I've install a simple k8s cluster (v1.8.6) on AWS using Kops. Uing helm I installed the nginx-ingress and external-dns packages the create created simple test deployment. All pods, services, and ingresses appear correct. A DNS entry, in Route53, is created for the deployment. From a node:

curl helloworld.k8s.example.net returns 'Connection refused'.

While curl -H "HOST: helloworld.k8s.example.net" localhost:32595 returns the correct content. Port 32595 is the NodePort of ingress controller service.

Using tcpdump on the node, and calling the first curl command from outside the cluster I can see traffic coming in, but the only answer is connection refused.

What might be preventing the traffic from reaching the ingress controller?