[RESOLVED] Creating a central server for all users to connect through

Hi,

The way I understand some of the IM programs work is they have a central server where everyone connects to. And then when you want to IM someone, the central server connects the two people directly. This is what I do not know how to do. Is this how its done? I only know how to connect to to another computer directly and then you have to deal with port forwarding, etc. if your behind a router.

If you have a central server for the service, the connections to it are made outward from PCs so no worry about the routers. And if I could then create a connection between them at the main system, that would be awsome.

Any tips or ideas on how to do this?

Thanks

Actually is this what a daemon server would do?

With most IM services all traffic goes through a server. Usually if one or both people are behind NAT devices the connection process gives up on directly connecting them and settles for relaying traffic.

In some cases there are NAT tunneling schemes that might be employed to permit direct connections even with NAT in place. Not all tunneling schemes work with all NAT devices though.

I don't think any of this is practical in VB though, except for the full-time-relay option. Opening such tunnels requires some low-level work that you can't do using the Winsock control, and anyway it isn't reliable enough to be worthwhile for most purposes.

The server does not "directly connect" them (though this is a feature in AIM that I will not get into).
All messages are sent to the server and relayed by it to both clients.