Networks & Firewalls

For MTP/IP applications to communicate between computers, each must be connected by an Internet Protocol (IP) network path.  The remote system must be running an MTP/IP server, such as ExpeDat, SyncDat, or one of the enclosed Utilities.  If there are firewalls, VPNs, or NAT devices between the computers, then these devices must be configured to allow traffic on the appropriate UDP/IP ports.

If you are considering use of a network emulator, see Tech Note 0022 for important information about emulators.

Typical MTP/IP file transfer servers use UDP/IP port 8080.  The MTP Utilities use both UDP/IP port 8082 and TCP/IP port 8082.  However, all MTP/IP applications can be configured to use any available port numbers.  Should you experience difficulty communicating with a remote MTP/IP system, check with your network administrator to make sure you are using the correct ports.

Should you continue to experience difficulty communicating between computers, consult the Troubleshooting chapter, or refer to DEI Tech Note 0002 for information about configuring firewalls.

Windows Firewall

The Windows firewall is very aggressive about both blocking applications and degrading their performance.  Extra steps may be required to ensure that data is allowed to pass through unhindered.

Even if Windows Firewall is turned off it may still degrade performance.
The only way to ensure that Windows Firewall is not blocking or slowing MTP/IP is to add explicit firewall rules allowing the ports described above.  See Tech Note 0002 for links to instructions for different versions of Windows.

When installing an ExpeDat or SyncDat server, it will attempt to detect firewall problems and display warnings during installation.  When "Run as Administrator", the server will attempt to correct problems it finds.  The MTP Utilities software requires manual firewall setup.  Regardless of what network software you are installing, it is a good idea to manually review your firewall settings to ensure that the server port is open and that there are no block rules applying to it or any applications you wish to use.

When running any MTP/IP software for the first time, you may see a dialog box similar to the one below.  At a minimum, you must click "Unblock" for the software to function correctly.

Under Windows Vista and Windows 7, if you take any action other than clicking "Allow access", then the application will be forever blocked.  Even if you later add a rule to allow the application, it may still be blocked.  You may need to manually remove the original block rules from the firewall.  To do this, use the "Advanced settings" link in the Windows Firewall control panel and examine both "Incoming Rules" and "Outbound Rules".