Server accessible to proxies but not cURL? - php

Question

I have tested my local server with a proxy and my friends can all load the url in their browser, but when I try to use cURL on a separate server, it fails connecting.
Here is the URL, it loads on both my browser and using my friend's internet:
http://pc.stephen3.com:8080/gameq.php
Here is the code I am using on a separate server, it successfully retrieves all other URLs (like google and yahoo)
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, "http://pc.stephen3.com:8080/gameq.php");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT, 5);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
$err = curl_error($ch);
$resp = curl_exec($ch);
echo $resp;
echo $err;
But it returns nothing on my home server's url, and
curl_error($ch);
(did say, now says nothing) "couldn't connect to host"
Any ideas what it could be? The url works everywhere, but in cURL. The code works everywhere but with the URL.
EDIT: It occurred to me that it may be because of the outbound traffic on my external server being on port 8080 instead of 80 for regular servers, will have to test if my hoster allows curl on other ports.

Answer 1

Maybe you have to remove port number from URL and configure CURLOPT_PORT option.
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, "http://pc.stephen3.com/gameq.php"); // port removed
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_PORT, 8080); // that line added
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT, 5);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
$err = curl_error($ch);
$resp = curl_exec($ch);
echo $resp;
echo $err;
You may also use curl_getinfo($ch) function for more debug information.
$report=curl_getinfo($ch);
echo "curl_getinfo returned: <br>".$report;

Answer 2

It turns out my host (iPower) restricts cURL to port 80 :(
EDIT : I found out that support lied, saying only port 80 is allowed. In fact, they allow port 80 AND 990 (SSL) but you can use port 990 without actually having SSL on. Works perfectly.