Re: For the adults - let's see if the Apple trolls apologize if they're wrong

On Fri, 18 Apr 2025 04:13:39 +0000, Tyrone wrote :

First of all, let me say that I am fucking STUNNED. 
I NEVER expected you to apologize for this.

I'm sorry you were stunned, but I was just dead wrong.
In my defense, I googled like a frenetic fiend, and I just couldn't find it
stated anywhere by Apple but I already knew that Andriod didn't allow it.

So I thought (wrongly so) that there was something going on by way of
redirection, VPN port tunneling, or port forwarding.

Now, onto helping you.

Just so you know, I tried damn hard to prove my point (which would have
proven you wrong) but when I ran all the debugging steps (which took a lot
of work because I don't memorize those arcane commands), everything pointed
to you being 100% correct - and me therefore being 100% wrong in the end.

I acknowledge that only you and Chris actually tried to solve the problem.
I don't want to deprecate Jolly Roger, but the two of you really tried.

And I appreciate that.
Now we all know a few things for sure, which I (at least) didn't know.

1. While it's widely known non-root Android apps can't bind to privileged
ports, my tests confirmed that what you and Chris said was happening... was
happening.

a. The non-jailbroken iOS app Lan drive was binding to port 445.
b. I was floored when I confirmed that on my own system for myself!
c. At first, I didn't believe it myself - but I ran multiple tests.

It's confirmed.
Unlike Android, iOS apps can bind to port 445.

Who knew?
Not me.
Now I do.

And that's what I care about. I want my assessments based on facts.

8. On Windows, type the connection command with the port specified
   net use Z: \192.168.1.252:445\LANdrive
    System error 67 has occurred.
    The network name cannot be found.

 
Your syntax is wrong. There is no option to specify the port (:445) in the
standard Net Use command in Windows 10. The error "The network name cannot be
found" is because it is looking for "192.168.1.252:445" which of course is an
invalid IP address
 
Starting in Windows 11 in 2023, the syntax is as I used:
 
Net Use \server\share /tcpport:445

Oh. I had figured there *must* be a way to specify the port!
Thanks. I need to repeat I'm NOT a networking expert.
You know more than I do. I just didn't believe you at first.
Especially since I thought you were nospam (who is a horrid person).

1. Win+R > cmd {ctrl+shft+enter} <== for an admin prompt
2. C:\Windows\system32>net use
   New connections will not be remembered.
   There are no entries in the list.
3. net use \192.168.1.252\LANdrive /tcpport:445
Yup. I just confirmed you are correct.

The option /TCPPORT:445 is unknown.
The syntax of this command is:
NET USE
[devicename | *] [\computername\sharename[\volume] [password | *]]
        [/USER:[domainname\]username]
        [/USER:[dotted domain name\]username]
        [/USER:[username@dotted domain name]
        [/SMARTCARD]
        [/SAVECRED]
        [/REQUIREINTEGRITY]
        [/REQUIREPRIVACY]
        [/WRITETHROUGH]
        [[/DELETE] | [/PERSISTENT:{YES | NO}]]

NET USE {devicename | *} [password | *] /HOME
NET USE [/PERSISTENT:{YES | NO}]
More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 3506.

I googled a bit, and it seems you are correct there is no way in Windows 10
to specify the port, which seems quite odd, but, it is whatever it is.

Thanks for letting me know Windows 11 has the option to specify the port.

Windows has ALWAYS used port 445 for SMB. It has done this since Windows 2000.
 In fact, until Windows 11 there is no way to change it. If you use the GUI in
Windows Explorer (under the Computer menu, Map Network Drive) you can connect
there too. It assumes port 445 AND there is no option to change it.

I understand. That's why, in fact, it's so hard on Android since you can't
use ports below 1024 and Windows won't let you use any other port but 445.

In Windows 11, you CAN specify the port. That is how I knew this SMB Server on
iOS was using port 445. Your net use command worked when you removed the
":445" because it was in fact connecting to port 445.  You just can't specify
that in Windows prior to Windows 11 build 25997.

I have to admit, my thought process was tempered by the fact that Android
couldn't do it, and I couldn't find a single reference that said iOS could.

Also, I know plenty of times Bonjour or mDNS or some other redirection,
proxy, port forwarding or clever VPN port tunneling "can" be done.

So I simply figured it "was" being done.
And that was wrong of me.

I'm sorry for doubting you.
I made you waste time trying to "prove" it to me, which is a complete waste
of your time. The good news is, together, we proved it to everyone else.

I tried like hell to prove that port 445 wasn't being used.
And yet, it was.

Just like Einstein tried like hell to prove Newton was right, he wasn't.
Newton was wrong. There is no force called gravity.  And nobody has proven
Einstein wrong since, even though it's mind boggling that four dimensional
spacetime is rushing inward toward the center of the earth at 11 km per
second at the same time the earth is expanding at 9.8m/s/s due to
electrostatic forces alone - which gives us all the allusion of gravity.

Which means... shockingly... what we feel as a "force" is nothing more than
the earth accelerating us upward at 9.8m/s/s - which is just mind boggling.

When you truly understand something, you can explain it easily, where in
this case I proved to myself that I was wrong - & you (& Chris) were not.

I apologize for not believing you.
You were right all along, and I was wrong all along.

Again, I am still stunned that you apologized.

I don't know how to respond other than to ask you to ask badgolferman if
I've ever apologized on this newsgroup for being wrong or doing something
wrong, having been on it for, oh, I don't know, a very long time with God
knows how many technical posts.

While I'm NOT a networking expert, I have multiple degrees in the sciences
and engineering from some of the finest schools in this country (whose
funds are being cut off as we speak); so I'm well aware that what matters
most is testing our assessments (aka hypotheses) and forming our opinions
based on the RESULTS of those tests. Nothing else matters. Just facts.

I tried like hell (so to speak) to prove my statements factually correct;
but the facts clearly showed my initial assumption to be dead wrong.

The iOS Lan drive app truly does bind to port 445.
I was shocked when I finally figured that out, for myself, only today.

I'm truly sorry I put you through the pain of having to defend yourself.
And Chris too. It was my fault. I should have tested it sooner than I did.

Mea culpa.
Nolo contendere.