Video chat works on AIM but not iChat

Question

Video chat works on AIM but not iChat

I'm trying to do a video chat with my dad who is running AIM 5.9. I can not create a video chat with him using iChat regardless of who initiates the chat. However, I can video chat with him when I fire up AIM 5.9 on my PC.

I think things are set up correctly on my side. I had been unable to video chat with rjinwipc, but got that working after updating the firmware on my DI-624 router.

Does the fact that AIM works but iChat does not say anything about where to concentrate for troubleshooting?

Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.5)

Posted on Mar 22, 2006 2:51 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Rj in WI

Level 6

8,035 points

Mar 22, 2006 3:11 PM in response to michaelpiggpa

Hi Michaelpiggpa:

Are you saying that you can iChat with RjinWIPC (which is running AIM 5.9) but you can't iChat with your dad's PC which is running AIM 5.9?

If so, here's a websight that will help you troubleshoot your dad's PC: http://www.mvldesign.com/videoconferencetutorial.html

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Answer 2

Mar 22, 2006 3:32 PM in response to Rj in WI

Yes, that's what I'm saying.

What I don't understand is why I can video chat with my dad from my PC (which is on the same network as my Mac) using AIM 5.9. The network connections are the same, yet iChat can't set up a video chat while AIM can. Does that make sense? Does AIM set up the connection in a different way than iChat?

Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.5)

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Answer 3

Rj in WI

Level 6

8,035 points

Mar 22, 2006 3:40 PM in response to michaelpiggpa

It appears as if the windows firewall is preventing the proper ports connecting. When a PC initats the protocol, it allows them back in, but when the protocol is initatied by someone else, it will not.

Did you follow the steps in the link that I provided? There is one other option if that doesn't work.

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Answer 4

Mar 22, 2006 3:43 PM in response to Rj in WI

Umm,

I see a potential problem.

The D-Link DI 624 does not like doing UPnP for iChat
See note 2 here (This may have been corrected with later firmware that shwn in the table of devices).

This is of Course to get these listed device to Work Out of the box rather than set up as many people have to do.

Moving back to the problem We have a device that does not like UPnP and another computer to connect.

If Port Forwading is being used then one computer is out of the loop anyway.

Potential solution is to Port Trigger. Which PortForward.com shows as possible.

I would not use this method described on this page though. as it descibes a PC app to help with a Mac application.

Set the iChat ports like this.

Trigger port 5190 (Start and End) TCP protocol (Type) to open Port 5190 Public tpye Both
Trigger port 5678 (Start and end) Tpye UDP opens ports 5678,5060,16384-16403 (please not the lack of spaces)

The Bonjour ports need to be triggered as single ports like 5190 but the public type for 5297 and 5353 can stay at UDP and the 5298 can be set to Both.

The Jabber ports of 5220, 5222 and 5223 can also be set as single triggers.

The AIM application will then be able to use the Port 5190 trigger.

It will also need ports 1024-5000 to be triggered with port 1024 as the trigger (On TCP)

11:43 PM Wednesday; March 22, 2006

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Answer 5

Mar 25, 2006 9:39 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

I had seen the Apple note about the DI-624 and UPnP, but it seemed to work with the latest firmware (2.70). After more experience I found that UPnP sort of worked but was not reliable. After the first chat session, it tended not to work and I would have to restart iChat. However, I had more success that way than trying to manually set up port forwarding or triggering.

Because of that and another issue, I decided to replace the DI-624 with a WRT54G. Making a connection to rjinwipc worked a lot faster, and I could do it multiple times without restarting iChat. I think the UPnP is much better on the Linksys. Last night I finally tried chatting with dad again, and found that it worked when I invited him! Unfortunately, it did not work when he invited me. After I accept the invitation, iChat says that I failed to respond.

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Answer 6

Mar 25, 2006 9:58 AM in response to michaelpiggpa

Hi,

Can you Dad get to other Mac Users http://www.ralphjohnsuk.dsl.pipex.com/ContactTesters.html

Ralph

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Answer 7

Apr 10, 2006 2:03 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

My wife gave me an Apple Airport Extreme router for my birthday. That was good, but did nothing to fix the problems I was having chatting with dad. Recently he bought a Linksys WRT54G and we set it up last night. Finally, at long last, we can easily video chat with each other regardless of who initiates the chat! I think the Dell TrueMobile router he had been using was probably the major source of the problems.

It may have been possible to tweak the other routers to work right, but I'm happy to have a configuration that just works with out of the box settings.

Thanks Ralph and RJ for your suggestions!

Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.5)

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Answer 8

Rj in WI

Level 6

8,035 points

Apr 10, 2006 2:06 PM in response to michaelpiggpa

Hi michaelpiggpa!

Glad all is working. Enjoy your new found freedon in iChat video land!

Thanks for posting your success. It's always good to hear your up and running!

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Answer 9

Apr 10, 2006 2:31 PM in response to michaelpiggpa

Yep,

Glad to hear you are working.

10:31 PM Monday; April 10, 2006

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