Having spent a couple hours working with a so called PC expert, I find my self asking myself, "Why would anyone want to call themselves a PC expert?"

Note to self: Remote Assistance(RA) in Windows (XP/Vista) works great, but only if you understand it's under-pinnings. Understanding if you have a local network RA will create an Invitation with your local address (192.168.x.x) not your outside world address. And what port is it using? What a big pain in the #$%#.

Now I have install plenty of VNC, Timbuktu, iChat, Hotline, clients and servers in my time and I've had to configure routers to open ports for their traffic, but this Vista Remote Assistance and routers $#@^%.

I love being Microsoft's Vista Production Beta tester! Think they'll give me a discount on a upgrade.

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

And yes I gave Microsoft my solution to this problem and have not heard back yet.
Soultion: Bounce the request for IP off a server to return the real IP address then use it to populate the Invitation from RA.

TIA
CC