ichat av3 in use with at&t dsl and belkin fsd9230-4 router

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ichat av3 in use with at&t dsl and belkin fsd9230-4 router

Okay, it looks like several people have had similar problems, but I haven't seen any with this particular router(not even sure it would make a difference). I am using a macbook, I have the belkin fsd9230 router and a speedstream4100 modem.

Before we had suddenlink a suddenlink cable modem and ichat had absolutely NO problems, but suddenlink's service stank. Now we have at&t dsl, have switched to the belkin router(could not even get my old d-link router to work with dsl AT ALL)and now I'm having these ichat problems. Last Monday I spend all day doing the port forwarding, opening closing ports, etc. NOTHING worked. So finally in one last desperate attempt, I reset the router and used my macbook to set it up. Lo and behold ichat and all the wonderful things it can do worked.

So they worked for a day or two, and now, once again, I am having LOTS of difficulties with it. My av went out first, and today I can not use ichat at all. I have no clue what to do. I'm so frustrated... Help???

macbook, Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Posted on Jul 6, 2007 8:12 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 6, 2007 1:55 PM in response to duckie125

Hi duckie125,

Is this the MacBook that worked before on the other service ?

Does it work if you take the router out of the loop ?

Use these Instructions to at least access the Belkin.

Check all the Menu items to see if it has UPnP. (I can't see it in the pics they do show on that site)

If it does not have UPnP then use the instructions.

9:55 PM Friday; July 6, 2007

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Answer 2

duckie125 Author

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Jul 6, 2007 5:00 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hey there. It is the same computer that I used that connected fine-just not the same router.

I've already been to that page and done alll the instructions, and nothing seemed to work.. Made it a static IP, port forwarded, etc.

If I could get it to work at first, then it stops-is that an indication that my dsl people are not the problem, since it does work at some point? I'm not too savvy when it comes to things like this.

It worked last time I plugged it directly into the dsl modem, but it also worked at first when I had it plugged into the router... I'm just wondering if I could get some insight on things to change(aside from the stuff on the page).. I guess I can just go back through and do it all again... Can't hurt. Thanks!

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Answer 3

duckie125 Author

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Jul 6, 2007 7:17 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Well, my video chat won't work, even if I'm plugged directly into the dsl modem. It worked the other day-but not today. I'm so frustrated with this, it looks like lots of others have had the same problem too, though. Why would it work at first, then not?

I guess the problem is not my router, but if it was, and I checked UPnP, should I delete all the port forwarding I did manually in my router settings?

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Answer 4

Jul 7, 2007 2:26 AM in response to duckie125

Hi Duckie125,

Ok Then you will be getting the pop up that says send to Apple or not.
On the left of this is the Details reveal triangle.
If you use this and drag the window bigger you can see the log itself.
Does it look like the top example on this page ?
http://www.ralphjohnsuk.dsl.pipex.com/page16a.html
(i.e. after the bit that tells you which Error number it is it has blank titles with no details)

The logs are also stored on your Mac in Users/(your account)/Library/Logs/iChatConnectionErrors
Display this in List View to pick by date.

10:26 AM Saturday; July 7, 2007

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Answer 5

duckie125 Author

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Jul 7, 2007 6:37 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

It does look like that error..

And also, last night when I hooked it up directly to the modem, the video chat DID work-I guess I was being impatient with it or something.

But on the router it still doesn't work.

As a side note-I've seen that you've helped so many people on here, thank you so much for your time! I know it's not fun trying to spoon feed people who don't know much, but you definitely are a big help!

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Answer 6

Jul 7, 2007 8:11 AM in response to duckie125

Ok,

Duckie and I have chatted. WE had a successful Video chat without her Belkin.

When we added the Belkin back in it had been set to Port Forwarding and we were again successful. I presumed this is because I am using UPnP.

The call ended though we a 10 second error and we could not add a second Buddy into the Video chat from here end.

We started the call from my end and again could not add a second buddy.

We checked Speeds (and relevant Quicktime and Bandwidth).
Just around 1Mb down and 320k Up

We checked for other settings.
DNS servers were set to Automatic from ISP but she had been given different ones form her ISP over the phone so we changed those.

Initially we me calling we were getting about a minute to a minute and half before the 10 sec error (error 20)

Each change seemed to extend this.

No other computer in the house.
No other Apps running.
nothing out of the ordinary in Activity monitor showing.

At the end before having Duckie go to work we were getting 4 minutes + before the Error 20 showed up.

No sign of DoS, QoS or SPI in any of the menus.
WAN Ping Blocking was turned off and added to the length of time.

Initially the Framerate a=was about 10 fps and stayed there and looked Lighting related.
Speeds looked around 100k and sometimes less in the Connection Doctor a the start but we were getting higher speeds at the end (230k).

Every call ended with error 20 and only the very last was us ending the call before an time limit or quirk in the connection ended the call.

Have changed to Interference Robustness in the Airport card's settings on the Mac.

Plan.
Delete Port Forwarding and go to UPnP.

If anyone has anything they think I have missed please chip in.

4:11 PM Saturday; July 7, 2007

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Answer 7

duckie125 Author

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Jul 8, 2007 7:31 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Well, I deleted the port forwarding and went to the UPnP...

I still get the same error around 4 or 5 minutes into it. Weird!

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Answer 8

duckie125 Author

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Jul 9, 2007 12:56 AM in response to duckie125

My friend and I made it over ten minutes tonight! It almost dropped out twice, but for some reason came back up... We'll see what happens tomorrow.

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Answer 9

duckie125 Author

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Jul 9, 2007 11:40 AM in response to duckie125

It's gotta be something with the router... I have been digging deeper on the internet and reading reviews and whatnot, and apparently for a lot of people, this router drops connection every few minutes for some unknown reason.. I've read A LOT of bad reviews on it. I'm gonna try and get an airport base station express or something.

I talked to at&t this morning and they said that nothing on their end should prohibit the use of audio/video. So I truly believe its the router. Today I've been plugged directly into the dsl modem and I kept an av chat going with one of apple's test names and at 20 minutes finally decided to close it.

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Answer 10

Jul 9, 2007 2:11 PM in response to duckie125

Hi Dukie125,

Sounds like you have done a lot to pin down where this problem actually is.

At least you know
1) your connection works and
2) it is possible through the routers as well but it is not as stable.

10:11 PM Monday; July 9, 2007

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Answer 11

Jul 9, 2007 7:18 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Just checked and I have similiar problem using ATT DSL and Belkin F5D7230-4
This router supposedly can't PORT FORWARD
Is the quick fix to just buy an AIRPORT EXTREME ???

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Answer 12

duckie125 Author

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Jul 9, 2007 7:55 PM in response to admiral_koa

Yup, I think thats the best fix. I would have gotten a different router sooner, but my roommates went and bought this router without me knowing and tried hooking it up, and of course, they couldn't get it. I know a little about computers-they know nothing.

Right now I think the airport express base stations are on sale for $99 or something, and you can get them refurbished for $79... My bday is a week from Saturday-happy brithday to me.

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Answer 13

Jul 10, 2007 12:02 PM in response to admiral_koa

Hi Admiral_koa,

This a similar set page for AIM on a PC at PortForward.com

Although the iChat page says it does not have enough room for the 29 ports you can find the access info on this link.

Try the System items at the bottom of the menu and see if it has UPnP in there.

If not the option would be use the DMZ setting. This would be an ON/Off setting for all the ports to be open to one computer. At this point it may pay to get another router in between for your piece of mind about security.

There of course may be a Firmware update to the version your device has that expands the table to do all the port s in Port Forwarding or adds UPnP if you do not have it.

8:02 PM Tuesday; July 10, 2007

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Answer 14

duckie125 Author

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Jul 22, 2007 10:28 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Well, heres an update... I had a birthday yesterday, and my best friend bought me an airport extreme... Got back in town today, hooked it up, and its amazing how well everything works. My internet pages load much quicker, I did a VERY successful video chat, everything works just fine. Tomorrow morning I'm going to set up my roomies' laptops on it. Not that getting a different router is the best option, but it has just changed my connection so much to the better that I'll never use anything but apple routers again.

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Answer 15

Jul 23, 2007 2:44 AM in response to duckie125

Glad to hear you are sorted.

10:44 AM Monday; July 23, 2007

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