Does Skype determine which user on ones contact list is connected over the same network?

Question

This has happened several times with me. If I am talking (call) to someone on Skype who also happens to be over my inranet/LAN and both of us are using the same internet, even if the internet for some reason goes down (Skype logo in the system tray shows the spinning arrow, page requests failing on the browser etc) the Skype call doesn't experience any interruption and runs smoothly as if nothing has happened. Same observation was given by the one with whom I was talking (call) to while on the call.

Does this observation point to the fact that Skype somehow scans the local network to which the user is connect and if the contact with whom (s)he is talking to is also on the same network then the call is routed over the LAN rather then the internet?

Does Skype officially state that it does that or am I missing something?

Answer 1

Each Skype client reports its own IP address to Skype servers. When you place a call, your PC opens a connection directly to the called PC. The Skype servers just set up the call, telling each of you what the other end's IP address is -- all voice and video traffic flow directly between the two PCs