Can't get DCC sending to work with any firewall.

[Okapia]

Every firewall I install blocks me from sending files via DCC on IRC. Receiving files via DCC works fine. I have verified that I have enabled allowing all ingoing and outgoing internet traffic from the IRC programs in the firewalls and made allowances for the port ranges I need for DCC to function. I have also verified that I made an allowance for the ident port. What's even more frustrating is that DCC sending is still blocked after the firewalls are completely uninstalled from my system (yes, I rebooted afterwards). The only way I can get DCC sending to function again is to roll my computer back to a restore point before I installed the firewall. This happens with all three firewalls I tried.

In the past I have been able to run a firewall and DCC send (yes, I've tried the same one I used to use when it worked), so I'm confused why this is happening to me consistently across multiple computers and configurations now.

I have tried this on:

Two computers:

Desktop (Modern)
Laptop (Ancient)

Operating Systems:

Windows XP Media Center 2005
Windows XP Professional, SP2

Firewalls:

Online Armor
Zone Alarm (various versions)
Sunbelt

IRC Programs:
mIRC
Chatzilla

Internet Connection:

Dialup (Netzero)
Broadband (Comcast)


I have tried this on fresh installations (no windows tweaking) with nothing installed except drivers for my modem (if needed), connection software (if needed), the firewall, and the irc client. I have tried disabling and enabling various windows services as well. DCC sending functions again immediately after I roll back changes to before I installed the firewall.

I'm currently away from home for an extended time and will be using dialup for the next couple of weeks, so downloading every free firewall to test and get this working by trial and error isn't an option for me, but I would be willing to download another firewall if there is a good chance I won't have this issue. I am on an older laptop (a Dell Inspiron 4100 I've had since the year 2000) so I need the firewall to light on resources. I would prefer to just figure out why this is being blocked so persistently and get online armor to work though.

I need to send a lot of pictures via IRC and would like to be able to have a functioning firewall. Please help.

[chris.p]

Yeah, interesting, maybe someone here will figure it out.

In the meantime try Ghostwall firewall, it's known to be one of the best for not touching outbound traffic from gaming etc. Also v. good on older laptops.

[MidnightCowboy]

This isn't my area at all so this might be useless, but I was aware of this and wondered if it might do the trick?

http://www.your-freedom.net/