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