Help for loopback interface as a network interface

General
1

I think that a program using sockets can’t bind itself to the loopback address because System.GetNetworkInterface() does not return the loopback interface as an available NetworkInterface.

My goal is to write a program “binded” only to the loopback network.
This program can be accessed by a network interface by means of a tunneling program.

This scenario is reported in the NetworkInterface documentation as follows:

“Multiple network interfaces are supported for Windows, OS X, and Linux. This allows you to write applications that can bind to different network interface cards on a user’s machine. You can use this to write tunneling applications, for example.”

With the above description and supposing that I’m missing something related to sockets properties in Xojo how can I write a program that can bind only to the loopback network?

Best regards.

2

I think there should be a special NetworkInterface object for localhost.
case 31775.

3

On windows you can install the Microsoft Loopback adaptor and then bind to it.

TCPSocket1.NetworkInterface=System.GetNetworkInterface(0)

http://www.windowsreference.com/windows-7/how-to-install-a-loopback-adapter-in-windows-7/

4

Thank you both Christian and Lee.

I think that the NetworkInterface object is “masking” something that is available in many other languages i.e. the network address to bind to a socket.
So, my opinion, would be useful to have in Xojo a “virtual network interface” for the loopback address.

Regards.

5

I think the feature request is clear. RS can just write a little helper function to return a Networkinteface for localhost.

like this unworking code:

Function Localhost() As NetworkInterface
dim n as new NetworkInterface
n.IPAddress = “127.0.0.1”
Return NetworkInterface
End Function

and than on bind/connect use the localhost interface.

6

Exactly, would be great to have a NetworkInterface modifiable or more flexible.

P.S.
Some others great features related to the network for standalone Web apps:

  1. the application can select the port when started (now can be specified only as a command line option)
  2. the application can select the NetworkInterface (now can’t be done)
7

Feature requests #31786 (loopback network) and #31788 (web application).