iChat AV problem - Need help!

[VTRichard]

Greetings, this is my first post to this group. In case this group is not the correct one for this problem, I have posted this msg on another forum as well. I'm a novice when it comes to computers so keep that in mind. My main reason for joining this list is to present a problem that I have regarding iChat AV in hopes that someone here can help me solve a mystery. Bear with me and I will give you the story.

Several months ago I purchased a new Mac Mini with super drive, the main
purpose being to be able to web cam with my five children and grandchildren.
So far, I have only been able to use it with one daughter in the N.Y. area
and it worked incredibly well. It was a super bonding tool since I recently
retired and live in Vermont which is long distances from all of my kids. Due
to retirement I'm not able to take trips to visit very often so I thought
web caming would be the next best thing and it was until my daughter moved
away from the N.Y. area to Denver, CO. Since then I have not been able to
get the web cam to work. I have been able to instant message ok but not
video chat. She is not able to video with me either. I have called my ISP
and Apple for help but they were not able to offer anything that would work.
I have downloaded my Mac OS (Tiger) with the latest 10.4.4 up date and
opened ports but still it won't work.

My daughter has a Mac and she is able to video chat with a brother in
Richmond, VA. I have tried to video with him and it won't work.

I have DSL service and my server recently installed a high speed modem
(24G). In Denver, the service is either DSL or digital cable. Any help that
will solve this dilemma with be gratefully accepted.
Richard in Vermont

 

[Gee]

Hi there

There's hopefully plenty of people on MacRumors with some ideas for you.

For my two-cents worth, how about first of all trying to webcam using Yahoo instant messenger - you and your daughter could both download the Mac version and give it a go. It's not as cool as iChat, and doesn't do audio at the same time, but depending on whether it works or not, it will give you an indication as to whether your problem lies with iChat itself or with something to do with your ISP. Just a thought.

Also, you should try to describe to us what kind of error messages you get when you try to start a video conference. You said you can text chat - can you audio chat without video (i.e. with the camera turned off/unplugged)?

 

[frenetic]

Hi VTRichard,

The problem most likely lies in your or your daughter's modem/router. As you've already found out ichat needs some ports of your computer's firewall open, and if you are behind a router that uses NAT the router needs to open some ports open also. Now, if this is the problem, the answer is less easy to give, since there are a million routers out there and each are configured differently. I suggest you take a look at the following help subject by apple, which explains for some models of routers how to get it to work: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93208

I've had varying degrees of success in getting it to work with different people... Usually, after a lot of tampering I got it to work but there is one friend with whom I am just unable to v-chat. I hope you get it to work...

Cheers

 

[VTRichard]

iChat AV problem - Need help!

Thanks for your replys. The error message at both ends says, that I have refused to respond even though I have accepted the invitation and out in Denver they get the same error msg. Neither one of us can audio message either.
Richard

 

[yankeefan24]

You know what, a couple of days ago, i tried to audio chat with one of my friends (with triton on windows). I got a similar error message, and i found out that he didn't have a mic. So, make sure that your computers webcam and everyone else's is plugged in and turned on. I'm not sure if that will work, but i think it might be a solution. Otherwise, i don't know what the problem could be.