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facebooknetwork-programmingfacebook-graph-apiwebservernat

Can a computer behind a NAT-router receive realtime-updates from facebook?


I'm currently writing a desktop application that integrates facebook using the graph API. I'd like to implement real-time updates (http://developers.facebook.com/docs/api/realtime/), but in the doc it say's that you have to establish a http server that facebook will address to send the updates to. My problem is now that my box is sitting behind a router with only one IP-address (so the router uses NAT). Will it still be possible for facebook to contact my webserver for sending me updates?


Solution

  • @kohlehydrat: Every webserver needs to have an IP address that can be reached from "anywhere" on the internet. Since your webserver is sitting behind a NAT with only one IP, I seriously doubt Facebook can reach your webserver.

    However, see if you can configure the NAT in such a way to reserve a dedicated port for your application.

    For example:

            10.122.48.222:4231 
    traffic to port 4231 is directed towards your application. 
    10.122.48.222 is outward facing NAT IP address.
    

    I am not sure if we can do this, but its an idea.