Topic: What is an Access Key? (Read 28963 times)

Lespaul · « **on:** July 23, 2014, 07:21:26 am »

Using an Access Key is the preferred method for allowing remote connections to your Media Center.
The key is a six letter case-sensitive string consisting of both numbers and letters.

To generate an Access Key, turn on Media Network in MC's Options. To get a new Access Key, just turn it off and back on again.

This is what happens when you request a new Access Key:

1.
MC will look at your network adapters to find local IP and MAC-addresses associated with your computer. The MAC address make it possible to wake your computer while sleeping, and the IP address is needed for the actual communication with your copy of MC.

In addition, your external IP-address is added in case you want to access your computer from outside your home network. (Please note that external connections require additional setup on your router)

2.
The information gathered about your computer is uploaded to a central JRiver server.
Once uploaded, a unique key is generated and associated with your network information.

3.
The server returns the generated key to you. This is your new Access Key.

Benefits of using an access key

You can access your computer from anywhere as long as you know the Access Key. More importantly, you no longer need to remember and keep track of your IP addresses.

MC will automatically synchronize network changes with the JRiver server. So even when your local or global IP address change, your remote will always have access to the latest network information.

More
Your firewall on your server must be open on 1900 to allow SSDP.

AoXoMoXoA · « **Reply #1 on:** July 23, 2014, 08:13:46 am »

Thanks Les, good info but I have some questions:

With an internet connection that uses a Dynamic IP address, does one need to regenerate the Access Key so as to update this stored information whenever the IP changes?

If so, then would using DynDNS with the access key include the necessary data to work?

Hendrik · « **Reply #2 on:** July 23, 2014, 08:40:34 am »

As long as MC is running, the access key will update its IP periodically, and should work fine on Dynamic IPs.

AoXoMoXoA · « **Reply #3 on:** July 23, 2014, 08:50:37 am »

Quote from: Hendrik on July 23, 2014, 08:40:34 am

As long as MC is running, the access key will update its IP periodically, and should work fine on Dynamic IPs.

Cool, so i need not bother with DynDNS in the future if only for MC. Nice to know, simple is better.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #4 on:** July 23, 2014, 10:05:29 pm »

Is the Port Number assigned in the MC Options / Media Network / Advanced dialogue also stored in the Access Key?

Can a different Port Number be associated with the external IP Address that is stored, in case Port Translation is being used (for whatever reason) on the router that is the target for a WAN connection to MC?

Hendrik · « **Reply #5 on:** July 24, 2014, 12:01:30 am »

Yes the port number is also stored with the access key, but I'm afraid you'll have to forward the same port as configured, unless you want to manually connect via IP/Port.

You can change the port in MC, but that would then influence both the port it reacts on, and the port it stores in the access key (and as such the port you should forward)

AoXoMoXoA · « **Reply #6 on:** July 24, 2014, 07:24:46 am »

Thanks for the clarification Hendrik

RoderickGI · « **Reply #7 on:** July 24, 2014, 08:30:43 am »

Yes. Thanks Hendrik.

I won't be trying manual connections via IP/Port as that has implications for Wake on LAN functionality. My server is set up to sleep rather than being always on.

TXgary · « **Reply #8 on:** August 18, 2014, 10:31:28 am »

So this is all good, but what if I have 2 pc's running on my local area network.
I have opened the port and can see one of them when using the port number that is open.
My other pc cannot be seen - it has a different internal IP address and port number.
how would i enter the IP address and port number to be able to access my second computer from outside the local area network?
Again, I can only see the one pc no matter what I try. And that one works well.
Thanks for all your help.
I am referring to JRemote

JimH · « **Reply #9 on:** August 18, 2014, 10:51:29 am »

You would need to configure the two PC's to use different ports. The firewall and router would also need to be open for these ports.

TXgary · « **Reply #10 on:** August 18, 2014, 11:03:37 am »

Jim, that has been done, but I cannot reach the second pc remotely.
I have tried the access key and the port number (different from the 1st pc)
and have also tried the external ip address with the access key (example 134.23.11.23:52198)
Does not work for me.

TXgary · « **Reply #11 on:** August 18, 2014, 11:09:52 am »

JRemote tells me that it finds the external ipaddress and then times out.
I am turning off wifi and trying to access via cellular.

TCube · « **Reply #12 on:** August 18, 2014, 11:17:50 am »

@ TXgary
I have the same configuration (2 PC) and 2 different IP/ports works fine.
Can't help much with "JRemote" but with an App. under Windows Phone (NMedium Play) had to ask the developer a few lines of code (*)
TC

(*)
- have to be enable to set up multiple servers in handheld config menu.
- have to be enable to set up servers with same IP/ 2 ports and not access key or access key/port
- have to be enable for the app. for switch automatically to the second server if the first server is off line (time out)
- I more than reluctant to communicate one fixed AcessKey to friends (port can be easily changed)
- ip/port enables to set up a https://myserver.com or ni-ip.org or whatever.
- works fine Wifi & cellular.
.../...

TXgary · « **Reply #13 on:** August 18, 2014, 11:23:40 am »

Tcube thanks
I cannot connect to either computer by using the Global ipaddress.
It appears I must use the access key.
Why does jremote offer the ability to connect via global ipaddress?
I am sure it is me.
I cannot connect using global ipaddress with port as I showed in the above post.
I need to enable something
Thanks again Tcube

TCube · « **Reply #14 on:** August 18, 2014, 02:12:58 pm »

@ TXgary
Wild guess : have you check if your JRemote ver. N.xxx is compatible to do so with the correct MC version N.xxx to get such functions ?
That's if your Ok with your Network, otherwise, I wouldn't be too sure "it's you".
TC

TXgary · « **Reply #15 on:** August 18, 2014, 02:21:30 pm »

Thanks TCube
My version of both JRemote and MC are current
I have never been able to get it to work.
It must be my ipaddress as I closed my one PC that I could see remotely and used that one's port on the other machine, closed and reopened the other machine, but nothing when turning off wifi.
Maybe LesPaul will weigh in on this.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #16 on:** August 18, 2014, 06:46:28 pm »

Quote from: Lespaul on July 23, 2014, 07:21:26 am

1.
MC will look at your network adapters to find local IP and MAC-addresses associated with your computer. The MAC address make it possible to wake your computer while sleeping, and the IP address is needed for the actual communication with your copy of MC.

In addition, your external IP-address is added in case you want to access your computer from outside your home network. (Please note that external connections require additional setup on your router)

Quote from: RoderickGI on July 24, 2014, 08:30:43 am

I won't be trying manual connections via IP/Port as that has implications for Wake on LAN functionality. My server is set up to sleep rather than being always on.

Quote from: TXgary on August 18, 2014, 11:23:40 am

I cannot connect to either computer by using the Global ipaddress.
It appears I must use the access key.

Are your two servers up and running, or asleep when you are testing? If not, you have to use the Access Key, since it stores the MAC address of your server, which is required to be able to issue Wake On LAN requests.

Quote from: TXgary on August 18, 2014, 11:23:40 am

Why does jremote offer the ability to connect via global ipaddress?

Because if your servers are up and running, awake, you should be able to access them from outside your LAN using just the External IP Address and the Port number.

You should do all your initial testing with both servers up and running, awake. The issues to look at if you can't connect are the router firewall, where the ports need to be open and forwarded to the correct server, and any software firewall on the servers that need to allow the connection.

So in your example above, where your External IP Address was 134.23.11.23, and the port number you had configured MC to respond to on Server1 is 52198, assuming for example that the target Server1 LAN IP was 192.168.1.85, you would need to forward port 52198 in your router to 192.168.1.85. To access this Server1 you would point JRemote at 134.23.11.23:52198.

Then if on Server2 MC was set to respond to port 52199, and Server2 had a LAN IP Address of 192.168.1.94, then you would forward port 52199 in your router to 192.168.1.94. To access this Server2 you would point JRemote at 134.23.11.23:52199.

I assume that you have configured the two different port MC should use under "Options > Media Network > Advanced > TCP Port" on each server? If you haven't, 52199 is the default port, and that would explain why one server is responding and the other isn't.

Once you have all that working you can try connecting to each server while it is asleep using their access keys. I would be interested to know if that works, waking the server and connecting to MC. Theoretically, it should.

TXgary · « **Reply #17 on:** August 19, 2014, 08:21:21 am »

RoderickGI
Excellent write up.
I have done everything you listed except.....
I was not aware that I needed to point the opened port to a specific ipaddress on my lan.
The ports are open and the 2 pcs are on and awake, so I will investigate where I need to point the ports in my router.
I am running fios gear, so if anyone has any ideas please post.
Again, excellent write up and one that lots of people can gleam good info from.

JimH · « **Reply #18 on:** August 19, 2014, 08:39:03 am »

Quote from: TXgary on August 19, 2014, 08:21:21 am

I have done everything you listed except.....
I was not aware that I needed to point the opened port to a specific ipaddress on my lan.

Quote

1. Is the machine accessible from the outside? This is usually solved with port forwarding. Port forwarding allows you to tell your router to forward all outside requests for a port (80, for example) to a specific machine on your LAN. Wikipedia has more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_forwarding . Your hardware manufacturer's site should have specific instructions for configuring your router.

From: http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Network_Access

TXgary · « **Reply #19 on:** August 19, 2014, 09:15:16 am »

JimH
We are all set, works like a charm, just needed to point the port to the IPAddress as RoderickGI pointed out.
Can also use NO-IP for Global IPAddress in case it changes on my home computer.
It looks like I am all set.
Thanks

JimH · « **Reply #20 on:** August 19, 2014, 09:18:39 am »

MC can handle address changes. It takes a few minutes, but the Access Key database gets updated.

TXgary · « **Reply #21 on:** August 19, 2014, 09:29:20 am »

JimH
Are you saying I just need to use the access key even when I am not on the lan with the music, say i am traveling?
The access key will update to correct external ipaddress if provider changes external ipaddress.
If so, why would I ever use ipaddress and always use access key.

JimH · « **Reply #22 on:** August 19, 2014, 09:40:53 am »

Yes. It should work.

TXgary · « **Reply #23 on:** August 19, 2014, 10:43:08 am »

RoderickGi
I tried to wake up from sleep mode a windows 8.1 running jriver with access code, but was unable to do so.
Did try it on 2 separate machines with win 8.1 - both failed to wake up.
I tried this both on the lan and remotely (with wifi off on my iphone). Neither worked for me.
Jim - do you have any thoughts on this?

JimH · « **Reply #24 on:** August 19, 2014, 10:47:29 am »

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Wake_on_Lan

I'll move this to a new thread.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #25 on:** August 20, 2014, 03:18:05 am »

Quote from: TXgary on August 19, 2014, 09:29:20 am

Are you saying I just need to use the access key even when I am not on the lan with the music, say i am traveling?
The access key will update to correct external ipaddress if provider changes external ipaddress.
If so, why would I ever use ipaddress and always use access key.

So we get back to the original reason for this thread.
Access Key stores the network External (Internet) IP Address, MC server Internal (LAN) IP Address, the Port number assigned in MC Options, and MC server Ethernet or wireless network connection MAC address. MC then monitors and updates changes to those values, and sends the information to JRiver to be stored and accessed by MC Clients (including Gizmo, JRemote, etc.) that want to connect to your server using the Access Key method.

Primarily, a user would only use the IP Address/Port number connection method while setting up and testing client connections on the LAN, or over a WAN/Internet. By not using the Access Key method initially, a user is eliminating one step in the connection chain, and hence one potential cause of problems. Once it is working with the IP Address/Port number connection method a user should move on to using the Access Key method, since it works very well, once the network and MC are set up correctly. There are exceptions, such as if a user has implemented Port Translation in their router, but that is another discussion.

I wrote up the description of how to get your connection working using your External IP Address as you were unable to connect to both servers from the internet. Now that you have that working, you should also be able to connect using the Access Key method. Test it now and use it from now on.

Also, you must use the Access Key method if you want to be able to use Wake on LAN (or Wake on WAN over the internet) to wake up your MC server, as the MAC Address must be known to issue a Wake on LAN request using what is called a Magic Packet.

So it looks like you want to be able to wake your servers from sleep now? See how you go using the thread Jim posted, and if you get stuck, ask again.

marko · « **Reply #26 on:** August 20, 2014, 08:36:07 am »

I didn't see it mentioned, but in order for this to work, as well as port forwarding, address reservation in the router LAN/DHCP setup should be used to ensure the same systems are assigned the same internal IP addresses every time.

TXgary · « **Reply #27 on:** August 20, 2014, 09:21:30 am »

RoderickGI
All is working fine internal and external, but the wake does not work, I tried everything that Jim's post included, but no luck, but that is ok.
I do have the latest router from Fios.
Waking up is not that big of a deal, but would have been nice.
Thanks for all your help.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #28 on:** August 20, 2014, 07:52:44 pm »

Quote from: marko on August 20, 2014, 08:36:07 am

I didn't see it mentioned, but in order for this to work, as well as port forwarding, address reservation in the router LAN/DHCP setup should be used to ensure the same systems are assigned the same internal IP addresses every time.

While I use and recommend LAN IP Address reservation in the router to ensure that all my PCs always get the same IP Address, it isn't actually necessary for the Access Key method to work. MC monitors both the internal and external IP addresses for each installation and updates the record on the JRiver site for the associated Access Key.

But you are correct in that it is necessary for the fixed port forwarding to work. So the Access Key method would survive a change in LAN IP Address for connections from the LAN, but not for connections from the internet. If a router has the ability to forward a port based on MAC Address, which I think some routers or alternate firmwares do, then connections from the internet would also still work.

But it is simpler just to use LAN IP Address reservation in the router.

The real Achilles Heal for the Access Key method is that you need to have an active internet connection in order to update and retrieve the Access Key data.

While it may be a little bit of topic, WOL is fundamental to how the Access Key works when MC PCs are allowed to sleep, so it still fits in this thread I think.

TXgary, what model Fios router do you have? Post a link to it and I might write up something about getting WOL working, time permitting. Or if you like, there is a wealth of information about it on the internet already. A search would find lots of discussion.

TXgary · « **Reply #29 on:** August 20, 2014, 08:03:53 pm »

Thanks RoderickGI
Here is my router model
actiontec mi424wr rev i
Sorry I am just techie enough to be dangerous.
I appreciate the help as I know others here would benefit from any input you can give us.

bluedy1 · « **Reply #30 on:** March 04, 2018, 08:24:56 am »

How can I enter the access key (if ever I find it somewhere) in my iPhone? Why did it work with MC22 easily and stop working with MC23?

JimH · « **Reply #31 on:** March 04, 2018, 08:47:04 am »

In the same place where you select a machine to connect to, you can also choose a new machine. That's where you enter the Access Key.

Runoysterrun · « **Reply #32 on:** June 05, 2018, 06:17:34 pm »

I am streaming on a private network not connected to the internet. I stream JRiver through an apple airport to my WiFi devialet amp. Is there a way I can use jremote. I can get jremote to connect the the private network but it does not control the music?

JimH · « **Reply #33 on:** June 05, 2018, 08:31:21 pm »

There are JRemote instructions at the top of the Remotes board here.

sdmarquart · « **Reply #34 on:** March 13, 2019, 04:11:38 pm »

If I upgrade to the latest version of MC, can I keep my same access key and not request a new one?

Thanks,
Spence

JimH · « **Reply #35 on:** March 13, 2019, 06:07:31 pm »

sdmarquart · « **Reply #36 on:** March 14, 2019, 03:55:10 pm »

Thanks!

Domtous · « **Reply #37 on:** March 27, 2019, 03:10:00 am »

Bonjour,

j'ai acheté JRiver 25 le 22/1/2019 et je n'ai pas de clef j'ai beau chercher dans mes mail rien, seul preuve que j'ai c'est une copie du payement et un prélèvement sur mon compte de -0.93 et -23.80 le 23 janvier 2019

comment pouvez vous aider

Hello,

I bought JRiver 25 22/1/2019 and I have no key I look good in my mail nothing, only proof that I have a copy of the payment and a levy on my account. -0.93 and -23.80 on January 23, 2019

how can you help

JimH · « **Reply #38 on:** March 27, 2019, 06:48:29 am »

Please read these instructions:
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Restoring_a_License

I've sent your license again. You can do that from our Restore Page.

Domtous · « **Reply #39 on:** March 27, 2019, 07:47:08 am »

bonjour JimH,

j'ai bien reçu votre mail avec license 23 et 24 merci, cela dit moi il me faut celle de JRiver 25, je vous est envoyé par mail la preuve de mon payement.

Cdt

Hello JimH,

I received your email with the license 23 and 24 thank you, it's me who needs the JRiver 25, I sent you by the proof of my payment.

Cdt

Domtous · « **Reply #40 on:** March 27, 2019, 09:41:20 am »

Merci JimH,

tout est rentré dans l'ordre

Merci

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: What is an Access Key? (Read 28963 times)

TCube

TCube