a very large range (usually thousands of ports large). Since each port being forwarded takes at least one thread to run, it would require thousands of threads for such a range (and a very large amount of system resources), but even advanced operating systems such as Windows 2000 and XP only support up to 2000 threads per process, and even if the range were only 2000 ports, there would be no room left for session threads. Regardless, experienced network admins know that having thousands of ports being listened on is not a good idea because things like netstat become very annoying to use.

Recommendation: Either don't use old and outdated protocols such as FTP, but instead switch over to SFTP, or have FTP (either client or server, depending on whether active or passive connections are used) start at a specific port number, preferably in the thousands or ten-thousands, and then have AUTAPF forward a smaller range beginning at that port number, such as a range of 100 ports. Not all FTP software lets you configure the dynamic port number it starts at, so this option depends on the FTP software used.

I am having a problem with it stopping on busy TCP PFOs, how can I resolve this problem?

Try downloading and using the latest available version of NetworkActiv AUTAPF.

NT says that AUTAPF is not responding while running as a service when logging in and/or out, what should I do?

Try unchecking (disabling) the option that tells the program to Minimize on 'Close' / 'X'. This option is located on the Miscellaneous Settings dialog.

How can I make the window not show when running as a service?

Under the Log On tab of the properties dialog for the AUTAPF service, uncheck the Allow service to interact with desktop checkbox. This dialog is found through the Windows Services Manager, available through Start->Settings->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Services (find the NetworkActiv AUTAPF Service in the list, right-click it and choose Properties).

How can I control or create port forwards from an external program or script?

See the explanation on the Common Uses page.