What is uPnP used for

I'm in the process of choosing an ADSL router for my parents who are about
to get broadband [1].

Their ISP is Force 9 who supply a Solwise SAR110 as standard for the
"router" option. This may have everything that they need. The only debatable
point is whether or not they need uPnP for making full use of MSN
Messenger - for webcam and audio connections.

I've not been able to find anywhere what uPnP is used for, but it seems
significant that Solwise's comparison page says that the MSN support for the
SAR110 (which does not support uPnP) is "Yes/Text/File Sharing" whereas it
is an unqualified "Yes" for other routers (eg SAR715) which do support uPnP.

Have I correctly understood what uPnP is needed for?

If they *do* need uPnP, is the Solwise SAR715 a good router to go for or
should they go for something like the Draytek 2600 (which seems to get good
reviews in this newsgroup)? I don't imagine they'll need VPN because they
won't be accessing a remote server (eg a company's secure server) over a
private "tunnel".



[1] Unlike people such as myself for whom BT have said that it will never be
economical to upgrade the exchange - GRRRRRR!

"Martin Underwood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) s.com...
<big snip relating to upnp, solwise router model sar110 and f9 adsl
connectivity>

As a user of plusnet and the affore mentioned router I can say that the upnp
seemed to be some weird oddball that Microsoft used. People say that the new
version of messenger no longer has this hang up but I have NEVER been able
to get it to work on file transfers with the combo you mention.

I have also never got WINMX's udp port to work (despite all the
forwarding(nat rules and filters) in place.

The solwise forum is first class for specific questions on this router (and
to a degree f9) and I admit Ive not been back there for a while and read
more on the upnp thing. Im sure I have read it's not an issue and it's
probably me that I've not got it working.

On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 08:48:46 GMT, "Martin Underwood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I'm in the process of choosing an ADSL router for my parents who are about
>to get broadband [1].
>
>Their ISP is Force 9 who supply a Solwise SAR110 as standard for the
>"router" option. This may have everything that they need. The only debatable
>point is whether or not they need uPnP for making full use of MSN
>Messenger - for webcam and audio connections.
>
>I've not been able to find anywhere what uPnP is used for, but it seems
>significant that Solwise's comparison page says that the MSN support for the
>SAR110 (which does not support uPnP) is "Yes/Text/File Sharing" whereas it
>is an unqualified "Yes" for other routers (eg SAR715) which do support uPnP.
>
>Have I correctly understood what uPnP is needed for?
>
>If they *do* need uPnP, is the Solwise SAR715 a good router to go for or
>should they go for something like the Draytek 2600 (which seems to get good
>reviews in this newsgroup)? I don't imagine they'll need VPN because they
>won't be accessing a remote server (eg a company's secure server) over a
>private "tunnel".
>
>
>
>[1] Unlike people such as myself for whom BT have said that it will never be
>economical to upgrade the exchange - GRRRRRR!
>
>
>
My advise is, if you are shopping for an ADSL router now , get one with
guarenteed uPnP support period.

You will find it extreemly frustrating to have gone out and bought one without
uPnP support and find you can't use ALL the features of Windows Messenger.
Remote assistance for example is a god send, as is the voice & video
connectivity.

I'm suprised you have not been able to find out info on what uPnP is used for,
as it is out there, suffice to say it handles the mapping of the public to
private IPaddress/ports for applications that require it, automatically.

You perhaps don't need to go to the expense of the Draytek2600

Other alternatives would be the Netgear DG814, Alcatel Speedtouch 510v4, D-Link
DSL-504

HI

I am with Force9, and I use a SAR715, I have UPNP disabled and use MSN
messenger 6 with out and problems I don't need to set port forwarding. MSN
messenger 6 will do file transfers, Voice, Cam and remote assistance with
out any extra setting up. for once Microsoft have got it right .

Paul

"Martin Underwood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) s.com...
> I'm in the process of choosing an ADSL router for my parents who are about
> to get broadband [1].
>
> Their ISP is Force 9 who supply a Solwise SAR110 as standard for the
> "router" option. This may have everything that they need. The only
debatable
> point is whether or not they need uPnP for making full use of MSN
> Messenger - for webcam and audio connections.
>
> I've not been able to find anywhere what uPnP is used for, but it seems
> significant that Solwise's comparison page says that the MSN support for
the
> SAR110 (which does not support uPnP) is "Yes/Text/File Sharing" whereas it
> is an unqualified "Yes" for other routers (eg SAR715) which do support
uPnP.
>
> Have I correctly understood what uPnP is needed for?
>
> If they *do* need uPnP, is the Solwise SAR715 a good router to go for or
> should they go for something like the Draytek 2600 (which seems to get
good
> reviews in this newsgroup)? I don't imagine they'll need VPN because they
> won't be accessing a remote server (eg a company's secure server) over a
> private "tunnel".
>
>
>
> [1] Unlike people such as myself for whom BT have said that it will never
be
> economical to upgrade the exchange - GRRRRRR!
>
>
>
>

Yep Agree I have a mentor adsl 4 port no upnp and I can do same with
messenger 6

"Paul" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:w_K%a.6339$(E-Mail Removed)...
> HI
>
> I am with Force9, and I use a SAR715, I have UPNP disabled and use MSN
> messenger 6 with out and problems I don't need to set port forwarding. MSN
> messenger 6 will do file transfers, Voice, Cam and remote assistance with
> out any extra setting up. for once Microsoft have got it right .
>

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
Moonshine <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>My advise is, if you are shopping for an ADSL router now , get one with
>guarenteed uPnP support period.

Of course, if you thought that having a router with a firewall allowed
you to control who can connect to what, then you can forget it if you
allow uPnP. If you thought your router configuration was protected by
a password, forget that too. With uPnP, Microsoft owns your router.

-- Richard
--
Spam filter: to mail me from a .com/.net site, put my surname in the headers.

FreeBSD rules!

uPnP seems to be a bad idea

See http://grc.com/unpnp/unpnp.htm


"Martin Underwood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) s.com...
> I'm in the process of choosing an ADSL router for my parents who are about
> to get broadband [1].
>
> Their ISP is Force 9 who supply a Solwise SAR110 as standard for the
> "router" option. This may have everything that they need. The only
debatable
> point is whether or not they need uPnP for making full use of MSN
> Messenger - for webcam and audio connections.
>
> I've not been able to find anywhere what uPnP is used for, but it seems
> significant that Solwise's comparison page says that the MSN support for
the
> SAR110 (which does not support uPnP) is "Yes/Text/File Sharing" whereas it
> is an unqualified "Yes" for other routers (eg SAR715) which do support
uPnP.
>
> Have I correctly understood what uPnP is needed for?
>
> If they *do* need uPnP, is the Solwise SAR715 a good router to go for or
> should they go for something like the Draytek 2600 (which seems to get
good
> reviews in this newsgroup)? I don't imagine they'll need VPN because they
> won't be accessing a remote server (eg a company's secure server) over a
> private "tunnel".
>
>
>
> [1] Unlike people such as myself for whom BT have said that it will never
be
> economical to upgrade the exchange - GRRRRRR!
>
>
>
>

"Ken" <.> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> uPnP seems to be a bad idea
>
> See http://grc.com/unpnp/unpnp.htm
>

And Gibson is a paranoid delusional.

In article <bi27hh$4au$(E-Mail Removed)>,
(E-Mail Removed) (TEQ) wrote:

>
> "Ken" <.> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > uPnP seems to be a bad idea
> >
> > See http://grc.com/unpnp/unpnp.htm
> >
>
> And Gibson is a paranoid delusional.
>
>
>
http://www.grcsucks.com/

Steve