Virtual
server is a configuration
of a World-Wide Web server that appears to clients as an independent server but
which is actually running on a computer that is shared by any number of other
virtual servers. Each virtual server can be configured as an independent web
site, with its own hostname, content, and security
settings.
Your WAN
interface must use a fixed IP address to utilize the virtual server function.
Virtual server allows clients accessing services such as Web or FTP at your
local site via public IP addresses to be automatically redirected to local
servers configured with private IP addresses. That is to say, depending on the
requested service (TCP/UDP port number), the Router redirects the external
service request to the appropriate server (local at another internal IP
address). For example, if you set the Public Port to TCP/80 (HTTP or Web) and
the Private IP/Port to 10.0.0.8, port 80, then all HTTP request form clients
will be transferred to 10.0.0.8. Therefore, by just entering the IP address
provided by the ISP, Internet users can access the service they need at the
local address to which you redirect them. The common TCP service ports include:
HTTP: 80, FTP: 21, Telnet: 23 and POP3: 110.
DMZ (De-Militarized Zone) is a feature that allows a
computer to be exposed to the Internet by “placing “it outside of the firewall.
This feature comes in handy when playing Internet games that don’t work well
with a firewall. Also, streaming video applications can benefit from bypassing
the NAT firewall security. However, please note that when a computer is not
protected by the firewall it is open wide to hacker attacks. Use this feature
only when necessary.
Note: Once you enable DMZ function, the virtual server function will lose it meaning since DMZ function opens all the ports to the Internet.