Audio conversation using Messenger in XP 2

[leftywedge]

HI,
I am trying to create an audio conversation with messenger in WinXP. One PC works ok the other not. Both go through the same firewall and router. Both have the same Messenger version. Hardware is OK too (mic and speakers).

What can cause this?

LW

 

[1stITMAN]

DO u not need to add each others ip address to allow in the firewall.

Zaheer Ahmed Iqbal
I.T Systems Support Engineer
Bsc. (Hons).

 

[leftywedge]

not really. Why did on xp PC work without configuration and the other not

 

[bcastner]

1. Make sure your DirectX is updated to 9.0b
2. Make sure you have installed the uPnP component from the Windows XP "Network Services" folder.

 

[linney]

See if these shed any light on the situation.

You Cannot Make Phone Calls or Start Voice or Video Conversations with Windows Messenger

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324214&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...p%2Btcp%2Bfirewall%2Bwindows%2Bxp%2Bmessenger

Have you run the Audio Tuning Wizard in Messenger?

307888 - HOW TO: Use Windows Messenger to Make Voice Calls to Another Computer in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307888&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[leftywedge]

Thanks to all of you for your answers. To Linney, I found the same link. It should work. Thanks again

LW

 

[Mikke]

I tried everything that has been suggested. I replaced my computer with a new one Win XP Pro and MSN Messenger 6.1. I have tested all the features of MSN Messenger and they all work! Desktop sharing, White Board, and voice.

HOWEVER! The voice only works one way! I can hear the other end perfectly, but they can't hear me.

I am not behind a firewall, It riectly connected to the Cable Modem. I loaded Directx 9.0b still nothing.

The meter when I speak, goes up and down in MSN Messenger, its as if the vocie packets are simply not going out!

ANy ideas

 

[linney]

What steps is your friend taking to make sure his machine is not the problem? Are you able to test your own machine with another friend?

 

[Mikke]

Great question! We set up a laptop via AOL to talk to him, and there was no problems.

 

[vbainchicago]

I've dealt with this same problem. Here are a few things I've done when troubleshooting in the past:

1. Reboot both machines
2. Run the Audio Wizard in 6.1 on both machines
3. If you "invited" your friend to start an audio conversation and it didn't work, have them "invite" you.
4. Make sure you're both using the latest (and same) version of MSN messenger.

I'm sure this all seems pretty basic, but these steps have solved the issues every time I've had MSN messenger problems.

VBAINCHICAGO

http://www.321google.com

http://www.jjscomputing.com

 

[Mikke]

Thanks for the tip. We completed that and to do avail.

One thing that we are focusing on is the sound card and the mixer application that comes with the PC.

The motherboard has a build-in sound device made by Soyo the description is Intel Socket-478 P4 Based i875P Chipset ATX Motherboard Supporting Dual Channel DDR400/333, 800 MHz FSB, Hyper-Threading Technology, Serial ATA/ATA-133 RAID, 6-Ch Hardware Audio, 8X AGP, Overclocking, Intel Gigabit LAN, USB 2.0 and Firewire Ports

http://www.soyousa.com/products/compare.php?ids[]=233&submit.x=40&submit.y=6

Regarding the sound, it uses the the On board CMI 8738 audio chip providing 6-channel audio supports optical and coaxial SPDIF outputs

Just to recap:

The microphone works fine. I eliminated ALL IP configuation, network and NAT issues. I can Application share, Desktop Share and even setup a voice conversation that is only one way. I hear the other person fine, but they can not hear me. When I run the MSN Messenger (5.0 and 6.1) I see the mike monitor jumping up and down so the software recognizes that the mike is open

I applied an WinXP patches and upgraded to Directx 9.0b no luck.

Any and all comments welcomed.


All help is welcomed

 

[linney]

Have you thought about trying NetMeeting between the two of you to see if you can do voice communication via that?

NetMeeting is installed on Windows XP, although you won't see it in the Start menu. You have to search the hard disk to find the conf.exe file and double click that file to get it started.

At least it would be another way of checking your machine's voice communication problem. The MSN messenger allows you to do the same things you can do with NetMeeting, but it uses a different set of protocols.

 

[Mikke]

We will begin the test shortly...
Standby....

 

[Mikke]

No Luck with Netmeeting.....

 

[linney]

Port 6901 is for voice communications, I can only think that something must be blocking that port.

Maybe you can try a diagnostic type program and see what is happening on port 6901.

Port Explorer has a trial download that you can use for 30 days (or 50 uses) before you have to purchase it. See if it is of any use to you.

http://www.diamondcs.com.au/portexplorer/

At least it will tell you if anything is going out on Port 6901 while you speak.

 

[Mikke]

Great idea.. will give it a shot

 

[Mikke]

The following is the snap of information from Port Explorer that shows the various ports that are open associated with MSN Messenger.

The two views shown are from both sides. The first view "The side that can hear, but can't be heard" is shown first. The second side is the side that has total functionality. It has been tested with other users and voice works in both directions as well as all other MSN capabilities.

What is weird, is that I can't see Port 6901 assigned. I would have assumed that if voice was going out I would have seen it?

Again, this snap is showing the state of the Ports while voice converstation is going on. Voice is traveling from the Good Side to the Bad, but not the other way. (i.e. the bad can hear, but can not be heard at the good end).

Thanks for all of the help

p.s. the results shown are identical if the "bad side" is directly connected to the cable modem or if the connection is made while the PC is within the DMZ of the Router that explains the 192 range


"The side that can hear, but can't be heard"


PROTO LOCAL ADDR LOCAL PORT REMOTE ADDR REMOTE PORT PORT STATUS
TCP 192.168.0.100 3427 207.46.107.97 1863 ESTABLISHED
TCP 192.168.0.100 3430 207.46.110.254 80 LISTENING
TCP 192.168.0.100 3436 207.68.178.239 80 LISTENING
TCP 192.168.0.100 3437 206.24.192.254 80 CLOSE_WAIT
TCP 192.168.0.100 3451 68.117.60.0 1824 ESTABLISHED
UDP 192.168.0.100 29048 192.168.0.1 1900 LISTENING
UDP 192.168.0.100 3440 68.117.60.0 8414 LISTENING
UDP 192.168.0.100 3441 68.117.60.0 5060 LISTENING
UDP 192.168.0.100 15573 68.117.60.0 54259 LISTENING



"The Good Side"

PROTO LOCAL ADDR LOCAL PORT REMOTE ADDR REMOTE PORT PORT STATUS
TCP 68.117.60.0 1813 208.172.13.222 80 CLOSE_WAIT
UDP 0.0.0.0 1810 64.4.12.200 7001 LISTENING
TCP 68.117.60.0 1812 207.68.178.239 80 CLOSE_WAIT
TCP 68.117.60.0 1806 207.46.107.41 1863 ESTABLISHED
UDP 68.117.60.0 1815 68.50.216.60 9470 LISTENING
UDP 68.117.60.0 1816 68.50.216.60 5060 LISTENING
UDP 68.117.60.0 54259 68.50.216.60 6397 LISTENING
TCP 68.117.60.0 1886 207.46.108.100 1863 ESTABLISHED

 

[vbainchicago]

When my friend had problem like this (could hear me but I couldn't hear him) turned out he has his microphone muted. Only took us about two days to try the obvious, LOL.

VBAINCHICAGO

http://www.jjscomputing.com

 

[Mikke]

Thanks for the tip, but we went through various tests to eliminate the mike. Such as recording with Sound Record while playing music via another window to verify that full-duplex capabilities existed. All tested fine.

Thanks for the comment

 

[linney]

Have you got logging enabled in Port Explorer? There will be a log file in the program's folder. There will also be a running log at the bottom of the PE window where you can drag the sides of "local" and "remote" addresses wider to see the port number. There are also settings for the number of seconds a port remains displayed in the main window itself.

If you have problems with interpreting the results or setting it up to monitor ports you are interested in, you will find excellent help at the special Port Explorer forum at

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/archive

also the DiamondCS support is second to none, they regularly visit Wilders too.

Messenger uses these ports.

Type of Service Protocol Source Port Destination Port
Text TCP any 1863
Voice 1 TCP any 6901
Voice 2 UDP any 6901
Voice 2 UDP 6901 any
File Transfer 1 TCP any 6891
File Transfer 1 TCP 6891 any
File Transfer 2 TCP any 6892
File Transfer 2 TCP 6892 any
... TCP
File Transfer 10 TCP any 6900
File Transfer 10 TCP 6900 any
Net2Phone 1 UDP any 6801
Net2Phone 2 UDP any 2001
Net2Phone 2 UDP 2001 any
... UDP
Net2Phone 120 UDP any 2120
Net2Phone 120 UDP 2120 any