How does Skype get through Firewalls and NAT Routers?
If, like some of our readers, you are either confused about how the new Skype Voice over IP system gets past firewalls and NAT routers, or you are skeptical about it, it's worth noting the answer that Niklas Zennstrom, one of the key architects of both Kazaa and Skype gave us on the subject.
Readers were concerned that the peer to peer networking guru had found a way to creep in the back door, managing to open a port from outside and wanting re-assurance that he hadn't. We asked him how does Skype manage to route the call to the appropriate PC without special configuration being done on the router, and a Skype software router in place on the LAN to process the incoming data and route it to the relevant PC?
