LimeWire can't connect? Behind Firewall? Try this!

[ag101]

Here's how to get LimeWire working:
- Contains steps given n times on the forums - but missed by all
- Creditz to all who've posted entries/advices on these forums
- Creditz go to my brother A*** who got my last hurdle figured.

Disclaimer: This method/trick/process has been implemented (successfully) on a PPPoE internet service.
My ISP may quite possibly be blocking port 6346 (on which GNUtella/LW ususally works..)
I cannot say if it will work for all types of internet services...
Still I post this sincerely hoping that this helps at least some of you people, as it did for me!

First, let's configure LimeWire settings!
Start LW and goto Tools>Options>Advanced>Firewall Config
In this section, I set the Listening Port to listen on Port 25192
The Router Configuration is a little series of connection and disconnection...
First, instead of using UPnP, select Manua Port Forward.
Change it from the default 6346. Set the value to 1111.
Then click on Apply and then OK.
Now disconnect LW by going to File>Disconnect.
Then completely quit (Exit) LimeWire. Even from the System Tray.
Now start LW again! And once again, goto Tools>Options>Advanced>Firewall Config.
Now set the Router Configuration to once again use UPnP instead of Manual.
Then click on Apply and then OK. Exit LimeWire complely.
(I know this above procedure seems very dumb/stupid/ridiculous/funny/orthodox/whatever...
But when nothing seems to work, you might as well try every dumb advice you get!)
Do not restart it now. We have Windows networking settings to fiddle with now!

Open the Windows Firewall settings. Here's how!
Start>Control Panel>Windows Firewall
Go to the Advanced tab.
You should be able to see your network connection(s) under Network Connection Settings.
(In my case, I have three connections currently....
Connection to <ISP's name here>
Connection to cable at <ISP's name here>
Local Area Connection
All three are selected by a check mark before each.
Sometimes I may have only two, sometimes four - if I have created multiple akd dial-up connections)

Now do the following to the connection(s) are using:
Select (click on) the network connection you are using.
Click on the Settings button to the right. You'll get an Advanced Settings window.
In the Services tab, click on the Add... button at the bottom
The Service Settings window will now popup.
In Description of service, type GNUtella - TCP
For Name or IP Address, use 127.0.0.1
For External Port number, use 25192 (i.e. the same port number that you set LW to listen on.)
Set the Internal Port number the same as the External Port number. (i.e. 25192 in this case)
Check the radio button to TCP.
Click on OK when you're done! You'll now be back at the Advanced Settings window.
Click on Add again. This time check the UDP radio button instead of TCP.
In Description of service, type GNUtella - UDP (just to differentiate between the two)!
IP Address and Port numbers are to be kept the same as before!
Click on OK when you're done! You'll now be back at the Advanced Settings window.
Exit this Advanced Settings window now by clicking on the OK button at the bottom.
So now you've added a TCP and a UDP entry for GNUtella!
Do this for all your available network connections (just to be on the safe side..)!
I have done this following procedure to all three of my present connections.
Restart your PC now... just for goodness' sake! (Remember, dumb/stupid/orthodox...???)

Start LimeWire now. It should connect at full 5 bars! Mine does!

You can set your listening port to any free port.
Ports to try: 80, 1111, 3500, 4008, 1203, 10000, 15189, 20282, 22817, 443, 34599, 40475, 42628
Alternative ports that you can use are mentioned at http://www.gnutellaforums.com/showth...threadid=24523
Port numbers are mentioned at http://www.iana.org/assignments/port-numbers
Part(s) of the above process are mentioned at http://www.limewire.com/english/content/firewalls.shtml
Thanks to previous forum members for these posts.
Also see that the Router Configuration has some number other than 6346. ISPs dont like this number very much ;-)
(Set to Manual forward, then just type any other number, and switch back to UPnp !!! )

Hope this works for you. Best of luck!!!
Regards, AG101

[Helomoto]

You are a legend, i tryed so many dofferent things by the book and not one of them worked, i must say im very impressed

ITS WORKING PERFECT.

[ccatz]

nope , still not working ;^;

[a.wentz]

Please help! When you say to go to control panel > windows firewall, I do not have a windows firewall option listed there. What do I do?

Thanks!

[murasame]

a.wentz, I figure the guide is intended for Windows XP users. If you don't have that then it's likely you won't find the aforementioned built-in firewall.

I suggest that before one starts configuring stuff using this guide (or any other guide for that matter) to see if any of the following apply:
-Am I trying to connect from work/university campus/insert-other-place-where-P2P-is-prohibited?
-Do I have a router?
->If yes, is it properly configured to allow LW to connect to the network?
-Do I have XP?
->If yes, is the built-in firewall activated and does it allow LW to connect?
-Do I have any other firewalls?

I got a couple of messages from people who couldn't connect and didn't even check if they had a router, so...

[a.wentz]

Thanks to the above poster for tyring to help. The thing is, I do have Windows XP. I do have a router, and I do have my non-windows firewall set to allow Limewire full access. Limewire worked about a month ago, adn then one day suddenly stopped. I think my ISP has blocked Limewire, but I'm not sure because port 6346 still works. Anyways, how do I get to where I need to go if the Control Panel > Windows Firewall isn't there?

[a.wentz]

bump

[ag101]

If you cant find the firewall controls/settings, then perhaps you don't have a Windows built-in firewall.......
I wonder if WinXP has flavors that don't include a firewall...

Anyways, download this program called Http-Tunnel
Preferably HTTP-Tunnel v3.4.2852

Disclaimer: This process/program/procedure has been tested on environments where the ISP is apparently blocking P2P programs. Type of internet connection: PPPoE
I therefore do not know if this will work for other types of internet connections... (Or more complicated networks..)

Run your LimeWire and go to your proxy settings, change it to HTTP Proxy, Proxy: 127.0.0.1, Port: 1080
In Login Details, DO NOT check on Enable Authencitaction.

As for Firewall Config, Listening Port can be left to whatever is already there. And Use UPnP.

Then Apply, OK and Quit LimeWire completely. Completely means it should even be quit from the system tray.

Now run Http-Tunnel. In the Configuration settings, Under Proxy Server, Select Auto Detect and click the Test button.
When that's done, you are ready to start using Http-Tunnel.

Check the Log tab - and you should see somethgins like..
< Time... > Starting HTTP-Tunnel...
< Time... > Init: Successful
< Time... > blah blah blah
.
.
. and finally a line that says:
< Time... > SOCKS 4/5 server successfully started

When you see this line, you are ready to start LimeWire (or Shareazaa or Kazaa.. or whichever..)
Just run them all on port 1080.
You may Minimize http-tunnel. But DON'T quit it.

Now you may start LimeWire (as we aleady made the necessary setting changes earlier..). DO NOT QUIT the http-tunnel progam. Keep it minimised but it MUST be running.
Let LimeWire start and leave it as it is for about 5 to 10 mins.. This is the time that the http-tunnel program takes to configure itself (to allow LW to pass thru' it).

After some minutes, you'll see that LW works at full network strength.

Cheers!