Problems with A/V chat, Cisco 2600 routers and more...

Question

Problems with A/V chat, Cisco 2600 routers and more...

Don't really know where to start...

First some error messages:

2005-11-17 12:38:03 +0300: AA AA did not respond.
Tried to send UDP SIP-«invite» to the following IP-addresses and ports:
172.XX.X.X:1118

2005-11-17 13:33:37 +0300: AA AA svarte ikke.
Tried to send UDP SIP-«invite» to the following IP-addresses and ports:
172.XX.X.X:1308

2005-11-18 08:25:22 +0300: BB BB did not respond.
Tried to send UDP SIP-«invite» to the following IP-addresses and ports:
66.XXX.XXX.XXX:61437, 192.168.100.3:5060

***

I live in rural Tanzania and are trying to help out the local ISP to get AIM/iChat to work properly.

I've made a picture to illustrate the system, found at:
http://homepage.mac.com/nummelin/musoma/PhotoAlbum34.html

I can text chat without any problem.

Cases:

1.) I've had luck in calling up user CC CC within the local ISP using iChat but he failes to call me up. (Not sure if he was succesful in turning off his MAC's firewall.)

2.) The PC (AA AA) in Fig. 1 (found at the link above) have had some success in connecting to me with AV using the AIM client. He's getting the status that we're connected and he can see his picture but my picture is not showing at his end and I just get the message that he didn't respond.

3.) With BB BB I have had no luck with anything except with text messages and file transfers. (Which also seem to be working as it should with all clients.)

4.) Connecting with home (Europe) and the US haven't been a problem, but I've noticed somtimes that I can't invite but the other way around works.

Sumary: Using iChat/AIM A/V within my ISP's net is not working, A/V with users outside of my ISP is working.

Settings:

The Firewall setting of my router can be seen at fig. 2 (same link as earlier.)

All Firewalls have been turned off on all computers (except CC CC where I don't know the status.) when trying to connect with AV.

So, is the problem the cisco routers...?
If so, how to change/check the settings/open up the correct ports?
My ISP have pretty good knowledge of Linux and are of course working with the Cisco router but is not very experienced with it.

The ISP is using NAT, must admit I don't really get what that is.

Anyone experienced Cisco users around here?

Any tips/hints here will be much appritiated.

I'm just a geek who likes how's, why's and because's...

Kwa heri na asante sana!

Posted on Nov 19, 2005 11:55 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 19, 2005 12:42 PM in response to Sthlm gingerbread

Hi Sthlm gingerbread,

There appears to be a Network Translation (NAT) Problem here

How many devices on the Local net are doing some form of NAT (Port Forwarding, Port Triggering) ?

Are you using Rendezvous to talk to local people within the net?

Ralph

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Answer 2

Nov 19, 2005 1:04 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Did you have a look at the illustration of the network? http://homepage.mac.com/nummelin/musoma/PhotoAlbum34.html

Juasun here is AA AA as mentioned in the Cases.

On my router there's only me (my LAN if I have got this right?)

I haven't tried Rendezvous a lot, much due to the poor results...Which I think is caused by user error 🙂. And to communicate with Rendezvous, don't the others have to be on the same LAN?

...and when talking about ISP, what I mean is of course the same ISP provider.

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Answer 3

Nov 19, 2005 1:22 PM in response to Sthlm gingerbread

HI,

In the main page you state the lower left item is the ISP and a PC.

You also state that the ISP is at the top left when you can see the larger view.

IT seems that it uses a wireless network in between. I tkae it you can not contact the top Left directly from the way you have drawn it.

I have read the drawings as that you and the bottom left are on a Local net from the ISP, Top left - Is this right or have I misunderstood the layout ? (although the area is bigger it looks like two computers in the same house through the same modem (top left). )

Ralph

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Answer 4

Nov 19, 2005 1:51 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi, and thanks Ralph Johns

Confusing, isn't it? Ha ha , ok I'll try my best to explain.

It is a wireless system called Relink.

The lower left is the ISP provider and their computer (also called AA AA in my examples) and how it was hooked up when we tried iChat-AIM.

As drawn on the picture my signal goes to my ISP which then forward my signal to TTCL (telephone company) which then provides a physical connection to the internet.

The other customers are connected the same way as I am- Bweri.

TTCL is only providing one single IP for the ISP to share out to it's customers. All customers have a static IP address.

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Answer 5

Nov 19, 2005 2:10 PM in response to Sthlm gingerbread

Hi

Yes a bit like a Apartment block with Internet service but on a grander area scale with the use of Relink.

You say that other people outside this set up you can contact but not out to the Aim servers and back to this other point.

It sounds like the Ports are Port Forwarded to you for iChat (possibly all ports for your Static IP) which is causing conflict with ay you are doing for iChat at your end. (it could be as that this one person is doing two lots of NAT and not you).

You need to find out:
1) If the service to you is NATted ?
2) If you are using a form of NAT to open ports in any device you have ?
3) If the person you are trying to contact is behind two device doing NAT.

Ralph

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Answer 6

Nov 19, 2005 2:28 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi,

I'll have a look at this on Monday then. Finding out about NAT status.

Thanks for now!

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Answer 7

Nov 19, 2005 3:01 PM in response to Sthlm gingerbread

Ok

Ralph

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Answer 8

Nov 27, 2005 3:04 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Used a little different setup today. You can see it here . (Fig.3)

I did some experimenting using Trillian and AIM on the PC with the following results:

iChat-Trillian
Mac-> Pc Video Chat yes
Pc->Mac Video Chat no
Mac->Pc Tlf. Yes
Pc->Mac Tlf. No
Mac-> Pc File transf. Yes
Pc->Mac File tranesf. Yes
Mac->Pc Direct connect yes
Pc->Mac Direct connect kind of...the picture never shows, just the path on the client it was sent from, like c:/desktop/mysecrets/microcraft.jpg

iChat-AIM
Mac-> Pc Video Chat An unknown error occurred
Pc->Mac Video Chat Yes {AOL} is shown
Mac->Pc Tlf. n/a
Pc->Mac Tlf. n/a
Mac-> Pc File transf. yes
Pc->Mac File transf. yes
Mac->Pc Direct connect yes
Pc->Mac Direct connect yes

Trillian is behaving in a similar way from my experiences with other macs. I'll have to try that too of course. What's strange here is how different the PC clients are working. I've also tried switching the IP's on the machines with the exact same results. Is the software the actual problem? I'll just have to get that other mac to find out...arghh, too tired right now Zzzzzzzzz.....

If the service to me is NATed? Yes
and the rest... Well the ISP is convinced that it is the Cisco routers, but having their mail server hacked they are (still) busy figuring that out...

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Answer 9

Nov 27, 2005 3:41 PM in response to Sthlm gingerbread

The Connection Doctor Messages on the Mac end may throw more light on this.

Has the D-Link got UPnP enabled or is it Port Forwarding ?

UPnP would most likely get around any NAT issues with the ISP giving your IP address a NATted service.

If Port Forwarded have you done it for the AIM ports for the PC and the iChat ports for the Mac ?

What are the settings for the Mac Firewall ?
Is t On?
Does it have the iChat ports set up if it is ?

Ralph

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