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Frequently Asked Questions (continued)
How do I send or receive a file via iChat when the Mac OSX firewall
is active? -for Macintosh users- Mac OS X 10.2 and later
“iChat cannot send or receive a file when the Mac OS X firewall is active in its default
state. If you have opened the AIM port, you may be able to receive a file but not send
them.
In its default state, the Mac OS X firewall blocks file transfers using iChat or America
Online AIM software. If either the sender or receiver has turned on the Mac OS X firewall,
the transfer may be blocked.
The simplest workaround is to temporarily turn off the firewall in the Sharing preference
pane on both computers. This is required for the sender. However, the receiver may keep
the firewall on if the AIM port is open. To open the AIM port:
If you do not want to turn off the firewall at the sending computer, a different file sharing
service may be used instead of iChat. The types of file sharing available in Mac OS X are
outlined in technical document 106461, "Mac OS X: File Sharing" in the AppleCare Knowl-
edge base online.
Note: If you use a file sharing service when the firewall is turned on, be sure to click the
Firewall tab and select the service you have chosen in the "Allow" list. If you do not do
this, the firewall will also block the file sharing service. “
The following information is from the online Macintosh AppleCare knowledge base:
Step 1 Choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
Step 2 Choose View > Sharing.
Step 3 Click the Firewall tab.
Step 4 Click New.
Step 5 Choose AOL IM from the Port Name pop-up menu. The number 5190
should already be filled in for you.
Step 6 Click OK.