c# - SignalR with Web Sockets

Question

I am attempting to get websockets working in my dev environment:

• Visual Studio 2010
• Windows 7
• Signal R 0.51
• Latest Chrome / Firefox

Unfortunately the Javscript client is using long polling. When I force web-sockets on the client side I can't connect at all:

$.connection.hub.start({ transport: ['webSockets'] })

Server code is self-hosted and based on the sample and looks like:

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    string url = "http://localhost:8081/";
    var server = new Server(url);

    // Map the default hub url (/signalr)
    server.MapHubs();

    // Start the server
    server.Start();

    Console.WriteLine("Server running on {0}", url);

    // Keep going until somebody hits 'x'
    while (true)
    {
        ConsoleKeyInfo ki = Console.ReadKey(true);
        if (ki.Key == ConsoleKey.X)
        {
            break;
        }
    }
}

public class MyHub : Hub
{            
    public void Send(string message)
    {
        Clients.addMessage(message);
    }
}

I've searched around and found nothing definitive. Do I need to specify some extra things, use Visual Studio 2012 or will this only work on Windows 8 / IIS 8?

Answer 1

Even on Windows 8 / .NET 4.5 it was not working initially, but with these additional tips I finally got it working.

• Install websocket support

  -> Turn Windows features on or off
  -> Internet Information Services 
  -> World Wide Web Services 
  -> Application Development Features 
  -> WebSocket Protocol
  

• in web.config, under appSettings, add this setting:

  <add key="aspnet:UseTaskFriendlySynchronizationContext" value="true" />
  

SignalR automatically negotiates websockets, it does not have to be specified and nothing special is needed in code.