How to Enable Your Webcam on Yahoo Messenger Over a Server Firewall

A firewall can stop you from using your webcam on Yahoo! Messenger.

One of the most common problems that you may face when trying to share your webcam on Yahoo! Messenger is connection problems caused by a firewall or proxy server. Because a firewall interferes with the connection Yahoo! Messenger uses to transmit your webcam, you must adjust your connection settings in Messenger to enable you to use your webcam over your server's firewall. Windows users can also enable their webcams by allowing Yahoo! Messenger to communicate directly though Windows Firewall.

Instructions

Through Yahoo! Messenger

1. Open Yahoo! Messenger on your computer and log in to your account.

2. Click the "Messenger" tab at the top of the screen and click "Preferences" from the drop-down menu.

3. Click "Connection" from the Category pane on the left.

4. Click the "Connect Directly to the Internet" option to select it.

5. Click the "Apply" button, and then click the "OK" button to close the Preferences window.

6. Click the "Messenger" tab at the top of the screen and click "Sign Out" from the drop-down menu to sign out of Yahoo! Messenger.

7. Click the "Sign In" button to sign in to Yahoo! Messenger once again. You can now use your webcam.

Through Windows Firewall

1. Click the Windows orb at the bottom left of your screen.

2. Type "Firewall" in the search box, and then click "Windows Firewall" from the list of results.

3. Wait for the Windows Firewall screen to open, and then click "Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall" from the pane on the left.

4. Click the "Change Settings" button at the top of the screen.

5. Provide your administrator password or confirm that you wish to continue, if prompted.

6. Scroll down the alphabetical list of programs until you find "Yahoo! Messenger" near the bottom.

7. Click the box next to "Yahoo! Messenger" to enable an exception.

8. Click the "Private" or "Public" box to select the network locations on which you want to allow communication.

9. Click the "OK" button at the bottom of the screen, and then close the Windows Firewall screen.

10. Open Yahoo! Messenger on your computer and log in to your account to use your webcam.

Tips & Warnings

• If your computer uses a firewall other than Windows Firewall, click the "Add Port" button under your firewall and enter the following settings to enable a connection: protocol: TCP; server: webcam.yahoo.com; port: 5100.

References

• Yahoo: Errors When Trying to View or Broadcast a Webcam
• Windows: Allow a Program to Communicate Through Windows Firewall