Another NAT firewall question

[CWatters]

I have a non-uPnP NAT router and I'm aware that for AV I need to open a
bunch of ports for UDP.

Bit worried about the security angle of this but... My router allows me to
specify a range of IP addresses that are allowed when opening ports. As I
only want to make AV calls to a few other known users who (I think) have
static IPs... Can I set up the firewall to allow just those known IP
addresses through these ports? ..or does Messenger also need to use these
ports to talk to a server or such like who's IP address I don't know?

Thanks

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings,

Probably not, residential routers don't have functionality like this.

As well, "opening the ports" when you don't have an UPnP router won't do much in a lot of
cases as it'll just go to the relays anyway.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2006 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.

 

[CWatters]

Greetings,

Probably not, residential routers don't have functionality like this.

As well, "opening the ports" when you don't have an UPnP router won't do much in a lot of
cases as it'll just go to the relays anyway.

Now I'm getting confused.

I've read this page...
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/worki01.mspx

and it says...

"To enable voice and video communications with Windows Messenger through a
non-UPnP firewall, configure the firewall to allow incoming traffic on UDP
ports 5004 – 65535. "

Are you saying that's not all that's needed AV?

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi,

That info is out of date, a lot has changed since 2001. All functions in MSN Messenger have
relay servers now, as long as you can make outgoing connections, it'll work.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Live Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2006 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.

 

[CWatters]

Hi,

That info is out of date, a lot has changed since 2001. All functions in MSN Messenger have
relay servers now, as long as you can make outgoing connections, it'll work.

Any new articles out there? (I'm using windows messenger not MSN Messenger)

I can set up a text conversation but if I initiate a video call I get a
message saying there is a problem with the network or the other computer (or
similar wording).