System and method for accessing a web server on a device with a dynamic IP-address residing behind a firewall

• US 20060274726A1
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Palko, Sakari, Wikman, Johan, Dosa, Ferenc
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4547 for personal communications, i.e. using a personal identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2871 Implementation details of single intermediate entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A system and method for providing access to a web server on an electronic device positioned within a firewall. A gateway device including a gateway server is provided outside of the firewall. The gateway device includes an IP address that corresponds to the same DNS extension that is used in the DNS name of the web server. When a client device attempts to contact the web server through the DNS name, the request is transmitted to the gateway server, which in turn communicates with the web server.

Claims

1. A method of providing access to a web server on an electronic device residing behind a firewall, comprising:

having a gateway server positioned outside of the firewall, the gateway server possessing an IP address corresponding to a predetermined DNS extension, wherein the DNS name of the web server includes the predetermined DNS extension;

upon a client device attempting to contact the electronic device using the DNS name, having the gateway server receive the contact attempt and information contained therein; and

having the gateway server transmit the information included in the contact attempt to the web server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

having the gateway server receive response information from the web server; and

having the gateway server relay the response information to the client device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon the gateway server receiving the contact attempt and information contained therein, determining whether the web server has an open connection with the gateway server; and

if the web server does not have an open connection with the gateway server, transmitting an error reply to the client device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gateway server and the web server communicate through a specific port separate from a port used by the client device to communicate with the gateway server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before having the gateway server transmit the information included in the contact attempt to the web server:

having the electronic device attempt to open a socket with the gateway server using a web port,

if the electronic device cannot open the socket, having the electronic device open an HTTP connection to the gateway server,

transmitting a HTTP request using a particular URL to the gateway server from the electronic device;

having the gateway server create an additional incoming socket using an additional port;

informing the electronic device of the number of the additional port;

having the electronic device attempt to open a socket with the gateway server using the additional port; and

continuing to have the electronic device attempt to open a socket with the gateway server using additional ports until successful.

6. A system for providing access to a web server through a firewall, comprising:

an electronic device located behind the firewall and including the web server, the web server having a DNS with a predetermined DNS extension; and

a gateway device outside of the firewall and including a gateway server, the gateway server having an IP address corresponding to the DNS extension,

wherein, when a client device attempts to contact the electronic device using the DNS name, the gateway server receives the contact attempt and information contained therein, the gateway server transmitting the information included in the contact attempt to the web server.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the gateway server receive response information from the web server and relays the response information to the client device.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the gateway server and the web server communicate through a specific port separate from a port used by the client device to communicate with the gateway server.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein when the gateway server receives the contact attempt and information contained therein, the gateway server determines whether the web server has an open connection with the gateway server and transmits an error reply to the client device is there is no open connection.

10. A computer program product for providing access to a web server through a firewall, comprising:

computer code for providing a gateway server on a gateway device, the gateway server having an IP address corresponding to a DNS extension;

computer code for receiving a contact attempt from a client device for an electronic device behind the firewall, the electronic device having a DNS name including the DNS extension; and

computer code for transmitting the information included in the contact attempt to the web server on the electronic device.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

computer code for receiving response information from the web server; and

computer code for relaying the response information to the client device.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

computer code for, after receiving the contact attempt and information contained therein, determining whether the web server has an open connection with the gateway server; and

computer code for, if the web server does not have an open connection with the gateway server, transmitting an error reply to the client device.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the gateway server and the web server communicate through a specific port separate from a port used by the client device to communicate with the gateway server.

14. A gateway device for providing communication through a firewall to a web server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit operatively connected to the processor, the memory unit including;

computer code for providing a gateway server on the gateway device, the gateway server having an IP address corresponding to a DNS extension;

computer code for receiving a contact attempt from a client device for a mobile electronic device behind the firewall, the mobile electronic device having a DNS name including the DNS extension; and

computer code for transmitting information included in the contact attempt to the web server on the electronic device.

15. The gateway device of claim 14, wherein the memory unit further comprises:

computer code for receiving response information from the web server; and

computer code for relaying the response information to the client device.

16. The gateway device of claim 14, wherein the memory unit further comprises:

computer code for, after receiving the contact attempt and information contained therein, determining whether the web server has an open connection with the gateway server; and

computer code for, if the web server does not have an open connection with the gateway server, transmitting an error reply to the client device.

17. The gateway device of claim 14, wherein the gateway server and the web server communicate through a specific port separate from a port used by the client device to communicate with the gateway server.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit operatively connected to the processor and including;

computer code for providing a web server on the electronic device;

computer code for designating the electronic device with a DNS name having a predetermined DNS extension, the DNS extension corresponding to an IP address for a gateway server outside of a firewall within which the electronic device is located;

computer code for receiving a information included in a contact attempt from a client device outside of the firewall, the information being transmitted through the gateway server to the web server.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the memory unit further comprises computer code for transmitting response information to the gateway server, the gateway server relaying the response information to the client device.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the gateway server and the web server communicate through a specific port separate from a port used by the client device to communicate with the gateway server.

21. A computer program product for enabling communication with a client device outside of a firewall, comprising:

computer code for providing a web server on a electronic device;

computer code for designating the electronic device with a DNS name having a predetermined DNS extension, the DNS extension corresponding to an IP address for a gateway server outside of a firewall within which the electronic device is located;

computer code for receiving a information included in a contact attempt from a client device outside of the firewall, the information being transmitted through the gateway server to the web server.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising:

computer code for attempting to open a socket with the gateway server from the electronic device using a web port;

computer code for, if the electronic device cannot open the socket;

opening an HTTP connection to the gateway server from the electronic device,

transmitting an HTTP request using a particular URL to the gateway server from the electronic device; and

upon receiving a number for an additional port from the gateway server in response to the HTTP request, attempting to open a socket with the gateway server from the electronic device using the additional port; and

computer code for continuing to attempt to open a socket with the gateway server from the electronic device using additional ports until successful.