3 socket Q's

[Richard Gaskin]

Three socket questions:

1. This returns my local IP address on all my machines not
    connected to my router:

      get hostnametoaddress(hostname())

    But behind my router it returns empty.  Why?
    And what is the reliable way to obtain the local IP address?


2. I maintain a log of socket activity while I'm testing, which
    includes my own calls as well as messages like socketClosed
    and socketTimeout.  I sometimes find that I get socketClosed
    messages even as the session continues to work just fine.
    I had the (evidently mistaken) impression that a socketTimeout
    message was sent when a socket is closed due to a timeout.
    But since the socket appears to remain open, what is the
    common appropriate response to getting a socketTimeout message?
    I'm assuming the answer is not to ignore it. :)


3. To have my apps connect through my router I need to configure
    my router's address triggering, specifying the port I'm using.
    Apparently this approach is used by many games as well, and
    some routers come pre-configured with settings that can be
    turned on for popular games.
    Why does AIM not have this requirement?
    I realize it's going through a server, but since the server
    is outside my firewall shouldn't I need to explicitely allow
    it to talk back to my machine?

TIA -

-- 
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World Media Corporation
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  Ambassador at FourthWorld.com       http://www.FourthWorld.com