Firewall Traversal

How to ensure secure, consistent, and low cost video communication.

Whilst IP communication has had the potential for many different devices to call one another using the public Internet, many users and IT managers have avoided this for the following reasons:

• Users make most of their video calls within the company so there is no need to go outside the company WAN or VPN.
• H.323 does not offer a cost-effective way to overcome an IP address change on a budget broadband line.
• SIP will not connect to legacy videoconferencing equipment and has the same fundamental firewall traversal issues that H.323 has.
• Firewall traversal solutions are complex and expensive to implement.

There is a way to use the Internet for more of your communication…

Having the ability to run several protocols at once allows the widest and most affordable connectivity.  Each protocol fulfils a specific need.

IP Protocols: (mm146, mm156, mm140, mm150, CareStation 140, CareStation 156)

• Packet Buddy Protocol- for connecting to devices outside the firewall, such as videophones on low cost broadband lines.
• StatIX protocol- to locate devices with a changing IP address.
• H.323 protocol- to connect to 3rd party videoconferencing equipment.
• SIP protocol, to connect to IP-PBXs, services and endpoints.

PSTN Protocols: (mm156, mm150 and CareStation 156)

• H.324 protocol- to connect to legacy PSTN videophones where broadband lines are not available.
• Regular PSTN calls, to connect to users on regular telephones.

Running so many protocols may seem complex, but you don’t need to use them all.  As they all run independently, just configure them as the need arises.

There is no need to choose the protocol when you make a call.  The videophone works that out by trying each call type in sequence until it gets a valid response.  This process takes a fraction of a second.

Why choose Packet Buddy?

Packet Buddy is simple, free, and secure:

• There is very little configuration required.
• It’s included free with your videophone.
• It doesn’t need an external server.
• There is no need to open a wide range of ports in the firewall.

Packet Buddy Configuration

If you plug an mm156 videophone into your home router, and power it on you can make a Packet Buddy call without any configuration at all!

To allow incoming calls, just add a single port forwarding rule to your firewall. A typical configuration screen is shown below.

This rule routes any call coming in on external port 2099 to internal port 2099 IP address 192.168.0.2 type UDP. 

Find your videophone IP address (e.g. 192.168.0.2) by pressing menu, then by choosing communications, and network. While there, change the IP address mode to Static.

Or as an alternative adding a DMZ host to your firewall is even simpler if less secure:

Making a Packet Buddy call:

Simply call the external IP address of the router.

If you have a changing public IP address and need to use StatIX:

• Go to www.scottygroup.com/statix
• Subscribe to the StatIX service.
• Enter the unique user name, group ID, extension number and password that you chose into the videophone. 
• The status message will show StatIX registered.

Making a StatIX call:

When you call, dial the group ID and extension number together e.g. 910395 5525 if you are in a different group, or just the extension number if you are in the same group e.g. 5525.

Compatibility:

Packet Buddy is proprietary, however H.323 and SIP are simultaneously available and will work through other vendors firewall traversal solutions should the need arise.

Conclusions:

In many cases the complexity or hidden costs of traversing a firewall prevents users from getting the most out their video communications equipment.  For people who just want to make video calls the mm, CareStation and eyesite series offers an excellent, affordable, and widely compatible solution.