Summary

A firewall can prevent Laserfiche Web Access from accessing a Laserfiche repository. This occurs when a firewall is filtering the communication between the Laserfiche Server and Web Access. This article explains how you can configure Laserfiche Web Access to communicate with a Laserfiche Server across a firewall.

Resolution

The first step that you need to take is to make sure that the Laserfiche Server has been properly configured. For detailed instructions on how the Laserfiche Server should be configured to be firewall compatible, please refer to the following Laserfiche Knowledge Base article:

1000765 Configuring Laserfiche to be Firewall Compatible.

After configuring the Laserfiche Server, you will need to install the client version of the Laserfiche Firewall Compatibility Component on the computer where Laserfiche Web Access is installed. Once it has been installed, you should turn off the automatic reception of repository connection information, as that information will not contain the correct port information.

Note: The Web Access 7.2 installation automatically installs the client component of the Firewall Compatibility Component.

Laserfiche Web Access will now be able to communicate with the Laserfiche Server using the FCC port. However, Laserfiche Web Access will not automatically detect the FCC port. This means that you will have to specify the port in a repository configuration. Port information can be specified using the following notation: the IP address for the Laserfiche Server, a colon, 1888, two colons, and the TCP port assigned to the Laserfiche Server.

To configure Laserfiche Web Access to access a repository across a firewall

Warning: Incorrectly editing the registry may adversely affect your system. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs.

1. Make sure that the client version of the Laserfiche Firewall Compatibility Component is installed. If you are unsure as to where the installation can be found, please refer to the To locate the client version of the Laserfiche Firewall Compatibility Component procedure below.
2. Disable the automatic reception of repository information.
   1. Load the Windows Registry Editor.
      1. From the Start menu, select Run.
      2. Type the following:

         regedit

      3. Click OK.
   2. Browse to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Laserfiche\Client\Profile\Options registry key.
   3. From the Edit menu, select New and then select String Value.
   4. Set the new string value to "Thunk."
   5. From the Edit menu, select Modify.
   6. In the Value data option, type "0."
3. Start the Laserfiche Web Access Administrator's Utility.
4. Create or edit an existing repository configuration.
5. In the Server field, specify the following information:

   IPAddress:1888::ServerPort

   IPAddress is the IP address specified in the FCC configuration file on the Laserfiche Server.
   
   ServerPort is the port that the Laserfiche Server has been configured to use with the Firewall Compatibility Component.

   Note: Two colons separate 1888 and the FCC port.

6. Click OK.
7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for each desired repository configuration.

To locate the client version of the Laserfiche Firewall Compatibility Component

1. Insert the Laserfiche Web Access installation CD into your CD/DVD drive. The Laserfiche installation menu should appear. If it does not appear, then you should double-click Autorun.exe from the root folder of the installation CD.
2. Select More Options.
3. Select the Install Client FCC option. The installation for the client version of the Laserfiche Firewall Compatibility Component will appear. Step through the installation wizard.

Note: If you cannot find the FCC installation on the Web Access installation CD, then you should use the one provided on the Laserfiche Client/Server installation CD.

Note: The Web Access 7.2 installation automatically installs the client component of the Firewall Compatibility Component. It is no longer included as a separate installation package on the Web Access 7.2 installation CD.

More Information

Only Laserfiche Web Access 7.0.1 or later can take advantage of the Firewall Compatibility Component. If you are using Web Access 7.0 and it needs to communicate with the Laserfiche Server across a firewall, please upgrade to the latest version.

Note: If you are using Laserfiche Web Access 6, then you will only need to open port 1888 on the firewall that exists between the Laserfiche Server (version 7) and Web Access 6. The Firewall Compatibility Component is not needed under these circumstances.