IChat AIM and Ports

Question

I can iChat using AIM screen names with other Mac's, but I can't with my father on his PC using AIM and his AIM screen name. I have read through many posts on this topic, but have merely succeeded in thoroughly confusing myself.
I have an iMac with OSx 10.5.7. It is on a wireless network using a Netgear WGR614 router. I am using iChat version 4. My father has a Windows XP computer. He is using a D-Links DI-624 router. His version of AIM is 6.9. I have asked him to turn off "Real Time," although I'm not quite sure that he has figured out how to do that yet (he just turned 80 years old).
Can I correctly assume that because I can iChat successfully with other Mac users that my router is properly configured and that the problem lies with my father's set up?
If the problem is with my father's set up, this Apple support document suggests that with respect to configuring his DI-624 router, all he needs to do is turn off UPnP. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1787. But I can't tell if the document applies only to Mac users of iChat or to Windows users of AIM who wish to chat with Mac users of iChat. My father is in the latter catergory.
If my father must configure his DI-624 router, which ports mucst he open/forward? The ones that I have seen listed that iChat users are suppose to open, the ones that AIM users are suppose to open, both?
Finally, the DI-624 seems to permit two methods to open ports: "Firewall Rules" and "port triggering". Which should I use?
Thanks for all your help.
John

Answer 1

Hi
Which Netgear WGR 614 version do you have ?
Things don't really improve with this series until Version 9 (It's about the only dud for iChat Netgear there is.)
It should be doing UPnP
DOS (Or SPI) and Ping Blocking in the WAN Set up page should both be Off.
If that D-Link does UPnP then use that.
On his PC
He will need to do this Blue stuff in his Firewall
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/page12.html#_Service
Simplefied version
Go to Start > Control Panels.
Access the Firewall
Click the Exceptions tab
Add AIM6.exe as the method suggests (Navigate to the Program Files > AIM blah blah)
Enable UPnP as well in the List.
Your Post suggests you have Read this
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1968438
Turning Off Real Time supersedes this.
THE AIM FAQ and Pics about Real Time
If his does not do UPnP then use this page as well as the port 5190 listed he will need to enter as many as he can fro the Group 1024-5000
Unfortunately he can not add the Group and has to enter each port on one entry. (He will not get all the ports in the table - technically 4 should be enough)
9:44 PM Tuesday; June 23, 2009
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