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[Sky King]

This seems to happen way too often with me at least.  Using the access key, JRemote will not connect to or find the server running on a dedicated HTPC.  I can connect without issue if I use the computer I.P. address.  My other apps, like Lumin, find the server without issue.

Can you tell me what, if anything, I am doing wrong?  Thank you.

[RoderickGI]

Firewall issue? (Although being able to connect via IP Address would suggest not.) https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,115652.0.html

Are you intermittently using a VPN on your MC Server? Using a VPN will block the connection.

Is your network correctly set as a Private network?

Run this URL with your Access Key in it: http://webplay.jriver.com/libraryserver/lookup?id=[Your Access Key]

Does this display your correct IP Addresses?
Do they change over time?

[paulpetoud]

I've not been able to connect JRemote either via access key or IP address. It worked fine with MC23.  But, since I just purchased MC25 I have not been able to connect it.

[RD James]

Media Center is not setting up firewall exceptions on upgrades for some reason. I don't know if it's a new issue, but you will have to add an exception to the Windows Firewall.

Windows Firewall > Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall > Allow another app > Media Center 25.exe

[JimH]

Media Center is not setting up firewall exceptions on upgrades for some reason. I don't know if it's a new issue, but you will have to add an exception to the Windows Firewall.

I believe it's the job of the firewall to configure itself when the program first tries to use the network.  The firewall should  ask the user and the user must approve the request.

The problem we often see is that firewalls don't ask, either because they are mistakenly set that way or because they just don't bother.  Or users don't notice the firewall's request.

In my opinion, a program trying to automatically configure the firewall any other way would be bad manners at least.  If you allow programs to do that silently, you're in for a lot of trouble.

[RD James]

In my opinion, a program trying to automatically configure the firewall any other way would be bad manners at least.  If you allow programs to do that silently, you're in for a lot of trouble.

Media Center tries to configure the firewall when you first enable Media Network, but that only applies to the version of Media Center which is currently running.
If you upgrade to another version once Media Network has been enabled, it will not prompt the user to create an exception unless you disable and re-enable Media Network on that version.
 
It also uses an older API built for Windows XP which means the rule it sets only allows access on Public networks and not Private networks - which is the opposite way from how most people would expect it to work.

[Hendrik]

Media Center will actually register itself to the current network profile that your system is currently in, which can be Private if thats how your network is setup. However I don't know what happens if you have two networks setup, one being Public and one Private. And if you re-classify it later, it would not carry over anyway. But if I look into my firewall rules right now, the MC25 rules are all setup for "private" - but not for both, like they probably should be to avoid issues.

I'm looking into changing how this works, but its something where one needs to be careful.

[JimH]

The firewall configuration is a job for the OS and the user, not for the application.