Works on local 10g Express but not 9i. : Got minus one from a read call

Question

Using a desktop I have a 3rd party tool that needs to access an Oracle 9i DB. The tool does not connect to the db at all. I also have Toad installed on the desktop and Toad can connect fine. The error message I get with the 3rd party tool is:
"Got minus one from a read call"
I have a laptop in which I have a local 10g Express installed along with the same 3rd party tool. The 3rd party tool can connect to the local Express db.
I have written a java app. See below. When I run the app on the desktop machine ir produces the same error as the 3rd party tool.
What is happening on the 9i server that is causing this error. I have seen this error posted on many sites but no responses. Any ideas/suggestions?
Thanks
import java.sql.*;
class TestConnection {
public static void main (String args []) throws SQLException
Connection connection = null;
try {
// Load the JDBC driver
String driverName = "oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver";
Class.forName(driverName);
// Create a connection to the database
String serverName = "119.133.45.3";
String portNumber = "1606";
String sid = "HCPSD";
String url = "jdbc:oracle:thin:@" + serverName + ":" + portNumber + ":" + sid;
String username = "HCPSODS";
String password = "HCPSODS";
connection = DriverManager.getConnection(url, username, password);
} catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
System.out.println(e);
} catch (SQLException e) {
System.out.println(e);
Statement stmt = connection.createStatement();
ResultSet rset = stmt.executeQuery("select PROVIDER_NAME from HCPSODS.BLAZE_PROVIDER_VALUES");
while (rset.next())
System.out.println (rset.getString(1));
stmt.close();
}

Answer 1

Here is a fix to this problem I found. Not sure if it will help:
1. Go to directory $TNS_ADMIN on database tier or database home.
2. Modify sqlnet.ora file with following.
tcp.validnode_checking = yes
Either set above directive value to NO or add machine name where jdeveloper is running to following directive.
tcp.invited_nodes=(machin-name, machine-name)
3. Bounce listener using addlnctl.sh under database directory.