Connecting 2 Clients via Server

Question

Hi,
I asked a question about this a while ago, and got some helpful answers, but I just can't seem to get my head 'round the idea. I have 2 clients, and I want them each to connect to the server, and for the server to pair them up, and pass them off to a handler to do all the work.
The connection part of my client code:
public void start()
        try{           
                InetAddress address = InetAddress.getByName("localhost");
                connect = new Socket(address, PORT);
            input = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(connect.getInputStream()));
            output = new PrintWriter(connect.getOutputStream(), true);
            thread = new Thread(this);
            thread.start();           
        catch(IOException exception)
            System.out.println("Error connecting to server " + exception);
    }The server code:
public Server()
        try
            //create server socket to listen for connections
            ServerSocket server = new ServerSocket(8000);
            while(true)
                //create socket when connection made
                Socket connection = server.accept();
                //assuming the 2 client connection goes here
                Handler thread = new Handler(connection);
                thread.start();
        catch(IOException exception)
                System.out.println("Error connecting: " + exception);
    }I have a feeling I'm just being really stupid about this, but I'd be really grateful if anyone could give me a clue, as it's really doing my head in!
C

Answer 1

hi there,
I believe rather than letting the server to connect two clients in two different threads, its beter if the server keeps two seperate connections with each clients and pass the required information about each clients -- viz. IP and Port nos.
Once each client gets their respective IP and Port no. , the clients themselves can connect to each other bypassing the server and helpin the load off the server machine.
Its like peer-2-peer computin.
i hope this idea can help
samabhik