coming up in the next release is – the “cloud helper” 🙂

The “cloud helper” is actually an extension of the XBSlink P2P protocol allowing nodes to connect to “closed port” nodes. How? I knew you would ask, but i am prepared 😉 Here is some background information on how this works:

Let’s say there is a cloud with 2 clients in it, A + B.
Unfortunately, the incoming port of node B is blocked (firewall/no port forwarding). B was able to join the cloud because node A is reachable from the Internet (port is open).

But wait, node C is joining the cloud! C will send an “Add Me” message to both node A and B. Sadly, node B will never get this message (port blocked). After a short timeout, C realizes this and will ask node A (aka “the Cloud Helper”) for help in contacting B. Since A is already in contact with B it can forward the request from node C to B. Node B will then finally establishes the connection to node C and the cloud is complete 🙂

This type of establishing a connection might even work if both nodes B & C would have blocked ports.