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PermaLINK Firmware Release Notes

Version .662b18 Aug 1st, 2005

Enhancement – TCP “Instant-cutover” When a WAN link is disconnected, TCP sessions normally have retries which cause users to experience a timeout period (a period of hanging.) We have developed a new technology called “Instant-cutover” so that either your session(s) will continue (which is ideal) or you get instant timeout error(s). If you get an instant timeout error, you may click on the refresh button, and all outstanding broken TCP session(s) from that disconnected WAN line will be switched to the other still connected WAN line(s). This will preserve, as much as possible, uninterrupted Internet access for all PermaLINK’s LAN users.

Bug fix – (PRI-682, PRI-684 only) hosting DNS Servers Previously, it was not possible to host a DNS server because all DNS queries were sent to the built-in authoritative DNS server of the PermaLINK. Now, DNS queries are first sent to the built-in PermaLINK authoritative DNS server, and if it fails to resolve the address, then they will be sent to the hosted DNS server (if any, as specified in the Virtual Server Table). So, now you can indeed host a DNS Server.

Version .662b17 July 26th, 2005

Enhancement – PPPoE added Always-ON option

There are 3 PPPoE connecting options under Main Page > Wan Configure > WANx > PPPoE: (Default to – Manual)

1. Manual – Initially the link connects, if the link is disconnected, the administrator will have to manually click on the [Connect WANx] button in the Link Status Page.

2. Dial-On-Demand – It will connect when there are TCP/IP activities from the user.

3. Always-ON – It will connect / re-connect, if at all possible, even if you manually disconnect.

Since the goal is to have fault-tolerant, non-stop, failsafe Internet connections, we highly we recommend the Always-ON option. Version .662b16 July 13th, 2005

Bug fixes – Mixed up between Download & Upload Speed...When WAN speeds are specified, upload and Download speeds are reversed in the Configuration Display frame. Main Page > Admin > Display It is now corrected, as in the display below.

– MX record error (PRI-682, PRI-684 only) fixed in the built-in Authoritative DNS Server. Version .662b15 July 1st, 2005 This is also a major upgrade; highly recommended.

Bug fix – DHCP...one customer reported multiple requests of DHCP done continuously – Alert Email with wrong time-stamp – Multi-Nat did not work with Virtual server, application is for multiple WEB servers – PPPoE…When the line keep going up and down, will cause system hanging problem. Version .662b14 June 14th, 2005 This is a major upgrade to complete the the Bug fix of the immediate previous version .662b13. Highly recommended.

Bug fix – Remote Configure enabled...susceptible to virus attack causing PermaLINK to hang.

Enhancement – Data Monitor; Added Accumulative Session Counter to each WAN so that under the Session and Weighted Round Robin Load balancing the counters will clearly demonstrate the load balancing algorithm in action. If using the Session, the counters will be equal or off-by-one. If using Weighted Round Robin, the counters will be in proportion to the ratio specified under Weighted Round Robin load balancing.

Here we have only WAN3 and WAN4 connected under Session mode load balancing. The Accumulative Session counters are 27 & 27, demonstrating that the Session Load Balancing Algorithm is in effect and operating properly as configured. Enhancement – QoS flag now defaults to selected or checked box for “Disable QoS”. You no longer have to manually do anything to get maximum throughput. http:\\192.168.1.254/debug/qos.htm

This display is the default. Version .662b13 June 1th, 2005 This is a major upgrade, and all PermaLINK users are recommended to update to this version.

Bug fix – WAN link auto-reconnection after a fail-over…(Problem introduced since Version 662b10) When one of the WAN links gets disconnected, the failsafe, fault-tolerant capability of PermaLINK will keep-on-going. Now when that particular WAN line come back online, PermaLINK will gracefully reconnect that WAN line and adds it back into the load balancing algorithm.

Bug fix – (PRI-684 & PRI-682 only) Inbound load balancing WEB page error…

When you are entering DNS Server records:

Let suppose that the DNS record ‘test” is for WAN2. When you click on the Modify button to revise that record, it will return incorrectly WAN1 rather than WAN2 as below:

It is fixed, and the above display is correct. Enhancements – clarify Traffic Load Balancing Mode…

Change Traffic mode to Dynamic Traffic mode because the algorithm is based on a real-time 1 second measurement of the bandwidth loading. The WAN line with the lowest loading will be selected for load balancing. In case of tie, the lowest WAN line, i.e. WAN1 will be selected. You will get the best performance under Dynamic Traffic mode.

Enhancements – Total Session counters are more meaningful for Session and Weighted Round Robin mode.

The Session counters will closely track the total number of sessions. Under the Sessions load balancing mode, the total sessions across the WAN lines will be close to even. Under the Weighted Round Robin mode, the total sessions across the WAN lines will be close the weighted ratio. Under the Dynamic Traffic mode, due to its real-time nature (please see previous section) the Session counter as well as all the other Data counters are static and not real-time so they are not very meaningful in this context. Version .662b12 May 13th, 2005

Bug fix – Main Page > Adminstration > Display: There was a incorrect display in the “Config Show.” When you use Main Page > Access Control > Local IP Filtering. the IP addresses entered in Local IP Filtering show up incorrectly in the the System Configuration Setting.

Enhancement – Main Page > Access Control > Local IP Filtering:

The scrolling Port field character length has been increased from 20 characters to 40 characters.

Version .662b11 April 28th, 2005

Bug fix – DHCP Server, some particular non-routable IP was not supported. Specifically:

LAN IP: 10.61.2.1 Subnet: 255.255.255.0

DHCP range:

From 10.61.2.125 10.61.2.200 would not respond with a dynamic IP request. What it means is that a dynamic PC client would never get an IP address. This was due to 10.X.X.X is a class A IP address class and the DHCP Server’s range limit was 500. Version .662b10 April 22th, 2005

Bug fix – May have connection problem under the following simultaneous conditions:

1. Multiple WAN lines from the same ISP 2. Multiple WAN lines configured using Dynamic IP, i.e. as a DHCP client 3. The ISP is using the same DHCP Server for multiple DHCP WAN lines responding with IP addresses in the same subnet i.e. 2 WAN lines with 192.168.2.100 and 192.168.2.101 The symptom is that the 1st WAN line connects and subsequent WAN line(s) stay “connecting.”

Below is the WAN configuration of a 5 port switch, 1 port connected to a router, and 4 other lines go to WAN1, WAN2, WAN3, and WAN4. All are dynamic IP using the same DHCP Server and are connected. WAN status: 1.IP address : 192.168.123.140 Netmask : 255.255.255.0 MAC address : 00.d0.da.00.06.59 Connect To : InterNet Current status: Enable Healthy Check : NoDefault Type : Dynamic IP Schedule : Disable ------2.IP address : 192.168.123.150 Netmask : 255.255.255.0 MAC address : 00.d0.da.00.06.5a Connect To : InterNet Current status: Enable Healthy Check : NoDefault Type : Dynamic IP Schedule : Disable ------3.IP address : 192.168.123.148 Netmask : 255.255.255.0 MAC address : 00.d0.da.00.06.5b Connect To : InterNet Current status: Enable Healthy Check : NoDefault Type : Dynamic IP Schedule : Disable ------4.IP address : 192.168.123.149 Netmask : 255.255.255.0 MAC address : 00.d0.da.00.06.5c Connect To : InterNet Current status: Enable Healthy Check : NoDefault Type : Dynamic IP Schedule : Disable Version .662b9 April 15th, 2005

Bug fixes

1. TIME – Daylight Saving time is now correct. Previously, it decreases by 1 hour rather than advancing it by 1 hour.

2. DNS loopback – This is a desirable function whereby LAN users can also use the same URLs or global IP addresses to access Virtual Servers such as FTP, Mail Servers….etc. This bug was introduced in Version 0662b6 when the Global IP field was implemented. Previously, this capability was not working when there is an entry in the Global IP field. Now it is fixed.

Please note: WAN1 and WAN2 IP should be your real IPs, not the text string.

Now even with entries in the Global IP fields, PC LAN users can access Virtual Servers using Global IP addresses or URL.

Version .662b8 April 8th, 2005

Enhancements

1. Improved connection retries. If a WAN configuration is using a dynamic IP and the line is dropped, PermaLINK will automatically try to reestablish the connection.

2. Implemented 2 DNS servers for the DHCP server. Now Dynamic IP PC Clients will get Primary and Secondary DNS Servers. For fault-tolerance and non-stop Internet accesses, it is highly recommend that you enter the Primary DNS server of different ISPs into these 2 DNS server field.

Bug fixed

Data Monitor – Clicking on the [Clear Counter] button clears all the WAN lines’ statistic at the Data Counter. Previously, it only clears the connected WAN lines, and statistics from disconnected WAN lines were also included in the percentage calculations. Version .662b7 Mar. 31nd, 2005

Enhancements

Implemented [Backup & Restore] and Display in Administration.

1. You can now back-up 1 configuration file named: “backup.bin” and restore from it. After restoring, you will need to reset the PermaLINK.

2. Display – will display your PermaLINK’s configuration. You may copy the configuration screen text and paste it into a text file or email message. This help tremendously to see exactly how the PermaLINK is configured.

Bug fixed

Inbound VPN PPTP pass through was fixed. This is for the case of VPN PPTP Clients from the Internet accessing a PPTP Sever on a LAN behind the PermaLINK router. The error was introduced in Version .662b4; Version .663b3 worked. Version .662b6 Mar. 22nd, 2005

Bug fixed

VPN fixed, VPN Pass through should be fully working.

Enhancement

Added Global IP in Virtual Server

If we have multiple WEBservers, can we use the new Global IP address in the Virtual Server display as follow: an example:

We have 2 WEBservers that we entered in the Inbound load balancing DNS server.

These 2 WEBservers uses port 80, but have 2 sets of unique global IP and Local IP.

Version .662b5 Mar. 16th, 2005

Bug fixed

Never released; beta version for VPN fix Version .662b4 Mar. 10th, 2005

Bug fixed

DNS Attack may cause PRI-684 and PRI-682 to reset and reboot. Only released for PRI-684 and PRI-682.

Version .662b3 Mar. 4th, 2005

Version synchronization

Same as Version 662b2 but released for PRI-684 and PRI-582

Version .662b2 Mar. 3rd, 2005

Bug fixed

VPN Pass through (Subsequent tests are that it is a partial fix, not complete, still under development) PPTP Pass through Problem Version .661b1 Jan. 7th, 2005

Bug fixed

Special Application: limiting packet with 27000-27100 to WAN1 did not work.

I have ports 27000 through 27100 set to go through WAN 1 only, but it still seems to conform to round robin weights instead. As you can see, here is an instance where it's going through both. That is only one machine trying to connect. When this happens, I get errors with a game called counter-strike running through steam. Steam doesn't like it when it goes through both connections, it will start giving me whats called steam id ticket invalid errors.

Enhancement

Inbound Load Balancing – allow static IP address (when allocated by the ISP) to be mapped to the host on a DNS address record.

Main Page > Load Balancing > Inbound > add

New field for IP address in case you have static IP from your ISP. Version 661 Dec. 29th, 2004

Enhancements

1. Clone MAC Address Show existing MAC address and permit user to change.

Main Page > Advance > MAC Address Clone 2. ToS Prioritizing ToS Packet processing and permit user to specify ToS DiffServ tagging.

Main Page > Load Balance > ToS

Click on Add to insert entries into the ToS List

You may specify ToS as:

Protocol:

TCP UDP IP

with Priority:

HIGH MIDDLE NORMAL Change lists (Started April 20, 2005)

April 20, 2005 –

1. Revised Version 662b7 to added enhancements to Administration

2. Added Version 662b9