Getting AIM to work with my new Linksys router 1

[BujuBanton]

Hello,

Within the past few days, I purchased a Linksys BEFW11S4 (Version 4) router that will primarily be used to share a cable modem connection (Roadrunner) between my roommate and I's computers. Although this router supports wireless connections, we are using standard RJ45 connections. For the most part, everything works well - WWW, FTP, IRC, etc. work fine - but there's one problem that's driving us nuts. Being college students, we both use AOL Instant Messenger fairly religiously, and this is the one application we can't get to work with the router. Every time we attempt to connect, the program times out and "Starting Services" and the program closes. When only one of us is connected to the router, this problem does not occur, but when both PCs are connected, this happens just about every time - the only exception to this is immediately after DHCP is released and renewed within the router configuration, we can both connect to AIM for a total of about 3-5 minutes...after this time frame, we can no longer use AIM/reconnect.

After doing some basic research on the problem, I believe that we have to have the router port forward AIM's port (5190) so that both of us can connect. Being a complete networking newbie, I'm not exactly how to do that, if this is indeed what we need to do - I am able to access the port forwarding menu within the router configuration (advanced | forwarding) but I'm not sure what exactly to do from here and if changes are necessary within our PCs and/or changing the connection port within the AIM program. Both of us run Windows XP. Can someone PLEASE give us a hand so that we can both successfully connect to AIM? I would GREATLY appreciate any help because this is driving both of us nuts. Thank you very much for your help.

Doc Dag

 

[bcastner]

You need to go to the AIM setup site and let it do a rescan of your system. You should not have to do any manual port forwards. It can easily (too easily) do NAT traversal of your router. The AIM setup process will do all the configuration you might need, but it is a different setup than a stand-alone machine.

 

[BujuBanton]

Thanks for your reply - do you have a link to the AIM setup site? I couldn't find such a link off aol.com or aim.com. Thanks again!

Doc Dag

 

[bcastner]

Read this discussion:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6029558~root=equip,16~mode=flat

You want to use the beta linked above.

Be certain your computer has the Directx 9.0b update, and the uPnP is enabled on the router.

If you are using XP be certain you have enabled the uPnP client and the Discovery service from Windows Components, Networking.

 

[BujuBanton]

Well, I have the latest version of AIM so that shouldn't be a problem. I do run Windows XP with directX 9.0b installed. I have uPnP turned on within my router but I'm not sure what Windows discovery service is...?

 

[bcastner]

BujuBanton,

Enable uPnP on your client. Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Compnents Add/Remove, Network Services, "Internet Gateway Discovery and Control Client", and "Universal Plug and Play". You want to check both boxes, and Okay your way back to the desktop to load and apply the settings.

Reboot.

 

[BujuBanton]

bcastner,

I already had Internet Gateway Discovery and Control Client installed but I went ahead and installed UPnP and rebooted - it still didn't work. Do I need to have anything enabled for this port (#5190) enabled/forwarded under either a). port range forwarding or b). UPnP forwarding within my router's config? This is so frustrating because whenever I make changes within the router config, AIM will connect for 2-3 minutes and then mysteriously stop working again, so I know it's capable of working...thanks again for all your help.

 

[BujuBanton]

Anyone???

 

[bcastner]

If I had to guess I would say the school is killing AIM. It is easy enough with the correct bandwidth shaping software/hardware applicance to do this.