Voice Communications no longer works in Windows Messenger v4.7

[Gunner]

First - I'm running XP Home with all the updates current. I'm on a cable
modem and I'm behind a software firewall (McAfee v4.02). I haven't
installed anything new nor have I changed any settings anywhere.

Now for the problem - and I'm completely at a loss on this one. I use
Windows Messenger v4.07 (NOT MSN Messenger v6.0!) daily for PC to PC voice
communications with my friends in other states. As a fall back, I also use
or have used ICQ and NetMeeting. But, the main one I use is Windows
Messenger and I have been doing that for a long time. I talked with my
buddy in Delaware last Thursday like I do everyday (with no problems at
all), and then we disconnected like we have done day after day for years.
Friday morning when we attempted to hook-up for the voice communication -
NOTHING - NADA - ZIP! It would not work. When I initiate a call, like I
have done countless times in the past, instead of hooking up and allowing
the voice, I get this within a couple of seconds...

The voice conversation with Willie has ended -or- The network or computer
you are trying to reach is experiencing a problem. Please try again later.

The only times I have seen "The voice conversation with Willie has ended" in
the past is when we select Stop Talking" as this is normal behavior in the
program. But now it happens whenever we try to connect to each others
computer for the voice communication.

We can type messages back and forth, but we cannot, no matter what we do,
get a voice hook-up. We both are running behind McAfee Firewalls, but, we
disabled that briefly at both ends - still couldn't hook-up with voice. We
tried ICQ - same thing - no voice! We tried to send files from ICQ like we
do often and that won't work either. The only thing that works in all the
programs that I mentioned is the chat feature. Now, IMHO, I can maybe
understand a problem with one program, but ALL of them (Windows Messenger
v4.7, ICQ and NetMeeting) are not allowing voice!

We both use Comcast Cable and we both called them. According to them, they
are not blocking any ports at their end that would prevent the voice from
happening nor have they made any changes to their servers. Well, that sure
don't solve my problem. So, the BIG mystery remains... if they are not
blocking ANY ports that would be used for voice, then what in the world has
happened to us?

The reason I don't think the problem is local on our machines is because me
and my buddy both brought in complete backups of our systems that we made a
well over a week ago when everything was working perfect, and it still won't
go!!!!!!

So...
1. IMHO, it sure looks like an external problem - but what and where? I
can't find anything on the web showing others with this problem with the
exception of someone suggesting to disable (uncheck) QoS Packet Scheduler.
If my system was working fine before, then I would think that I shouldn't
have to disable this - should I? - But, for the sake of troubleshooting, we
unchecked that too and NOTHING! The voice still won't work!
2. Has anyone else had this problem?
3. More importantly, can anyone shed some light on this or offer a fix that
I can get my PC to PC voice working like it used to?

Thanks in advance for any forthcoming thoughts/help.

 

[Gunner]

Wonders never cease... Messenger started working around 2 PM! No reason why
it started as I hadn't changed a thing. That sure does lead me down the
road that it probably was an external situation. But, I don't know what at
this point. All that matters is it's working for the moment just like it
has been for years prior to Friday morning. Just ANOTHER BIG COMPUTING
MYSTERY! Hopefully I will not have to come back with this question ever
again. Thanks

 

[Alice]

Gunner,
The last time that I tried to use a McAfee Firewall with Messenger 4.7
Voice was with McAfee Firewall V3 and unfortunately (even working with
McAfee Help Desk) it could not be made to operate. Since that time I
have unsuccessfully tried to establish (via McAfee Sales) whether or
not the problem has been resolved in later versions of McAfee
Firewall. My question is, did you manage to get the Messenger Voice
operating without any fiddling (i.e. opening the 13 ports of IP
128.0.0.1 etc.)?
Alice

| Wonders never cease... Messenger started working around 2 PM! No
reason why
| it started as I hadn't changed a thing. That sure does lead me down
the
| road that it probably was an external situation. But, I don't know
what at
| this point. All that matters is it's working for the moment just
like it
| has been for years prior to Friday morning. Just ANOTHER BIG
COMPUTING
| MYSTERY! Hopefully I will not have to come back with this question
ever
| again. Thanks
|
| --
|
| =======================
| Best regards... Gunner
| =======================
| | > First - I'm running XP Home with all the updates current. I'm on a
cable
| > modem and I'm behind a software firewall (McAfee v4.02). I
haven't
| > installed anything new nor have I changed any settings anywhere.
| >
| > Now for the problem - and I'm completely at a loss on this one. I
use
| > Windows Messenger v4.07 (NOT MSN Messenger v6.0!) daily for PC to
PC voice
| > communications with my friends in other states. As a fall back, I
also
| use
| > or have used ICQ and NetMeeting. But, the main one I use is
Windows
| > Messenger and I have been doing that for a long time. I talked
with my
| > buddy in Delaware last Thursday like I do everyday (with no
problems at
| > all), and then we disconnected like we have done day after day for
years.
| > Friday morning when we attempted to hook-up for the voice
communication -
| > NOTHING - NADA - ZIP! It would not work. When I initiate a call,
like I
| > have done countless times in the past, instead of hooking up and
allowing
| > the voice, I get this within a couple of seconds...
| >
| > The voice conversation with Willie has ended -or- The network or
computer
| > you are trying to reach is experiencing a problem. Please try
again later.
| >
| > The only times I have seen "The voice conversation with Willie has
ended"
| in
| > the past is when we select Stop Talking" as this is normal
behavior in the
| > program. But now it happens whenever we try to connect to each
others
| > computer for the voice communication.
| >
| > We can type messages back and forth, but we cannot, no matter what
we do,
| > get a voice hook-up. We both are running behind McAfee Firewalls,
but, we
| > disabled that briefly at both ends - still couldn't hook-up with
voice.
| We
| > tried ICQ - same thing - no voice! We tried to send files from
ICQ like
| we
| > do often and that won't work either. The only thing that works in
all the
| > programs that I mentioned is the chat feature. Now, IMHO, I can
maybe
| > understand a problem with one program, but ALL of them (Windows
Messenger
| > v4.7, ICQ and NetMeeting) are not allowing voice!
| >
| > We both use Comcast Cable and we both called them. According to
them,
| they
| > are not blocking any ports at their end that would prevent the
voice from
| > happening nor have they made any changes to their servers. Well,
that
| sure
| > don't solve my problem. So, the BIG mystery remains... if they
are not
| > blocking ANY ports that would be used for voice, then what in the
world
| has
| > happened to us?
| >
| > The reason I don't think the problem is local on our machines is
because
| me
| > and my buddy both brought in complete backups of our systems that
we made
| a
| > well over a week ago when everything was working perfect, and it
still
| won't
| > go!!!!!!
| >
| > So...
| > 1. IMHO, it sure looks like an external problem - but what and
where? I
| > can't find anything on the web showing others with this problem
with the
| > exception of someone suggesting to disable (uncheck) QoS Packet
Scheduler.
| > If my system was working fine before, then I would think that I
shouldn't
| > have to disable this - should I? - But, for the sake of
troubleshooting,
| we
| > unchecked that too and NOTHING! The voice still won't work!
| > 2. Has anyone else had this problem?
| > 3. More importantly, can anyone shed some light on this or offer a
fix
| that
| > I can get my PC to PC voice working like it used to?
| >
| > Thanks in advance for any forthcoming thoughts/help.
| >
| > --
| >
| > =======================
| > Best regards... Gunner
| > =======================
| >
|