How does FaceTime work?

ct2k7 · Jun 12, 2010, 09:04 PM

In terms of protocols, how does each phone discover each others IP/etc address and route the data, which ports may be used?

D3lta · Jun 12, 2010, 09:05 PM

http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/facetime.html

nickspohn · Jun 12, 2010, 09:08 PM

It just works. That's the magic of Apple. Don't ask any questions.

ct2k7 · Jun 12, 2010, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D3lta

http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/facetime.html

Information is useful to customer, not a systems or network administrator or to someone who wants to look at the technology itself.

cloroxbleach4 · Jun 12, 2010, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickspohn

It just works. That's the magic of Apple. Don't ask any questions.

Ha! I thought that was funny.

candyman2000 · Jun 25, 2010, 06:28 PM

I'm too really interested in learning how Facetime works under the hood. Can't figure out how it works out of the box. How are the IP address's are found by connecting a voice call?

Anyone have more details on the specifics of a Facetime call setup?

Daveoc64 · Jun 25, 2010, 07:53 PM

AppleInsider has a bit more information:

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...o_calling.html

ct2k7 · Jun 26, 2010, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daveoc64

AppleInsider has a bit more information:

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...o_calling.html

aah, very nice

candyman2000 · Jun 27, 2010, 06:01 PM

Maybe I'm missing something, do you need to register an Apple ID or Facetime user for facetime? Does it just work out the box with your contacts list? How does the originating party find out the destinations IP address?

xanadeath · Jun 27, 2010, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by candyman2000

Maybe I'm missing something, do you need to register an Apple ID or Facetime user for facetime? Does it just work out the box with your contacts list? How does the originating party find out the destinations IP address?

It's made so you don't have to think like this at all. If you're in a phone call with another person who's talking on an iPhone 4, tap the FaceTime button. That's it.

Xanadeath

Minimoose 360 · Jun 27, 2010, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by candyman2000

Maybe I'm missing something, do you need to register an Apple ID or Facetime user for facetime? Does it just work out the box with your contacts list? How does the originating party find out the destinations IP address?

Just works out of the box.

It's as easy as pressing one button.

Daveoc64 · Jun 27, 2010, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by candyman2000

Maybe I'm missing something, do you need to register an Apple ID or Facetime user for facetime? Does it just work out the box with your contacts list? How does the originating party find out the destinations IP address?

It's all handled behind the scenes.

You can start FaceTime either when you are in a voice call or by selecting the FaceTime option on a page in the Contacts app.

The system relies on phone numbers to connect you to the other person.

BUFFBOY · Sep 2, 2010, 05:23 AM

hello.
does facetime work if my number is private or i hide my number ??

thanks

Daveoc64 · Sep 2, 2010, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BUFFBOY

hello.
does facetime work if my number is private or i hide my number ??

thanks

Should do.

As long as people have your number in their contacts (or they are on a call with you) then they can start FaceTime with you.

If you try and make a FaceTime call it should work fine.

BUFFBOY · Sep 2, 2010, 05:39 AM

i just tried it.

she rang me on facetime and came up as private and it was a normal voice call then when we talked for like 1 second it requested facetime ...

mac.network · Oct 3, 2010, 06:05 PM

I just called up an iPhone from a new iPod Touch and it works more or less instantly. But it does need to have an email account set up on both devices.

Amazing system.

No ice please · Oct 3, 2010, 07:42 PM

Unicorn milk.

Tom G. · Oct 3, 2010, 10:24 PM

How does FaceTime work? Very well, thank you.

Pillar · Oct 3, 2010, 10:49 PM

i don't know, but today i used it for the first time an it was pretty neat.

iMaconApple · Oct 4, 2010, 12:33 AM

alee · Oct 5, 2010, 08:10 AM

Here's some real detail on how it works:
http://blog.roychowdhury.org/2010/06...-stun-and-sip/

Basically it's standard SIP and uses standards based protocols. Well, all standards except it uses an Apple proprietary registration and invitation process (e.g. how the Facetime-capable phones register against Apple's servers to tell them their current IP).

I've done some of my own Wireshark analysis which matches the findings on that blog post.

Jun 12, 2010, 09:04 PM	#1
ct2k7 macrumors 601 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Florida / UK	How does FaceTime work? In terms of protocols, how does each phone discover each others IP/etc address and route the data, which ports may be used?
	0

Jun 12, 2010, 09:05 PM	#2
D3lta macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cupertino, California	http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/facetime.html __________________ black & slate 64GB iPhone 5 on Verizon 4th gen iPad 16GB Wi-Fi 3rd gen iPad 16GB Wi-Fi + 4G LTE on Verizon 1st gen iPad 32GB Wi-Fi
	0

Jun 12, 2010, 09:08 PM	#3
nickspohn macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jun 2007	It just works. That's the magic of Apple. Don't ask any questions. __________________ iPhone 4 \| iPhone 3GS \| iPhone 3G \| iPhone Macbook Pro 17inch Unibody Core i5
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 06:28 PM	#6
candyman2000 macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2010	anyone...? I'm too really interested in learning how Facetime works under the hood. Can't figure out how it works out of the box. How are the IP address's are found by connecting a voice call? Anyone have more details on the specifics of a Facetime call setup?
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 07:53 PM	#7
Daveoc64 macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bristol, UK	AppleInsider has a bit more information: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...o_calling.html __________________ iPhone 5 32GB Black (Three UK) \| Nexus 7 \| Kindle Keyboard 3G White MacBook (Late 2007) Windows 8 \| iCloud, Dropbox, Spotify Premium
	0

Jun 27, 2010, 06:01 PM	#9
candyman2000 macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2010	still don't get it... Maybe I'm missing something, do you need to register an Apple ID or Facetime user for facetime? Does it just work out the box with your contacts list? How does the originating party find out the destinations IP address?
	0

Sep 2, 2010, 05:23 AM	#13
BUFFBOY macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sydney	hello. does facetime work if my number is private or i hide my number ?? thanks
	0

Sep 2, 2010, 05:39 AM	#15
BUFFBOY macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sydney	i just tried it. she rang me on facetime and came up as private and it was a normal voice call then when we talked for like 1 second it requested facetime ...
	0

Oct 3, 2010, 06:05 PM	#16
mac.network macrumors newbie Join Date: May 2010	It has nothing to do with the phone carrier, SMS or Apple IDs I just called up an iPhone from a new iPod Touch and it works more or less instantly. But it does need to have an email account set up on both devices. Amazing system.
	0

Oct 3, 2010, 07:42 PM	#17
No ice please macrumors 6502 Join Date: Nov 2009	Unicorn milk. __________________ Stuff I bought goes here.
	0

Oct 3, 2010, 10:24 PM	#18
Tom G. macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Champaign/Urbana Illinois	How does FaceTime work? Very well, thank you. __________________ Tom G. Sent from my iPad2 24" Aluminum iMac 2.93 GHz; 8 gig retina screen MBP; iPhone 4s White 64G, iPad White 64GB 4G.
	0

Oct 3, 2010, 10:49 PM	#19
Pillar macrumors 6502 Join Date: May 2010 Location: CA.	i don't know, but today i used it for the first time an it was pretty neat.
	0

Oct 4, 2010, 12:33 AM	#20
iMaconApple macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Sunny Diego
	0

Oct 5, 2010, 08:10 AM	#21
alee macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2008	Here's some real detail on how it works: http://blog.roychowdhury.org/2010/06...-stun-and-sip/ Basically it's standard SIP and uses standards based protocols. Well, all standards except it uses an Apple proprietary registration and invitation process (e.g. how the Facetime-capable phones register against Apple's servers to tell them their current IP). I've done some of my own Wireshark analysis which matches the findings on that blog post.
	0

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