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iChat no longer works on local network

i used to use ichat at work to message between co-workers on the same network. now i have about 10 other people all with macs (prob with different OSs, but all with either iChat or messages) and with bonjour enabled, no one comes up in the buddy list. i have added buddies, people i have chatted with in the past.


i did have the Messages beta and it expired and now iChat is back. but i can;t find a simple way to communicate with my coworkers on the network.


what gives?


thanks

keith

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.1)

Posted on Jan 31, 2013 8:54 AM

Reply
3 replies

Jan 31, 2013 2:02 PM in response to kanyfilm

HI,


Check your DNS settings.

mDNS is Bonjour and it needs the DNS part of Networking to be working.



User uploaded file
10:02 PM Thursday; January 31, 2013

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Feb 1, 2013 12:13 PM in response to kanyfilm

Hi,


There is this Apple Doc. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3789

Basically some people used to turn Bonjour Off.

At OS X 10.6 Apple linked mDNS to the DNS service.

Then turning mDNS Off also turned Off DNS, which in turn means you can't access the Internet properly.


It obviously turns Off Bonjour as part of the process.


I would also check if your router is in fact allowing Local Traffic.

Although ports above 1024 are not open in router by default they can be open to local traffic.

Bonjour uses port 5353 to discover other Macs and Bonjour able devices.

(iChat/Messages also uses ports 5297 and 5298)


In the System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firewall > Unlock the Pane and check Firewall Options

In here make sure it is not set to Block All Incoming connections.

Some outgoing connections may allow return data to arrive.

NOTE: I have not got a OS X 10.7 boot in front of me and the above are the Mountain Lion instructions.

Other then Snow Leopard using an Advanced button instead of the Options button I see little changes between those two versions.




User uploaded file
8:12 PM Friday; February 1, 2013

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

iChat no longer works on local network

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