A Microsoft Home Problem - Continued

     There is a lot to be said for the things that Apple has done to simplify home technology, and Microsoft being who they are have also made great strides in this area.  Not long ago I noticed that my home was really moving more and more towards Microsoft's direction.  We have multiple Windows Media Center computers, Zunes, an XBox 360, and also a Windows Home Server. 

     When all of the above items are set up correctly and synced to each other, what you get is a truly connected home that really does just work.  The Xbox can sync with the Windows PC"s and retrieve pics, movies and music to play in the living room, nearly eliminating the need to have a HTPC (although I am going to be building one of those later in 2010).  The Zune, when set up properly will also connect with all of the other items, and all of the items will do it on the wireless net making that rats nest behind your entertainment center just a little less cluttered. 

     However, sometimes, even when things are all set up correctly, things can also go wrong, and to no fault of the end user.  In this case I have run into a small issue, that with my knowledge of the computer industry I can work around but that some other users may not be able to do. 

     First, let me show you my basic home network map. 

     Ok, so there it is.  That is what my home network looks like on a normal day.  However I also have my computer shop down in my basement, so often times there will be a couple more desktops and laptops accessing the network.  And just in case anybody ask, the Laserjet 1300 does not connect directly into the network but rather through an HP jetdirect network adaptor.  The XBox 360 connects via an older Microsoft wireless network adaptor that we purchased for our original XBox a few years ago. 

     Now everything on out network work fine.  Everything syncs with the other devices, our house is enjoying different types of media from different devices in different rooms, and it just works.  Except for that one last thing.  Microsoft Windows Home Server has a cool function that allows for remote web access.  This means when I am out on the road at a customers place and I need to pull up one of their invoices from a few years ago I just get on the Home Server website and download the content I need.  This has proven to be very handy and is something that I use at least once a week. 

     The problem with the Home Server is that in order for it to provide remote web access it needs to have port 80 open on the firewall.  For a normal user who only have a Home Server this is ok, the issue comes in though when one of my boys wants to host a game on XBox Live, which in Microsofts infinite wisdom, also needs port 80 open on the firewall.  Genius hunh?  Now fortunately since I use a somewhat unique router and firewall, all I have to do is drop in another network card, asign it to a different network, put the XBox on that network and turn the firewall off on it and it's good to go.  But I know of another home where they have an XBox and a Home Server and their standard Linksys $50 router from Target will not allow port 80 to be opened up multiple times. 

     I have a feeling that because Home Server is sold at a really good price and because the 360 is still a fantastic gaming system that we will continue to see this problem come up more in the future, and I don't know what exactly to do about it other then to upgrade people to more advanced routers.  The problem with that though is that the average consumer can barely work there way through a simple $50 router as opposed to something like IPCop or something more advanced from Cisco. 

     So if any of you have any low cost, simple to operate solutions that the average consumer can figure out then please let us know in the comments section, as I think there are some people out there that are going to need it.