NetMeeting and networks

[Fingers]

I've recently started using MS Netmeeting for voice over IP, but I don't know how to configure Netmeeting to connect to a specific machine on another network? The other party can connect with me (I have only one machine at my IP) but how do I initiate a conference with a machine that's not the gateway PC on the network?

I know this is borderline "networking", so feel free to send it to that forum instead. :)

[Mntsnow]

So is the other computer using a "private ip"? if so you MIGHT be able to start the process by hitting the "public" ip of that other machine as the "gateway" might forward the request on to the client.

[Pshawn5]

fingers, i thought u got figured out at techimo??

[surrealchereal]

So is the other computer using a "private ip"?
Well, since I have never heard of that I doubt I'm using one.. ;)
What is a private IP?
What is the ILS server? That's another strange thing, Fingers has that on his list, but I have no choices but Microsoft Internet Directory.

Anyone know what the gatekeeper is? Is that my main computer, that I connect to the net with? I am using Netmeeting on a computer on the Network, but not the one I am connecting to the Net with. Why Not? cause the sound card is too cheesy, and I don't have enough volume for the headset with my main computer. (hey, I got a deal on the board;))

[Fingers]

Pshawn, nope... it's still a problem. :(

Infact, it's two problems ... possibly related?

1) We've figured out that ZoneAlarm is preventing me from hearing the audio transmissions of "some" users, but I still haven't figured out why I have to manually enter the IP address of one party into ZoneAlarm's local zone, and why it allows other users to pass through normally when NetMeeting is given permission to access the internet?

2) I still haven't figured out how to direct NetMeeting to initiate a voice call with one particular PC on a network. I can call the network "gateway" computer (the one with the internet connection), but that's not the PC that the user I want to talk to uses NetMeeting on :(

Below is a screenshot of the NetMeeting "Advanced Calling" dialog box. Anyone know what a "gatekeeper" is... or how to configure it?

[SalaTar]

If netmeeting in on a private segment it will use a netbios name till you go over a router.
Then all hell breaks loose...
Netmeeting is hard proggy to allow over a firewall as its ports are many and change always...
I use it here with the rdp to get to the non remote ts clients I have

[NDC]

Yeah, netmeeting does use many ports. No doubt about that! :(

However, if you open the ports that are described below, they'll work fine behind a firewall... At least it does for me...

How to Establish NetMeeting Connections Through a Firewall (Q158623) (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-
US;q158623)

[surrealchereal]

Darn, that page isn't available NDC.

[NDC]

Opens fine for me...

[NDC]

Maybe your ISP... I copied the whole page here:


How to Establish NetMeeting Connections Through a Firewall (Q158623)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:


Microsoft NetMeeting versions 2.0 , 2.1 , 2.11 , 3.01 , for Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft NetMeeting versions 2.1 , 2.11 , 3.01 , for Windows 98
Microsoft NetMeeting versions 2.1 , 2.11 , 3.01 , for Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft NetMeeting version 3.01 , for Windows 2000


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SUMMARY
This article describes how to use Microsoft NetMeeting to establish connections over the Internet when you use a firewall to connect to the Internet.



MORE INFORMATION
When you use NetMeeting to establish a connection over the Internet, NetMeeting uses several IP ports to communicate with other meeting participants. If you use a firewall to connect to the Internet, the firewall must be configured so that the ports used by NetMeeting are not blocked.

NetMeeting uses the following Internet Protocol (IP) ports:

Port Purpose
-------------------------------------
389 Internet Locator Server [Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)]
522 User Location Server (TCP)
1503 T.120 (TCP)
1720 H.323 call setup (TCP)
1731 Audio call control (TCP)
Dynamic H.323 call control (TCP)
Dynamic H.323 streaming [Realtime Transport Protocol (RTP) over User Datagram Protocol (UDP)]
To establish outbound NetMeeting connections through a firewall, the firewall must be configured to do the following:
Pass through primary TCP connections on ports 522, 389, 1503, 1720 and 1731.


Pass through secondary UDP connections on dynamically assigned ports (1024-65535).


NOTE : Some firewalls are capable of passing through TCP connections on specific ports, but are not capable of passing through secondary UDP connections on dynamically assigned ports. When you establish NetMeeting connections through these firewalls, you are unable to use the audio features of NetMeeting.

In addition, some firewalls are capable of passing through TCP connections on specific ports and secondary UDP connections on dynamically assigned ports, but are not capable of virtualizing an arbitrary number of internal IP addresses, or are not capable of doing so dynamically. With these firewalls, you are able to establish NetMeeting connections from computers inside the firewall to computers outside the firewall and you are able to use the audio features of NetMeeting, but you are unable to establish connections from computers outside the firewall to computers inside the firewall.

The H.323 call setup protocol (over port 1720) dynamically negotiates a TCP port for use by the H.323 call control protocol. Also, both the audio call control protocol (over port 1731) and the H.323 call setup protocol (over port 1720) dynamically negotiate User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ports for use by the H.323 streaming protocol, called the real time protocol (RTP). In NetMeeting, two ports are determined on each side of the firewall for audio and video streaming. These dynamically negotiated ports are selected arbitrarily from all ports that can be assigned dynamically.

NetMeeting directory services require either port 389 or port 522, depending on the type of server you are using. Internet Locator Servers (ILSs), which support the lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) for NetMeeting 2.0 or later, require port 389. User Location Servers (ULSs), developed for NetMeeting 1.0, require port 522.

[surrealchereal]

When you establish NetMeeting connections through these firewalls, you are unable to use the audio features of NetMeeting.


does this mean I cant use it?

[NDC]

Well, I use a Linksys BEFSR41 and having the following ports open enable audio and visual...

389 TCP
522 TCP
1503 TCP
1720 TCP
1731 TCP

[surrealchereal]

Is that set up under port filtering?

[Mntsnow]

Yes that would be under the forwarding tab