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

• US 8,190,773 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Wikman, Johan, Dosa, Ferenc, Palko, Sakari
• Primary Examiner(s): Swearingen, Jeffrey R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US11/144,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20060274726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,552 Days
• Field of Search: 370229-230, 726 11- 14, 726 25- 27, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/245
• 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 comprising:

receiving, at a gateway server outside of a firewall from a mobile device behind the firewall, a request to open a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) connection using a first port;

receiving, in a request from the mobile device over the HTTP connection, information indicating that a second port cannot be used;

creating a socket using a third port in response to the received information indicating that the second port cannot be used;

transmitting an indicator of the third port to the mobile device in an HTTP reply;

receiving, at the gateway server from a client device, a request for information from a web server;

transmitting the request for information to the mobile device over a connection created by opening the created socket;

receiving a reply to the transmitted request from the mobile device;

forwarding the reply from the mobile device to the client device; and

subsequent to receipt of the information indicating that the second port cannot be used and prior to creating the socket using the third port;

(a) creating a socket using a fourth port;

(b) transmitting an indicator of the fourth port to the mobile device in an HTTP reply;

(c) receiving, in a request from the mobile device over the HTTP connection, information indicating that a fourth port cannot be used; and

(d) repeating (a) through (c) with regard to additional ports.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the gateway server corresponds to a predetermined Domain Name System (DNS) extension, and wherein the request for information received from the client device is an HTTP request including a DNS name corresponding to the mobile device in a host field, and wherein the DNS name includes the predetermined DNS extension.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for information received from the client device and the forwarded reply are communicated using a port other than the third port.

4. A memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to perform operations, said operations comprising:

receiving, at a gateway server outside of a firewall from a mobile device behind the firewall, a request to open a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) connection using a first port;

receiving, in a request from the mobile device over the HTTP connection, information indicating that a second port cannot be used;

creating a socket using a third port in response to the received information indicating that the second port cannot be used;

transmitting an indicator of the third port to the mobile device in an HTTP reply;

receiving, at the gateway server from a client device, a request for information from a web server;

transmitting the request for information to the mobile device over a connection created by opening the created socket;

receiving a reply to the transmitted request from the mobile device;

forwarding the reply from the mobile device to the client device; and

subsequent to receipt of the information indicating that the second port cannot be used and prior to creating the socket using the third port;

(a) creating a socket using a fourth port;

(b) transmitting an indicator of the fourth port to the mobile device in an HTTP reply;

(c) receiving, in a request from the mobile device over the HTTP connection, information indicating that a fourth port cannot be used; and

(d) repeating (a) through (c) with regard to additional ports.

5. The memory of claim 4, wherein an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the gateway server corresponds to a predetermined Domain Name System (DNS) extension, and wherein the request for information received from the client device is an HTTP request including a DNS name corresponding to the mobile device in a host field, and wherein the DNS name includes the predetermined DNS extension.

6. The memory of claim 4, wherein the request for information received from the client device and the forwarded reply are communicated using a port other than the third port.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a gateway server having a controller configured to;

receive, when the gateway server is outside of a firewall and from a mobile device behind the firewall, a request to open a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) connection using a first port,

receive, in a request from the mobile device over the HTTP connection, information indicating that a second port cannot be used,

create a socket using a third port in response to the received information indicating that the second port cannot be used,

transmit an indicator of the third port to the mobile device in an HTTP reply,

receive, from a client device, a request for information from a web server,

transmit the request for information to the mobile device over a connection created by opening the created socket,

receive a reply to the transmitted request from the mobile device,

forward the reply from the mobile device to the client device, and

subsequent to receipt of the information indicating that the second port cannot be used and prior to creating the socket using the third port,

(a) create a socket using a fourth port,

(b) transmit an indicator of the fourth port to the mobile device in an HTTP reply,

(c) receive, in a request from the mobile device over the HTTP connection, information indicating that a fourth port cannot be used, and

(d) repeat (a) through (c) with regard to additional ports.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the gateway server corresponds to a predetermined Domain Name System (DNS) extension, and wherein the request for information received from the client device is an HTTP request including a DNS name corresponding to the mobile device in a host field, and wherein the DNS name includes the predetermined DNS extension.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the request for information received from the client device and the forwarded reply are communicated using a port other than the third port.

10. A method comprising:

attempting, from a mobile device behind a firewall, to open a socket at a gateway server outside the firewall using a second port;

in response to failure of the attempt to open the socket using the second port, opening a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) connection to the gateway server using a first port;

sending information to the gateway server, over the opened HTTP connection, indicating that the second port cannot be used;

receiving an HTTP reply from the gateway server in response to the sent information, the HTTP reply including an indicator of a third port;

opening a socket at the third port and creating a second connection;

receiving, from the gateway server over the second connection, a relayed request from a client device for information from a web server running on the mobile device;

transmitting a reply to the relayed request to the gateway server; and

subsequent to sending information to the gateway server indicating that the second port cannot be used and prior to receiving the HTTP reply including the indicator of the third port;

(a) creating a socket using a fourth port;

(b) receiving an HTTP reply from the gateway server including an indicator of the fourth port;

(c) sending information to the gateway server indicating that the fourth port cannot be used; and

(d) repeating (a) through (c) with regard to additional ports.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobile device is one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a combination mobile telephone and PDA, or an integrated messaging device.

12. A memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to perform operations, said operations comprising:

attempting, from a mobile device behind a firewall, to open a socket at a gateway server outside the firewall using a second port;

in response to failure of the attempt to open the socket using the second port, opening a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) connection to the gateway server using a first port;

sending information to the gateway server, over the opened HTTP connection, indicating that the second port cannot be used;

receiving an HTTP reply from the gateway server in response to the sent information, the HTTP reply including an indicator of a third port;

opening a socket at the third port and creating a second connection;

receiving, from the gateway server over the second connection, a relayed request from a client device for information from a web server running on the mobile device;

transmitting a reply to the relayed request to the gateway server; and

subsequent to sending information to the gateway server indicating that the second port cannot be used and prior to receiving the HTTP reply including the indicator of the third port, additional operations comprising;

(a) creating a socket using a fourth port;

(b) receiving an HTTP reply from the gateway server including an indicator of the fourth port;

(c) sending information to the gateway server indicating that the fourth port cannot be used; and

(d) repeating (a) through (c) with regard to additional ports.

13. The memory of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a combination mobile telephone and PDA, or an integrated messaging device.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a mobile device including a controller configured to;

attempt, when the mobile device is behind a firewall, to open a socket at a gateway server outside the firewall using a second port,

in response to failure of the attempt to open the socket using the second port, open a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) connection to the gateway server using a first port,

send information to the gateway server, over the opened HTTP connection, indicating that the second port cannot be used,

receive an HTTP reply from the gateway server in response to the sent information, the HTTP reply including an indicator of a third port,

open a socket at the third port and create a second connection,

receive, from the gateway server over the second connection, a relayed request from a client device for information from a web server running on the mobile device,

transmit a reply to the relayed request to the gateway server, and

subsequent to sending information to the gateway server indicating that the second port cannot be used and prior to receiving the HTTP reply including the indicator of the third port,

(a) create a socket using a fourth port,

(b) receive an HTTP reply from the gateway server including an indicator of the fourth port,

(c) send information to the gateway server indicating that the fourth port cannot be used, and

(d) repeat (a) through (c) with regard to additional ports.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the mobile device is one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a combination mobile telephone and PDA, or an integrated messaging device.