Shoutbox

at sometime messenger allowed connecting directly to another contact (maybe without an option saying so), i guess that was in v4.6 and b4, which revealed the IP, and was considered a security threat so it was disallowed in msn4.7 and later.
Now in msn7.0 i see it back... what changed from then till now. i know that revealing IP is not a big security threat in itself, but it might be misused...

what advantages and disadvantages this option gives ?! and did microsoft fix something that made this connect directly option safer than b4 ?

It never went away...Connections over Messenger are always IP2IP. Not really a security threat, I mean when you posted this your IP address was logged. Your IP address is logged on nearly every website you visit...and very few hackers\crackers will care to target you...Although software firewalls can be disabled remotely with ease if you know how, they do protect against the bulk of attacks\pre-attack probes...so I wouldn't say this was really a problem...

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Originally posted by Anubis
Connections over Messenger are always IP2IP

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That is incorrect. Standard chatting runs through a server. Things like File Transfers, Audio and Webcam try to connect peer to peer.

as much as i know, the way Underlord describes is for msn4.7 and later (as i said earlier), n i believe (but not sure) this was changed for security.
does using the option in msn7.0 decrease the time lag for messages to get from user to another (in case the server was busy) for example ?? why is it there ?!

The thing that is introduced in Messenger 7 is something like DCC (you know the thing which you can also do with mIRC). It's indeed a direct connection to your contact. And it will indeed reveal the IP of the contact (without sending a file fist or something like those netstat tricks). I've not yet looked up more info about it though, but iirc the option doesn't work yet and the security issue is also a concearn of other people in the messenger community.

So, like said, I've read quickly somewhere about this option, can't remember where though. Maybe it was msnfanatic or something.

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Originally posted by zaidgs
does using the option in msn7.0 decrease the time lag for messages to get from user to another (in case the server was busy) for example ??

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No, chats always go trough a MSN server. There is no option yet to have a direct connection in a chat.

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Originally posted by zaidgs
which revealed the IP, and was considered a security threat

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You always have the option to decline a file transfer. If you decline then you won't get a direct connection. If you accept then there was a direct connection, just because direct connections are faster then trough a MSN server. Your IP can then be found by the other side, this is something that always happens with a direct connection, not a security threat at all. In fact you IP has just been logged to the forum server here . There is now way to hide your IP from tools like netstat during a real direct connection.

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Originally posted by zaidgs
why is it there ?!

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File transfers (and also voice/video connections) always went direct, but when people are using a NAT network configuration or in some cases a proxy/firewall, it is not possible to make a direct connection. In this case the connection will go trough a MSN server and IP doesn't show. The reason that connections don't go trough MSN servers by default is because this causes slower speeds, and it will cost Microsoft a lot of money when they need servers to handle every file transfer.

Menthix: the option in msn7.0 is: Allow me to connect directly to contacts WHEN SENDING MESSAGES...... there u are talking about file transfers n other stuff so ur last arguement is somehow out-topic...

I see now, Cookie made it clear to me but his post wasn't there yet before i posted reply. Didn't know about that feature yet can't tell anything .