How to use a fixed client localPort in an RMI communication?

Question

Hi,
I am trying to use a fixed localPort in RMI communication using CustomSocketFactories. When I use a fixed localPort the client program runs fine with a right lookup and correct stub method invocation for first time, but when I run the same program immediately I am getting an exception "java.net.SocketException: errno: 125, error: Address already in use for fd: 9".
I also tried to close the socket of ClientRemoteFactory in my client program in a finally block, still I am getting the same exception. If I run the same program after a few minutes it runs fine.
Bottomline is -- "it is clear that if I use a fixed localPort in my customClientFactory, it will be in use for sometime even after I am done with the stub method".
Is there anyway or a work around to clean the socket after it's use. I can not use an anonymous client port for security reasons, I must have to use a fixed localPort. If anyone has any other ideas or approach, please share with me. Any help is highly appreciated as this is very urgent.
Thanks,
Murthy

Answer 1

I'm not sure that you really want to do this unless you are trying to resolve some firewall issue which might be better resolved another way. For a start this technique will limit you to one RMI call per host at any one time.
However, the API you are looking for is java.net.Socket.setReuseAddress(true), which was introduced in JDK 1.4. You have to do this before the socket is connected, i.e.:
Socket s = new Socket();
s.setReuseAddress(true);
s.bind(new InetSocketAddress(localPort));
s.connect(new InetSocketAddress(remoteHost,remotePort));
EJP