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" > wrote in message
...
>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
>
>

[CWatters]

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" > wrote in message
...
> 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

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That info is out of date, a lot has changed since 2001.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" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Jonathan Kay [MVP]" > wrote in message
> ...
>> 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
>
> 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?
>
>

[CWatters]

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" > wrote in message
...
> 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).