Node.js server as both a Socket.io host and client

For historical reasons and technical necessity our app has the following configuration:

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The node.js workers need to connect (using Socket.IO-Client) to the node.js database access point AND listen for a connection from the node.js servers (using Socket.IO). I am having issues getting both to connect and I am wondering, do I need to use different ports for each Socket.IO-client or can they operate on the same port?

Right now, things seem to connect for a moment, but no data is passed along.

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