Forums mIRC Help alternate server method error with DCCs

Whenever I try to access *SOME* (not all) DCC servers, I get this error.
"Server Notice: This server is using an alternate server method, please make sure your DCC Server is active and set to port 6668. /dccserver +sc on 6668. This is a mIRC command."

I've tried setting mIRC to listen to the port that the error tells me, under Options/DCC/Server. But I still continue to get this error, on the server that gave it too me. Also note, it seems most servers say to "/dccserver +sc on 59" but, others say differently. I've used search, and found nothing on this topic.

That isn't a 'server message', it isn't official and you should always be wary of commands people tell you to type - Many of the broadband connections warez kiddies 'borrow' (borrow meaning take without asking permission - all for a greater good right?) are behind routers with NAT, meaning they cannot accept inbound connections (used by the traditional DCC method) without some router configuration beforehand, configuration obviously far too complex and time consuming for the average warez kiddie.

I suspect you too are behind a router with NAT, so the tables have turned because the dcc server is now trying to initiate a connection with you. If you really must download off questionable sources, you should search for 'port forwarding' on this or perhaps your router vendors website, but please try to understand that those great generous people willing to let you download files off them mightn't be so willing after all.

As to why the port you are asked to listen on is different, one doesn't try to lower themselves to the same level of thought as warez kiddies.

Hope that helps.

Heh... interesting reply.

Anyhow, to give you an understanding of what you are seeing, here's what is happening.

Some people who serv anything (doesn't have to be warez as is suggested above) either have a firewall or a router which they cannot configure either because they don't know how, or aren't allowed to (parents, school, etc), or some other reason. If you cannot configure your router or firewall, you cannot send in the normal fashion and must use another form of connection.

Various scripts call this different things such as "firewall workaround" or "reverse DCC" from two of the main scripts that allow this. All it really does is uses DCC Chat instead of a true Fserv to serv things.

The command /dccserver sets a mIRC option which you can access and change without using that command. It is located in the options (Alt-O), DCC > Server.

+sc means to activate the listening for sends and chats.
-f means to deactivate listening for fserv.
on ____ sets the port to listen on.

These commands have NO effect on your connections to any fserv other than one using this method and does not affect your security in any way different than using normal DCC. Usually, you already have the things activated and set to port 59 by default anyhow. Note also that you don't have to use -f on these... only +sc is important.

Now, for why you see different ports... people use whatever ports they have open on their router/firewall or whatever ports they have decent speeds on. If you use normal DCC, there is a port range where you'll see it saying you are getting a file from port _____ one time and a different port the next. With the workaround, you can only use a single port. That's why this has a port listed.

If you want to access one of these servers, you either cannot have a router or firewall, or you need to forward the port that is listed to your computer through the router/firewall. Note that this would also allow you to serv if you did this.

Is it safe opening a port? Well, that's up to you to decide. I can say, however, that you have a better chance of being hit by lightning or winning the full lottery than being hit by a hacker unless you make one mad somehow. And although you have to worry about viruses possibly getting in through a port without direct control by a hacker, if you run a decent anti-virus program and keep it updated, you have nothing to fear from that. It's all a matter of how concerned you want to be about being attacked and how much you want a file.

"if you run a decent anti-virus program and keep it updated, you have nothing to fear from that"

no one anti-virus can spot everything, and some trojans effectively disable some scanners. add to that the fact that new trojans are written all the time, and it takes time for them to be reported/figured out, and i'd hardly say there is "nothing" to fear.

judging by the number of port scanning attempts i see every day, i should win the lottery any time now