I have a come-back message on my home machine which sends the current dynamically-assigned external IP address of my home machine to my laptop. That way I can, for example, remotely login to my home machine when I am on the road.  It works fine.  Among other things the IP address is sent only to my laptop and no other contact.

However, it works only once.  Is there some way to automatically renew the come-back message so that I can keep track of my dynamically-assigned IP address while on the road?

Thanks in advance,

Hi arch, see if this method works:

1)Create a personalised status:
Plus! -> Preferences -> Personalised Status -> Status Presets
You need to assign a Status internal identifier - I've called it Auto IP.
Assign a shortcut if you like.
Set the Auto-responder message as something like
Sorry! I'm not here, (!CN)

2)Set your custom name:
Plus! -> Preferences -> Contact List -> Custom Names
Select the contact that you use on your laptop, and set the alias as (!IP)
(It will still work even if Enable custom contact names is unselected - set the custom name, click apply, then unselect the checkbox)

3)Set the personalised status to automatically change:
Plus! -> Preferences -> General Options -> Miscellaneous
This method will only work while Messenger stays in the preset status. Check Automatically change status.. and select the preset as named in step 1 (Auto IP)
(this is not required if you change the status manually. But this could be useful, especially if you get disconnected from the server sometimes)

That's it! Anyone who messages you will recieve an auto reply like,
multimillionk auto-message: Sorry! I'm not here, arch
But when you send a message from your laptop, you will receive the reply,
multimillionk auto-message: Sorry! I'm not here, 262.181.53.9

I haven't actually used this method but I've done similar things - I'm pretty confident you won't have any problems with it. You can keep using the come-back message as well so you can try it out without worrying it might stuff up.

Hope it helps

That's a very good way.

Additionally, if you set the status via de menu (main MSN Messenger window => the drop-down in which you can select your status => More Statuses => Personalized Status... => pick your AUTO IP status => click filter => choose the account from where you'll be requesting the IP). This is in case you don't want others to see your IP.

Of course, I assume you added yourself to your list.



Edit: meh, I just re-read and yeah. Sorry. Meh, but it's another alternative, so I'll leave it here.

No-one else will see the IP, unless that contact decides to change their nickname to (!IP).
I didn't use the filter because it has to be set manually each time. If the preset statuses included saving the filtered list then the possiblities would be limitless - you would be able to execute anything remotely using the /run command safely.

Thank you.  This looks great!  I will try it out today or tomorrow.

It works well except that the status does not revert to "online" when I become active.

I stopped using auto ip a while back because I had a fixed ip address.  Now I am back to a dynamic ip address, and I would like to use auto ip again.  However, the latest Plus! does not have the same interface that it had in 2005.

Therefore, I have two questions:
How can I get something like auto ip running in the latest Plus!?

How can I make it my default signon status?

Thank you in advance.

quote:

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Originally posted by arch


How can I make it my default signon status?

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Thanks Rebelsean.

Let's say that I create (again) a personal status "auto ip".  I will be able to set that status manually.  However, when Windows Live Messenger disconnects and, then, reconnects it will not be in the status auto ip, and I will have to reset it manually.  If I am on a trip, a manual reset will not be possible.  Since WLM does disconnect and reconnect from time to time,  this is a problem.  Therefore, I would like the status auto ip to be reset automatically each time there is a reconnect.

quote:

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Originally posted by arch
However, the latest Plus! does not have the same interface that it had in 2005.

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Thanks ahmetgns.

You have given me good ideas, and now I have to do some homework.  I will report back later.

The script "Ansering Machine Plus" works. It solves the problem. It was simple to install.  Thanks for the help.

quote:

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Originally posted by arch
Let's say that I create (again) a personal status "auto ip".  I will be able to set that status manually.  However, when Windows Live Messenger disconnects and, then, reconnects it will not be in the status auto ip, and I will have to reset it manually.  If I am on a trip, a manual reset will not be possible.  Since WLM does disconnect and reconnect from time to time,  this is a problem.  Therefore, I would like the status auto ip to be reset automatically each time there is a reconnect.

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Thanks, I will check it out.