Secondary - What is Passive Secondary Mode

Passive Secondary is a term we use when describing a user's set up that has no ports set in WinMX.  This can be for a few reasons, and we'll briefly discuss those here.

Failed TCP/UDP Tests During Installation

When you install WinMX or run the 'Set Up Wizard' in settings, WinMX will try to confirm your TCP and UDP ports are working.  If for any reason this test fails it will set your ports in WinMX to the 'Unable to listen, send, or receive' option.

The test may have failed for several reasons, the most common is a router/dsl modem without them open to traffic.  If this is the case in order to change this Passive Secondary mode you'll need to configure the router/dsl modem.  You can find information here about doing so:
How to Change Ports, and Links to Router/DSL Modem Help

The test may also fail because of a firewall blocking it, here is a link to help you with configuring your firewall with WinMX:
Firewall Help

Maybe your test failed during install but since then you have set up the router or dsl modem and firewalls to allow WinMX ports, if this is the case you can go in and manually change them according to this link:
How to Change Ports, and Links to Router/DSL Modem Help


I Really Am Unable to Open Ports for WinMX

If you are one of these users that is behind a router or dsl modem you don't have access to for some reason, you can run just fine without ports set in Passive Secondary mode.  This will work for approximately 80% (educated guesstimate) of users for both up and downloads.  You will occasionally find there are other users like yourself without ports set for what ever reason, and your WinMX will be unable to initiate a transfer with those users.  You will see a message 'Error -Both Users Firewalled'.

Other than the users you can't transfer with, your speeds and other operations should run in high speed mode fine.  Using this option will have no affect on anything else.



If you need more information than provided here please visit the forum for help.
Secondary Problems Index
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