| Author |
Message |
Adalbert Jahnz
Guest
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 Posted:
Sat Nov 08, 2003 8:23 am Post subject:
Voice/videoconferencing over v restrictive firewall... |
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Hello,
I'm trying to voice/video (preferably) conference with a friend at a
Scottish university (St Andrews) which apparently has an extremely
restrictive firewall. It seems to block all UDP and incoming TCP
traffic, only leaving TCP/80 (and 443) open. (Outgoing that is.) I
myself have a cable modem=a completely unrestricted connection. We're
bothing using Windows.
I suppose I've tried more or less every solution I could imagine,
including setting up a UDP reflector on my machine and trying to
connect using MBone, which was partly successful (my friend could hear
me but I couldn't hear him). The only software that actually worked
was Skype but the sound quality was appalling.
What I need, as far as I can guess (I'm no network expert) is a
programme that would set up some kind of a server on my machine that
the other party would connect to on TCP/80. (I've found something
called TeamSound that apparently did that but strangely enough I
couldn't hear my friend even though he could hear me. And yes, his
microphone is working. But then, I think TeamSound used UDP.)
I'm open to any other ideas as well, even the craziest ones. (?) Just
PLEASE help me :D
Thanks v much in advance,
Adt. |
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SPD
Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Nov 08, 2003 4:41 pm Post subject:
Re: Voice/videoconferencing over v restrictive firewall... |
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Another question might be to ask what is required to "open"
a connection through the firewall. Is there some reason why
the University won't help out with this request?
Adalbert Jahnz wrote:
| Quote: | Hello,
I'm trying to voice/video (preferably) conference with a friend at a
Scottish university (St Andrews) which apparently has an extremely
restrictive firewall. It seems to block all UDP and incoming TCP
traffic, only leaving TCP/80 (and 443) open. (Outgoing that is.) I
myself have a cable modem=a completely unrestricted connection. We're
bothing using Windows.
I suppose I've tried more or less every solution I could imagine,
including setting up a UDP reflector on my machine and trying to
connect using MBone, which was partly successful (my friend could hear
me but I couldn't hear him). The only software that actually worked
was Skype but the sound quality was appalling.
What I need, as far as I can guess (I'm no network expert) is a
programme that would set up some kind of a server on my machine that
the other party would connect to on TCP/80. (I've found something
called TeamSound that apparently did that but strangely enough I
couldn't hear my friend even though he could hear me. And yes, his
microphone is working. But then, I think TeamSound used UDP.)
I'm open to any other ideas as well, even the craziest ones. (?) Just
PLEASE help me :D
Thanks v much in advance,
Adt.
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Roger
Guest
|
| Posted:
Sat Nov 08, 2003 6:46 pm Post subject:
Re: Voice/videoconferencing over v restrictive firewall... |
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|
Good luck. The firewall was introduced last year. Apparently their Internet
connections were being madly misused, including NetMeeting. I tried to sort
something out for my son who is also at St. Andrews, even contacting the St.
Andrews IT Helpdesk, but gave up in the end. Now he is out of halls and in a
flat where he has ADSL.
The only workable suggestion that I can come up with is to use one of the
server based web collaboration services, as these all require outgoing
access to the server on port 80. However, they have a cost.
"Adalbert Jahnz" <ako@citoyen.net> wrote in message
news:7e951dd5.0311071923.4fd63c9d@posting.google.com...
| Quote: | Hello,
I'm trying to voice/video (preferably) conference with a friend at a
Scottish university (St Andrews) which apparently has an extremely
restrictive firewall. It seems to block all UDP and incoming TCP
traffic, only leaving TCP/80 (and 443) open. (Outgoing that is.) I
myself have a cable modem=a completely unrestricted connection. We're
bothing using Windows.
I suppose I've tried more or less every solution I could imagine,
including setting up a UDP reflector on my machine and trying to
connect using MBone, which was partly successful (my friend could hear
me but I couldn't hear him). The only software that actually worked
was Skype but the sound quality was appalling.
What I need, as far as I can guess (I'm no network expert) is a
programme that would set up some kind of a server on my machine that
the other party would connect to on TCP/80. (I've found something
called TeamSound that apparently did that but strangely enough I
couldn't hear my friend even though he could hear me. And yes, his
microphone is working. But then, I think TeamSound used UDP.)
I'm open to any other ideas as well, even the craziest ones. (?) Just
PLEASE help me :D
Thanks v much in advance,
Adt. |
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| Back to top |
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Adalbert Jahnz
Guest
|
| Posted:
Sat Nov 08, 2003 9:01 pm Post subject:
Re: Voice/videoconferencing over v restrictive firewall... |
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|
I honestly don't think a uni would change its security policies just
to allow a couple of students to have a video chat... I'm not even
sure if it's the uni or Janet (the UK academic webcache) that controls
this firewall. I'd rather try any other solution first.
SPD <blairsp@dcanet.com> wrote in message news:<1068292579.315485@newshost03.voicenet.com>...
| Quote: | Another question might be to ask what is required to "open"
a connection through the firewall. Is there some reason why
the University won't help out with this request? |
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SPD
Guest
|
| Posted:
Sun Nov 09, 2003 2:27 am Post subject:
Re: Voice/videoconferencing over v restrictive firewall... |
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Does the firewall allow any internal IP address and/or ports
to pass through unobstructed? For example does the firewall
allow traffic originating in the Library to pass through without
"checks"? A common technique is to configure such a machine
as a relay through which on campus clients can gain connectivity.
Perhaps such a relay could be setup although I'm sure St Andrews
IT staff won't like this idea.
Adalbert Jahnz wrote:
| Quote: | I honestly don't think a uni would change its security policies just
to allow a couple of students to have a video chat... I'm not even
sure if it's the uni or Janet (the UK academic webcache) that controls
this firewall. I'd rather try any other solution first.
SPD <blairsp@dcanet.com> wrote in message news:<1068292579.315485@newshost03.voicenet.com>...
Another question might be to ask what is required to "open"
a connection through the firewall. Is there some reason why
the University won't help out with this request?
|
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Adalbert Jahnz
Guest
|
| Posted:
Sun Nov 09, 2003 3:54 am Post subject:
Re: Voice/videoconferencing over v restrictive firewall... |
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|
Thanks very much... That doesn't sound optimistic...
Your suggestion about web-based services gave me an idea though:
HTTP-Tunnel, Hopster, Socks2Http all work at St Andrews, even though
only HTTP-Tunnel supports UDP tunnelling and their free service is way
too slow; however they do offer a (horribly expensive) server software
that I could install on my computer which would act as a tunnelling
gateway for the machine at St Andrews. Since it would only tunnel
traffic from itself there should be no huge lag... The only problem is
that the software is not free; do you (anyone?) know any free
alternative for Windows?
"Roger" <news@kco.co.uk> wrote in message news:<lu6rb.5853$lm1.38578@wards.force9.net>...
| Quote: | Good luck. The firewall was introduced last year. Apparently their Internet
connections were being madly misused, including NetMeeting. I tried to sort
something out for my son who is also at St. Andrews, even contacting the St.
Andrews IT Helpdesk, but gave up in the end. Now he is out of halls and in a
flat where he has ADSL.
The only workable suggestion that I can come up with is to use one of the
server based web collaboration services, as these all require outgoing
access to the server on port 80. However, they have a cost. |
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Neil Smith
Guest
|
| Posted:
Sun Nov 09, 2003 6:16 am Post subject:
Re: Voice/videoconferencing over v restrictive firewall... |
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Janet is the network which oprerates the intra-university network,
rather than the web cache.
To be honest with the OP's problem though , almost every videochat
application requires a number of ports to be forarded, both UDP and
TCP.
Videochat is naturally bery firewall hostile, and you will have no
luck with either netmeeting, MSN / XP messenger, Cuseeme or intel
video phone. All H323 applications will not work with the stated
firewall restrictions.
The only app I know of which can use a web proxy to pass low-data rate
video and audio streams is MS Portrait, which is a development produc
with interesting potential. You can find out more at
http://research.microsoft.com/~jianglis/portrait
I run a not much used discussion forum on this product ,
http://www.fresh-toast.net/portrait
In addition, my website might allow you to test out Portrait with your
remote chat partner - you will both need to carefully follow the
instructions for setting up Portrait for using a web proxy to pass the
audio / video streams. Once thats done, you can try placing a call
using http://www.fresh-toast.net and selecting the Portrait option to
place calls. Pls not you will need to *start* Portrait first to
receive incoming calls as there is no way to start it frmoa web page
as a call-listener ;-((
Hope that helps - Regards , Neil Smith.
On 8 Nov 2003 08:01:06 -0800, ako@citoyen.net (Adalbert Jahnz) wrote:
| Quote: | I honestly don't think a uni would change its security policies just
to allow a couple of students to have a video chat... I'm not even
sure if it's the uni or Janet (the UK academic webcache) that controls
this firewall. I'd rather try any other solution first.
SPD <blairsp@dcanet.com> wrote in message news:<1068292579.315485@newshost03.voicenet.com>...
Another question might be to ask what is required to "open"
a connection through the firewall. Is there some reason why
the University won't help out with this request?
|
========================================================
CaptionKit http://www.captionkit.com : Produce subtitled
internet media, transcripts and searchable video. Supports
Real Player, Quicktime and Windows Media Player.
VideoChat with friends online, get Freshly Toasted every
day at http://www.fresh-toast.net : NetMeeting solutions
for a connected world. |
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Neil Smith
Guest
|
| Posted:
Sun Nov 09, 2003 6:17 am Post subject:
Re: Voice/videoconferencing over v restrictive firewall... |
|
|
On 8 Nov 2003 14:54:24 -0800, ako@citoyen.net (Adalbert Jahnz) wrote:
See my post in the other part of this therad for Portriat client,
which allows an option to tunnel through web proxy servers on port 80.
Cheers - Neil.
| Quote: | traffic from itself there should be no huge lag... The only problem is
that the software is not free; do you (anyone?) know any free
alternative for Windows?
"Roger" <news@kco.co.uk> wrote in message news:<lu6rb.5853$lm1.38578@wards.force9.net>...
Good luck. The firewall was introduced last year. Apparently their Internet
connections were being madly misused, including NetMeeting. I tried to sort
something out for my son who is also at St. Andrews, even contacting the St.
Andrews IT Helpdesk, but gave up in the end. Now he is out of halls and in a
flat where he has ADSL.
The only workable suggestion that I can come up with is to use one of the
server based web collaboration services, as these all require outgoing
access to the server on port 80. However, they have a cost.
|
========================================================
CaptionKit http://www.captionkit.com : Produce subtitled
internet media, transcripts and searchable video. Supports
Real Player, Quicktime and Windows Media Player.
VideoChat with friends online, get Freshly Toasted every
day at http://www.fresh-toast.net : NetMeeting solutions
for a connected world. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Adalbert Jahnz
Guest
|
| Posted:
Sun Nov 09, 2003 9:38 pm Post subject:
Re: Voice/videoconferencing over v restrictive firewall... |
|
|
Hello,
Thanks very much for the Portrait idea, as well as for your
elucidating remark about Janet (I'm an ignorant, sorry).
Now unfortunately Portrait doesn't work, but in a fairly strange way.
I found the address of a HTTP proxy at St Andrews (they normally use
none) and told my friend to configure Portrait accordingly. When he
calls me with my IP address, he gets a "waiting for response from (my
ip address)" message but my Portrait is silent. The funny thing is
that netstat does show a connection established on 8100 with his
proxy... Tried with a different St Andrews proxy and fiddled with the
ports a bit (ie used 80 for listening), with similar effect. BTW if I
close Portrait, my friend gets an "unable to accept calls" message so
I suppose they *do* connect--in a way...
If you have any ideas, I'd be eternally (!) grateful...
Adt.
neil@nospam.com (Neil Smith) wrote in message news:<3fad9416.38373187@news.blueyonder.co.uk>...
| Quote: | Janet is the network which oprerates the intra-university network,
rather than the web cache.
To be honest with the OP's problem though , almost every videochat
application requires a number of ports to be forarded, both UDP and
TCP.
Videochat is naturally bery firewall hostile, and you will have no
luck with either netmeeting, MSN / XP messenger, Cuseeme or intel
video phone. All H323 applications will not work with the stated
firewall restrictions.
The only app I know of which can use a web proxy to pass low-data rate
video and audio streams is MS Portrait, which is a development produc
with interesting potential. You can find out more at
http://research.microsoft.com/~jianglis/portrait
I run a not much used discussion forum on this product ,
http://www.fresh-toast.net/portrait
In addition, my website might allow you to test out Portrait with your
remote chat partner - you will both need to carefully follow the
instructions for setting up Portrait for using a web proxy to pass the
audio / video streams. Once thats done, you can try placing a call
using http://www.fresh-toast.net and selecting the Portrait option to
place calls. Pls not you will need to *start* Portrait first to
receive incoming calls as there is no way to start it frmoa web page
as a call-listener ;-((
Hope that helps - Regards , Neil Smith. |
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