ichat problems with Netgear Router

Question

ichat problems with Netgear Router

Hi Gang.

Need some help here.
Here's one for you experinced ones...

I have a new WPN824v2 router. It's connected fine to my imac G5 (10.4.7) and my Mac Mini. Like a charm.

BUT: I can't connect to ichat.

Ichat will connect for a 10th of a second and then says: "Lost connection with ichat".

I'm sure there must be a way to do it with Port Forwarding, perhaps. But I don't know.

I'm new to this forwarding ports stuff so if anyone has any suggestions, let me have 'em in Noobesk ( or would that be Noobish?)!

Thanks much.

HV

Mac Mini Intel Core Solo, Mac OS X (10.4.6), 512MB RAM

Posted on Jun 29, 2006 6:05 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 29, 2006 10:17 PM in response to Howard VanWyden

This could indeed be because of port-forwarding. iChat uses port 5222 to connect to the internet.

Go here http:// 192.168.1.1/ this should be the default page for your router.

Login if you have a password.
By default the username is admin, and the password is password. Click the Ok button to log in to your router.

It will bring you to a page like this http://portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Netgear/WPN824/WPN8242.jp g

Click the Port Forwarding / Port Triggering link near the left side of the page.

Put a dot into the Port Forwarding radio button.

Click the Add Custom Service button.

Fill out the following:

Service Name: iChat

Service type: TCP/UDP

Starting port: 5222

Ending port: 5298

Server IP address: 192.168.1.1

Note that if your computer IP address is different you will need to adjust the IP addresses you use for finding the router webpage and the portforwarding. To find your Local IP address go to System Preferences/Sharing/

Let me know if this helps. You can find more information here http://portforward.com/ and here http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2391155&#2391155

-Internet Wiz™

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Answer 2

Jun 30, 2006 9:54 AM in response to Internet Wiz

Hi, Internet Wiz.

Thanks for the response!

Great suggestion. Followed it to a "T" ( I think!) But I didn't have any luck with it, unfortunately. I even tried to open up the ports that the other disscussion threads mentioned.

"The Ports are 5060, 5190, 5678, 16384-16403 for iChat on the AIM side."

Do you have any other suggestions for me? I looked at that web sight "Port Forward" you mentioned. They suggested that I need to set up a "static" IP. But when I tried that, I coudn't get an internet connection. Maybe I didn't do it right. Or perhaps I don't really need to have one.

Thanks again for the response. Well written. I was totally able to follow it through.

Best,

HV

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Answer 3

Jun 30, 2006 4:12 PM in response to Howard VanWyden

HI Howard,

Unfortunately this is a MIMO device.

For some reason iChat does not like these.

If Port Forwarding then the ports are:
5060, 5190, 5678, 16384-16403 for the AIM log in and A/V
The Jabber ones are 5220, 5222, and 5223 (5223 is for Googletalk and some older Jabber servers)
The Bonjour ports if you have other Macs are 5297, 5298, 5353.

You could use UPnP which on some Netgears needs statrting twice to work properly.

Port Triggering if used should use the port 5678 as Trigger and open 5060 both on UDP
Then you should set port 5060 as the Trigger to 16384-16403

(some devices allow you to enter these two lines as one
Trigger 5678 on UDP to open 5060,5678,16384-16403 : no spaces).

The 5190 should trigger itself as should the Bonjour and Jabber ports.
(port 5190 needs opening to UDP and TCP. Port 5298 for Bonour also needs both the rest are UDP. All the Jabbe ones are TCP)

However I will say again that iChat has problems with MIMO devices from several compaies and you might have an unsolvable problem with this device.

12:12 AM Saturday; July 1, 2006

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Answer 4

Jul 1, 2006 8:57 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Thanks, Ralph.

I'll give it a try!

Thanks very much for that.

Best,

HV

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Answer 5

Jul 2, 2006 9:40 AM in response to Howard VanWyden

To Ralph and Internet Wiz,

Thanks VERY much for your responses.

They were helpful.

Here's the solution that ultimately worked. As you said, Ralph, NIMO devices don't like Ichat.

That's true. I also found they (or perhaps just Netgear NIMO's but likley all)don't like port 5190. I have no idea why.

I simply had to set my Ichat port at 5191 in the Ichat prefs.

Works!

Thanks again, gang.

HV

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Answer 6

Jul 2, 2006 10:18 AM in response to Howard VanWyden

Glad you got your problem solved.

-Internet Wiz™

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Answer 7

Jul 2, 2006 2:07 PM in response to Howard VanWyden

Howard,

Can I be clear ?

You got your MIMO device to work with iChat by changing the iChat login port (iChat > Preferences > Accounts....) ?

Which method are you using to open the ports in the Netgear ?
I am guessing Port Forwarding and it wants protocols as well.

10:06 PM Sunday; July 2, 2006

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Answer 8

Jul 2, 2006 2:23 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi, Ralph.

Howard,

Can I be clear ?

You got your MIMO device to work with iChat by
changing the iChat login port (iChat > Preferences >
Accounts....) ?

That's exactly right. Specifically, with AIM. I changed the number : iChat > Preferences > Accounts > click your account name > then clicking the Server Settings tab > port from 5190 to 5191.

This seems to work well for chat.

Again, Ralph, I can't say whether my success has to do with my particular model or all Negears or MIMO routers. But it did work.

Which method are you using to open the ports in the
Netgear ?
I am guessing Port Forwarding and it wants protocols
as well.

Yes. You guess right. Port Forwarding according to your ( and Internet Wiz' )earlier instructions above. All those ports are open. However, despite this, port 5190 was never successful.

But I'm not sure what you mean by "protocols". Do you mean TCD or UDP?

10:06 PM Sunday; July 2, 2006

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Answer 9

Jul 2, 2006 2:26 PM in response to Howard VanWyden

Ralph,

One side note: I have not yet tested video chat or file sharing. It may be another story for these.

HV

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Answer 10

Jul 2, 2006 2:48 PM in response to Howard VanWyden

HI Howard,

Yes the TCP and UDP are the protocols.

ON newer devices manufactures are trying to be more secure by offering the option to only open one protocol at a time.

It seems, however that this causes problems when one port needs both protocols in the Port Forwading set up.

It seems this is indicated in what you have found.

Did you add port 5191 as a TCP port in Port Forwarding ?
Or just 5191 anyway ?

When people have this problem we normally suggest port 443 as being regarded as more secure and below the 1024 threshold

10:47 PM Sunday; July 2, 2006

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Answer 11

Jul 2, 2006 3:38 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi again, Ralph.

HI Howard,

Yes the TCP and UDP are the protocols.

ON newer devices manufactures are trying to be more
secure by offering the option to only open one
protocol at a time.

It seems, however that this causes problems when one
port needs both protocols in the Port Forwading set
up.

It seems this is indicated in what you have found.

Yes. I have chosen both TCP AND UDP ( not TCP alone or UDP alone) for ALL my options.

Did you add port 5191 as a TCP port in Port
Forwarding ?
Or just 5191 anyway ?

Interestingly, Ralph, I did NOT set an outgoing port for 5191. I was curious about this. Traffic was getting through on this port, obviously, so was my router letting ALL traffic though? I checked extensively on the websight Shields UP http://www.grc.com/su-firewalls.ht, did tests, and found that it was not.

I do, however, have UPnP enabled. And while I have little knowlage of it's workings, I suspect that since it is an AOL port, it perhaps, has automaticaly opened 5191 for me.

When people have this problem we normally suggest
port 443 as being regarded as more secure and below
the 1024 threshold

Ralph, do you suggest that I change my port to this from the one I am using?

Thanks very much.

Regards,

HV

10:47 PM Sunday; July 2, 2006

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Answer 12

Jul 2, 2006 3:57 PM in response to Howard VanWyden

Hi Howard,

Ahh If you are using UPnP as well as port forwarding that will explain why port 5191 is working.

However I would suggest you use UPnP only.
Some people do suggest that UPnP may not be that secure. I have not found this to be a problem. However on my device I can set the number of "Hops" the device broadcasts that it is doing UPnP to 1. This might also be useful to do if you have that sort of option.

On the port issue it is up to you.

If it works then leave it.

11:54 PM Sunday; July 2, 2006

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Answer 13

Jul 4, 2006 11:28 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi Howard,

Ahh If you are using UPnP as well as port forwarding
that will explain why port 5191 is working.

However I would suggest you use UPnP only.
Some people do suggest that UPnP may not be that
secure. I have not found this to be a problem.
However on my device I can set the number of "Hops"
the device broadcasts that it is doing UPnP to 1.
This might also be useful to do if you have that
sort of option.

On the port issue it is up to you.

If it works then leave it.

11:54 PM Sunday; July 2, 2006

Ralph,

Thanks for that.

I'll do it.

Kind Regards,

HV

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Answer 14

Jul 4, 2006 2:03 PM in response to Howard VanWyden

Hi Howard,

Glad to help.

Thanks for the points.

10:02 PM Tuesday; July 4, 2006

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Answer 15

Jul 27, 2006 7:05 PM in response to Howard VanWyden

This worked perfectly for me on a wpn824v2. No port forwarding or triggering was necessary, but I do have UPnP turned on.

Thank you so much!

That's true. I also found they (or perhaps just
Netgear NIMO's but likley all)don't like port 5190.
I have no idea why.

I simply had to set my Ichat port at 5191 in the
Ichat prefs.

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