Winsock and aol

[DJTN]

Ok I got my winsock to connect over the internet between my two applications. I ran one on my box and my friend who is on AOL(aka/ SOL-shi* out of luck!) was running the other one. In the application you are able to listen for a connection or connect. I have a cable modem and I was able to listen for a connection and then he could connect to me and then we could transfer data back and forth however, when he had the app just listening I could not connect to him. I think it has something to do with AOL not allowing him to open a port to listen on but I'm not sure. I'm using port 7777 for testing the app. How can I get arround this problem. Net meeting is able to transfer information back and forth on aol so there has got to be a way.

[Dim]

Well i guess the obvious suggestion would be to try changing listening ports.
Find out what ports are open on his AOL account (port sniff)and try listening on them.

Gl,
D!m

[DJTN]

I tried that and couldnt find an open port. Is there a common port that aol leaves open?

[Dim]

I don't use AOL...but you can try running NetMeeting and then sniffing the port that it uses and try using it for your application.
It's possible that AOL opens ports on request...but only ones that their firewall is not protecting.

Gl,
D!m

[Wonderer]

DJTN:

On your FTP Client do you have it coded to display a list of your directories on your hard drive along with the directories on the other persons hard drive?

[Dim]

Wonderer...here is an example of how to list the server files into a list box using the inet control.

Private Sub lisServerFiles_dblClick()
On Error GoTo errHandler
If Not (Right(lisServerFiles.Text, 1) = "/") Then
Exit Sub
End If

Dim tmpDir As String, tmp As String
Dim i
If Trim(lisServerFiles.Text) = "../" Then
For i = Len(txbURL.Text) To 7 Step -1
tmp = Mid(txbURL.Text, i, 1)
If tmp = "/" Then
Exit For
End If
Next i
If i = 7 Then
MsgBox "No upper level of dir"
Exit Sub
End If
txbURL.Text = Left(txbURL.Text, i - 1)
' Relative dir
tmpDir = "../*"
Else
txbURL.Text = txbURL.Text & "/" & _
Left(lisServerFiles.Text, Len(lisServerFiles.Text) - 1)
tmpDir = Right(txbURL.Text, Len(txbURL.Text) - homeLen) & "/*"
End If
ServerDirFlag = True
Inet1.Execute , "DIR " & tmpDir
Do While Inet1.StillExecuting
DoEvents
If ConnectedFlag = False Then
Exit Sub
End If
Loop
Exit Sub

errHandler:
Select Case Err.Number
Case icExecuting
Resume
Case Else
ErrMsgProc "lisServerFiles_dblClick"
End Select
End Sub
'writen by someone


Hope that helps,
D!m