Can video chat with Aim users on a PC but not with Ichat users on Mac!

Question

Hello
I am having the odd problem of being able to video chat with someone when they are using their pc running aim, but I cant chat with the same person when he on his Mac!
I am running as DMZ behind a Linksys WRT54G wireless router.
The problem is on my side because I cant chat with the test accounts either.
I tried this after bothe forwarding and triggering all the ports that were suggested.
I am stumped!

Answer 1

Hi Lullah,
This is going to be down to the Staelite connection.
It has what is called latency.
This adds an unexceptable delay in the passing of data at the start of the connection.
Very few people have reported success.
The things you can try are to fool the link into passing more intense data prior to starting a chat.
If you have web pages try uploading a Pic of larger file to the site.
Just as this finishes start up iChat
You should also check that System Preferences > Quicktime > Streaming tab has the speed to match you download set.
Hopefully (But no reported success) you may get iChat to see more bandwidth as you have just had the modem busy.
Following the launch of iChat with a video chat request may be able to get that bandwidth.
Realistically the 128 k upload even if you were getting close to it is very tight to the lowest point Apple say will work.
Speed testing a 128 k service i likely to get a result of about 80% of the figure (102k) iChat will use about 80 % of what is left (you are down to about 83K). You are now below the 100k min.
With regards to your LAN there are several things that may help if not set up already.
Only have one device doing DHCP. The way routers work as compared to modems is that they pass all routing data though to the computers.
This means the computers can be sitting in two subnets (1) from Modem to computer via router and (2) from Router. The computer can only display one of these IP addresses but can get confuse info regarding iChat.
Do not use Port Forwarding or Port triggering, twice or together on the LAN. iCHAT does not like two lots of NAT (bath are forms of Network Address Translation [NAT]).
Use UPnP where you can.
IF you are trying to test this yur Mac to your PC you ahve to allow for the fact that the modem is handling two Video chats in effect. This means you need twice the minimum bandwidth (let alone the fact that ichat to AIM semms to like 50% more than Mac to Mac contacts.
Sorry to be the bearer of so much doom and gloom.
11:03 PM Tuesday; March 28, 2006