Files2Phones Connect Direct: Opening Ports

This article applies to PC2Me Server, hotComm Standard/Pro, and Files2Phones. Examples are for PC2Me. Also see Connecting Online-Direct.

To set up your computer for "Online-Direct":

1. Computer:Info - On your computer, find and write down the IP Address (XP) or IPv4 Address (Vista), the Subnet Mask, the Default Gateway addresses, and the DHCP Enabled setting. See XP Instructions and Vista Instructions.
   
   Note that an IP address where the last number is in the 100-199 range usually indicates you're using DHCP (dynamic addressing).
   
   Vista Instructions
   If you are using Vista:
   1. Open Windows Start menu.
   2. In Start Search, type: Run and press your Enter key.
   3. In the Run window, type: cmd and click OK. This opens the black Command window.
   4. At the blinking cursor, type: ipconfig /all and press Enter.
   5. Find the entry for the connection you are using (such as "Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection".
   6. Write down the IPv4 Address, Subnet Mask, and Default Gateway addresses, and DHCP Enabled setting.
   7. Leave this window open.
   
   
   
   XP Instructions
   If you are using XP:
   1. Open Windows Start menu.
   2. Select Run.
   3. In the Run window, type: cmd and click OK. This opens the black Command window.
   4. At the blinking cursor, type: ipconfig /all and press Enter. This opens the black Command window.
   5. Write down the IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway addresses, and the Dhcp Enabled setting.
   6. Leave the window open.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Router:DHCP - Open your Router admin program and find the beginning range of the DHCP addresses.
   
   For many routers, you open the router admin program by going to the Default Gateway address in your Internet browser, such as http://192.168.1.1.
   
   Log in with your router's username and password. Note that default usernames and passwords for specific routers are often posted on the web, and many people do not change them. When in doubt, try "admin" and "password" or "admin" and "admin", etc.
   
   Usually there will be an option such as "DHCP" or "Dynamic Addressing".
   
   
3. Router Port Forwarding - In the Router admin program, in Port Forwarding (or equivalent), add an entry for Files2Phones and click Enable (or equivalent).
   
   For port number, choose 8180, 8280, 8380 or another in that series. Use the same port number for both starting and ending port numbers if you are asked for both.
   
   For IP address, choose one that is below the start of the range of addresses assigned by DHCP. But, do not choose one of the very low numbers (1-20) as they are often used by your networking system.
   
   For protocol, choose TCP.
   
   Example entry:
   Name = Files2Phones
   Port = 8180 (or starting port=8180, ending port=8180).
   IP address of your computer = 192.168.1.80 (this would be the same IP as shown in the ipconfig listing, only ending in .80.
   Protocol = TCP
   
   
4. Computer -i Option - On your computer, right-click the Files2Phones startup icon, select Properties, and add -i2 (or correct code to match selected port) to the end of the Target line.
   
   The command line will look like this:
   "C:\Program Files\1stWorks\f2p\BIN\f2p.exe" -i2
   
   The ports and matching -i codes are:
   
   

   Port	Code
   8080	-i1 (default)
   8180	-i2
   8280	-i3
   8380	-i4
   8080+(n-1)*100	-in
   9980	-i20
   -in must be in the range of 1-99. Note: if you select 8080, that also expects that port 80 is also open and forwarded to this computer.

   
   
   
5. Computer Static IP - Open Windows Start, then Control Panel, then Network Connections. In XP, select the TCP item in the list. For Vista, select the IPv4 item. Click Properties.
   
   In Properties, check "Use this IP Address" and type in:
   

   Option	Value
   IP	the IP address you assigned in the router
   Subnet	the Subnet address you wrote down. Note that this is almost always 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway	the Gateway address you wrote down.
   DNS (primary)	the Default Gateway address
   DNS (secondary)	leave blank

   
   and click Apply.
   
   
6. Close the open Command windows and the Router window.
   
   
7. Restart Files2Phones by using the shortcut on your desktop. You will get an error message saying that the Files2Phones Server is already logged in. Click Yes and then OK.
   
   
8. If you hover over the tiny Files2Phones icon, it should now say "Online-Direct". You're done!