Windows/MSN Messenger

[MarkH]

Is it possible to get Windows/MSN Messenger working properly with a 705? I can connect and receive files, but not send them.

I've been through all the setup, done the triggers and filters etc. Which raises another question - on the router, why do I even have to do this? Doesn't the router have any application support built in? We have a Linksys NAT Router at work which works with Messenger out of the box - I can send & receive with no problems whatsoever.

Mark

[Steve]

See other threads ref. using file send/receive on the 715 (the 715 and 705 are the same globespan chipset and Virata OS so the setup is exactly the same).

I notice some users are saying the latest beta version of MS Messenger works but You might want to read some of the other threads which discuss this.

[litfoo]

Hi Mark,

I am currently using the AAM6000EV router and canot uses Messenger/Netmeeting either.

I was thinking of purchasing the 705, but from what it sounds like, this router is also proving troublesome.

Have you had any furhter success?

Where did you purchase your Linksys NAT Router? Is this working perfectly with Windows Messenger (XP) /Netmeeting ?

Hope you can help!

litfoo

[Jumpin_Jon]

Mark,

Take a look at the two threads below, which cover the MSN Messenger issues from both sides:

- XP UPnP at last
- Microsoft Messenger V5 Beta Available

To get the 715 and MSN working together, you need to ensure UPnP is configured correctly on the router -- which is covered in the first thread above.

Once that is done, you should be able to use either the current or new (beta) version of MSN Messenger. The current version supports audio/video through the router and the new version - discussed in the second thread - adds File Xfer through the router.

JJ

[MarkH]

The Linksys router came from Microwarehouse but it isn't an ADSL modem - we're using it behind a separate ADSL modem.

I can't mess with my setup at the moment as I'm not at home. I'll have another play this evening.

[MarkH]

I have the router setup exactly as it says in the manual, and I have UPnP working now - after changing the port to 2000. But I still can't send files. This is with Messenger 4.7.

[ThunderPants]

Any version of messenger below version 5 will NEVER be able to send files behind a firewall or nat, even if the router is upnp enabled.

Messenger versions prior to the beta 5 version do not use upnp for file transfers, but do for Voice / Video.

The new V5 (currently beta only) has upnp enabled file transfer, and there people in these forums have been sucessful in transfering files with this version.

HTH

[MarkH]

Originally posted by ThunderPants
Any version of messenger below version 5 will NEVER be able to send files behind a firewall or nat, even if the router is upnp enabled.

I must be imagining it when I send files at work from behind a NAT router.

Release notes for a Dec 2001 firmware update for the router we use at work include: "Supports MSN messanger 4.5 (voice and file transfer without DMZ setting)". So it can be done. And for what it's worth, that NAT router supports MSN out of the box with no need to add filters and redirects etc.

[ngm]

Yup, it is possible - the router can re-write the packets so that the IP address appears to be the wan address of the router rather than the local IP address of the pc on the lan. In theory the 715 can do this too using the security triggers. Of course this won't work if the format of the address in the packet is something wierd (non-byte or non-ascii) and would require a dedicated filter. I suspect that's why ftp gets it's own trigger since it's not a totally straightforward substitution as far as I can remember.

In some respects using a trigger is better than having the functionality built in as if you can't turn it off it can become a problem! I've seen issues with ftp servers behind other makes of adsl router because the rewrite rules overwrite the address even when it is redirecting to a remote server (like fxp does).

[ThunderPants]

I dont think adding triggers works. I have tried many many times.
But users report v5 does work...

So it seems triggers are not the answer on this occasion to allow the ip headers to be correctly translated. I believe the problem is with the software, not the router. MSM V5 is the fix on this occasion.

See :
Microsofts Article

I take my hat off to anyone that can get it to work, (without installing a proxy) and will believe it if i see it.

[ThunderPants]

Originally posted by MarkH


I must be imagining it when I send files at work from behind a NAT router.

Release notes for a Dec 2001 firmware update for the router we use at work include: "Supports MSN messanger 4.5 (voice and file transfer without DMZ setting)". So it can be done. And for what it's worth, that NAT router supports MSN out of the box with no need to add filters and redirects etc.

If you really are sending and not recieving, then possibly you have a proxy server on your network which will allow it.

See Microsofts article

Or perhaps the router isnt a SAR715?

[MarkH]

It's not a 715 - I said elsewhere it was a Linksys router. And there's no proxy servers in play - I know because I administer it all.

[ngm]

It must have a dedicated filter for the format of the IP addresses in the messenger packets. If it needs something like that then the only way to get the 715 to work with it (without ms changing the code like they may have done for the beta people are talking about) is to get a specific filter added to the 715 by the Taiwan developers....

[fatmanuk]

Originally posted by ThunderPants
Any version of messenger below version 5 will NEVER be able to send files behind a firewall or nat, even if the router is upnp enabled.

Messenger versions prior to the beta 5 version do not use upnp for file transfers, but do for Voice / Video.

The new V5 (currently beta only) has upnp enabled file transfer, and there people in these forums have been sucessful in transfering files with this version.

HTH

I think you'll find msn messenger prior to v5 has always been flakey with file transfers. i could never get it to work with ics, but have had it working...... can't remember how - it that long ago. V5 of messenger so far has not failed me on a file transfer!!!