Skype TV Cam

[kitch9]

I have a Skype TV cam which needs to successfully ping www.skype.com in order to function.

Microsoft has blocked these pings so the Skype cam no longer works is there an easy way to spoof this ping within the routers UI?

 

[MrJackBlack]

maybe this helps you: https://community.skype.com/t5/Skype-für-andere-Geräte/Alte-Skype-Server-IP-Adresse-der-Logitech-TV-Cam-HD-vortäuschen/td-p/4356673

Unfortunately it is in German. Let me know if you need help to understand the text.

Basically the problem is that those cams need to be able to successfully ping skype.com. As it is not possible anymore they stop working. There has been a work-around by a user who "simulated" the skype IPs and it worked after a manual firmware update.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I have a Skype TV cam which needs to successfully ping www.skype.com in order to function.

Microsoft has blocked these pings so the Skype cam no longer works is there an easy way to spoof this ping within the routers UI?

Is it pinging a specific IP or actually skype.com?
If it's an IP it would be simple.

 

[MrJackBlack]

I found an English Version with a short explanation: https://community.skype.com/t5/Skype-on-your-TV/Logitech-HD-TV-Cam/td-p/1999219/page/4

Actually, simply setting the wifi router ip as 204.9.163.248 (LAN IP) and setting dns 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 google DNS after this restart the wifi router, now connect the logitech TV CAM HD to same wifi network…
The logitech TV CAM HD will ping 204.9.163.248 (i.e. www.skype.com ip address)
Then, as the Ip address is already active in the lan network (wifi router), the ping will get response…
and Then, the logitech TV CAM HD will ping 157.56.114.105 (Microsofts server) with will get response anyway..
Now , the logitech TV CAM HD will download firmware update…

Question is: the thread starter has Logitech TV Cam?

Another idea would be to monitor what the Skype Cam is trying to ping and than put a foward rule in place which points to something "pingable", like google.com

PS.: Grüsse aus Bern

 

[thelonelycoder]

PS.: Grüsse aus Bern

Sali us Ämme!

So, apparently all it needs is to ping these IP's: 204.9.163.248 and/or 157.56.114.105.
Both no longer respond to ping.

Now, If you try this, enter in router terminal:

ifconfig br0:fake_skype 204.9.163.248 up
ifconfig br0:fake_skypetwo 157.56.114.105 up

And then start the cam, does it work?
You can shut the virtual interfaces down if it does not work with:

ifconfig br0:fake_skype 204.9.163.248 down
ifconfig br0:fake_skypetwo 157.56.114.105 down

If it does work, you could create or add a wan-start script to add these when the router starts.
New file, /jffs/scripts/wan-start

#!/bin/sh

# adding fake Skype/MS IP's for webcam

ifconfig br0:pixelserv 172.16.0.2 up
ifconfig br0:fake_skype 204.9.163.248 up
logger "Skype fake IP's created."

To append to an existing file, just leave out the shebang (#!/bin/sh) at the top.
Make sure it has unix file ending and is executable:

dos2unix /jffs/scripts/*
chmod a+rx /jffs/scripts/*

 

[MrJackBlack]

If it is the Logitech TV Cam HD, than you only need to do this once, trigger the firmware update and get the latest software for the cam. Apparently above mentioned "feature" was removed. Problem is only that you can't perform an update without being able to ping those two IPs. What a stupid thing to do... oh Logitech...

 

[thelonelycoder]

What a stupid thing to do... oh Logitech...

It's not uncommon to ping an IP for tests in such devices. But you should build in some redundancy.
One would think that our french speaking countrymen would think a bit further ahead.

You're closer to Lausanne than I am, go visit, the headquarter looks stunning. Shuffle up the buffalo's. And knock some sense into Nestlé while you're there...

 

[MrJackBlack]

It's not uncommon to ping an IP for tests in such devices. But you should build in some redundancy.

But wouldn't it be better using an IP which they own, so that the manufacturer has full control of it?

One idea why they did what they did: Maybe they had to do it so they can get the SKYPE-Logo and Software. Probably it was a requirement or standard procedure. My Samsung-TV also lost it' s "Skype-Capability" middle of this year as Microsoft decided to end the partnership

 

[thelonelycoder]

But wouldn't it be better using an IP which they own, so that the manufacturer has full control of it?

One idea why they did what they did: Maybe they had to do it so they can get the SKYPE-Logo and Software. Probably it was a requirement or standard procedure. My Samsung-TV also lost it' s "Skype-Capability" middle of this year as Microsoft decided to end the partnership

Likely the reason why they pinged it.

For simplicity, my ad-blocker AB-Solution pings a Level3, or if it fails Google IP to test for an internet connection.
It's much simpler to ping than to use a domain name, coding wise.
In my case, if Level3 or Google is down, the internet is doomed and no longer worth using...

 

[kitch9]

Thanks for the responses guys, I remember now and did some similar last year which I got working.

Next problem: I can't remember how I did it. I used a SSH client which had a file Explorer type ui and I added the code via a txt file which I thought was Putty but putty seems to have a cmd prompt like ui now I'm using it and I can't seem to suss out the commands needed to implement this.

Any pointers for this old noob?

 

[thelonelycoder]

WinSCP.
Use scp as protcol, not sftp.
I'm not sure the IP addresses in my sample code are correct. They may not work.

 

[kitch9]

Thanks for your help, it's now working.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Were those the IP's?

 

[grtessman]

I have a Skype TV cam which needs to successfully ping www.skype.com in order to function.

Microsoft has blocked these pings so the Skype cam no longer works is there an easy way to spoof this ping within the routers UI?

I fixed mine by adding an entry in the routers dnsmasq config to point to itself. So that any traffic coming from the lan hits the router and DNS resolution resolves to localhost (which is the router).

Launch to your router config page (I'm using Merlin firmware):

1. Go to Administration -> System
2. Enable: Enable JFFS custom scripts and configs config option
3. Enable: Enable SSH config option
4. ssh admin@192.168.1.1
5. touch /jffs/configs/dnsmasq.conf.add
   
6. vi /jffs/configs/dnsmasq.conf.add

Add the following:

address=/www.skype.com/127.0.0.1
address=/www.skype.com/::1

7. Reboot rooter with reboot command in ssh or through web interface
8. Go to Administration -> System and disable Enable SSH config option

www.skype.com website won't work on your local network but your Skype apps and Skype TV camera will still work because it pings your router. From any computer on your network, ping www.skype.com and see if it gives you your router IP address ;-)

 

[kitch9]

Were those the IP's?

Those are the ones I used. Seems to have worked.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I fixed mine by adding an entry in the routers dnsmasq config to point to itself. So that any traffic coming from the lan hits the router and DNS resolution resolves to localhost (which is the router).

Launch to your router config page (I'm using Merlin firmware):

1. Go to Administration -> System
2. Enable: Enable JFFS custom scripts and configs config option
3. Enable: Enable SSH config option
4. ssh admin@192.168.1.1
5. touch /jffs/configs/dnsmasq.conf.add
   
6. vi /jffs/configs/dnsmasq.conf.add

Add the following:

address=/www.skype.com/127.0.0.1
address=/www.skype.com/::1

7. Reboot rooter with reboot command in ssh or through web interface
8. Go to Administration -> System and disable Enable SSH config option

www.skype.com website won't work on your local network but your Skype apps and Skype TV camera will still work because it pings your router. From any computer on your network, ping www.skype.com and see if it gives you your router IP address ;-)

I would call that a bit of an overkill, blocking the legitimate skype.com just to achieve it.
My method is a lot less intrusive and does basically the same thing without blocking anything.
But if it works for you, you win!

 

[MrJackBlack]

I read that you dont need this rule to be permanent. You only need it to connect once and then you should make an firmware update which removes this ping detection.

 

[grtessman]

I would call that a bit of an overkill, blocking the legitimate skype.com just to achieve it.
My method is a lot less intrusive and does basically the same thing without blocking anything.
But if it works for you, you win!

You're right - your way is less overkill. Is this still working for you today? Seems like I can login, but I get immediately logged out. Might have to find a way to mask my client now.... sigh. Microcrap ruins everything.

 

[thelonelycoder]

You're right - your way is less overkill. Is this still working for you today? Seems like I can login, but I get immediately logged out. Might have to find a way to mask my client now.... sigh. Microcrap ruins everything.

It would if I had to use it.

 

[Fran Dávila]

So without Logitech support and with Microsoft kicking out deprecated devices... has come the end of the Skype camera, or is it a way to mask the clients as grtessman was trying to find?