Can't Get iChat AV to work. Can anyone help?

[amin]

When iChat AV beta first came out, my brother in Boston and I in Baltimore would videoconference without problem. Both of us were using Jaguar at that time. Other than that, our Macs, routers, etc have not changed. Back then, I was using a firewire video cam for iChat. A few weeks ago, after not chatting for a long time (definitely not since upgrading to iChat 2.1), we tried to connect again and no luck. I figured that maybe Apple had dropped support for certain cameras with the new release of iChat, so I went out and bought an iSight.

At this point, my brother and I are both using the latest version of iChat AV, both using iSights on G4s which meet the iChat specs, both running Panther, and we can't get it to work. No matter who initiates chat, we get a failure to respond message. I figure the problem is on my end since my brother is able to do video chat with other friends. I find it unlikely that this is related to my firewall since the iChat AV beta previously worked with the same router and firewall settings. Just to be sure I set my Mac as DMZ on my router configuration and disabled its software firewall. My bro did the same on his end. Still no luck . Anyone know what else I can try?

 

[Sayer]

First steps...

Try going through the tips in this article on iChat AV video conferencing configuration from Apple:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93208

The differences between iChat AV Beta and the newest version could have included more strict networking support.

There may have also been a change in your ISP (blocked ports, router changes) that you are not aware of.

Also you may have inadvertently changed your router's setting to block iChat AV by turning on/off some other feature for gaming or filtering DoS attacks or something.

Start with that Apple article and check those firewall settings and see if it works. If not try going to your ISP's support web site or call/email them asking if they started blocking certain ports.

Sounds like a configuration problem somewhere that isn't obviously connected to iChat AV.

 

[amin]

Thanks for the advice. I had already gone through that information page, but it doesn't apply to me because I can't even connect when I bypass the router (plugging my PB straight into the DSL modem) and disable the OS X Firewall altogether. My PB is currently as naked as it can get. I suppose it is possible that my ISP made certain changes I can't see, but I would think that other Verizon customers would be having similar issues.

Maybe the problem is on my brother's end and not mine at all. Is there anywhere I can go to test my iChat AV? I don't have any other family or friends that use iChat or AIM 5.5.

 

[amin]

Got it working! It was my brother's side of things after all. For some reason, even though his G4 was the designated DMZ, he had to specify some ports to open on his router after all. Strange.