Topic: Can no longer connect to media server (Read 7201 times)

TonesterT · « **on:** February 21, 2006, 10:57:47 pm »

Ever since upgrading to build 111.24 I have been unable to connect to my server. I upgraded both computers and just tried 111.26 but still can't connect. I do a search for media server and the Attempting to find media server window shows up then nothing.Any idea's ? I tried turning off my firewall but that did not help. The server worked great until these last two builds.
Thanks

John Gateley · « **Reply #1 on:** February 22, 2006, 10:38:25 am »

I'm pretty sure this is not a Media Center problem, the code hasn't changed. It's got to be a firewall issue or something similar. Have you tried using an IP address instead of searching?

j

KingSparta · « **Reply #2 on:** February 22, 2006, 04:46:28 pm »

Quote

Ever since upgrading to build 111.24

If you can go back a few version maybe you can test that and if it works maybe there is something.

If it does not work then Gateley would be correct, and you will need to look at your system.

Here Is The Location Of The Older Builds

ftp://ftp.jriver.com/pub/downloads/music/

TonesterT · « **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2006, 10:17:43 pm »

Quote from: John Gateley on February 22, 2006, 10:38:25 am

I'm pretty sure this is not a Media Center problem, the code hasn't changed. It's got to be a firewall issue or something similar. Have you tried using an IP address instead of searching?

j

how do you connect via ip address ?

John Gateley · « **Reply #4 on:** February 23, 2006, 12:50:27 am »

find out the IP address of the client, add it in File->Library Manager, and then load it.

j

TonesterT · « **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2006, 08:08:46 am »

That didn't work. I added the ip and when I select it the screen just goes back to the start up screen and does not load the library.I tried version 11.118 on both computers but that did not help either. I have the firewalls turned off on both computers. Not sure what else to try.

Yaobing · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2006, 08:37:57 am »

Do you use proxy server in Internet Explorer?

TonesterT · « **Reply #7 on:** February 23, 2006, 06:23:48 pm »

Quote from: Yaobing on February 23, 2006, 08:37:57 am

Do you use proxy server in Internet Explorer?

No proxy sever. I use firefox but I did check both.

JimH · « **Reply #8 on:** February 23, 2006, 07:28:13 pm »

Try uninstalling your firewall on both machines (disconnect from Internet first) to test.

TonesterT · « **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2006, 08:12:04 pm »

The only firewall I'm using is Windows firewall (I don't have any third party firewalls installed) and I tried turning the Windows firewall off on both computers but that did not help.
When I click on Search for Media Centers I get a window with an hourglass "Please wait..." "Attempting to find Media Centers..." then it just goes back to the main start up page with no files loaded.

JimH · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2006, 08:20:03 pm »

Are the versions the same on your client and server?

TonesterT · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2006, 08:37:19 pm »

Yes. I did just try installing the lastest build on my remote computer but that did not help.

JimH · « **Reply #12 on:** February 23, 2006, 08:43:57 pm »

But both sides must be the same.

Is the server running on the PC? Check under plug-ins in the tree and then Library Server.

I'll combine this with your other thread later tonight.

MerlinWerks · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2006, 09:45:40 pm »

Have you tried setting the server up to use a different port on the server machine?

When John asked you to connect directly with an IP, what steps did you take to do this? Reading his post, I think he mistakenly directed you to use the client machine's IP instead of the server's IP.

TonesterT · « **Reply #14 on:** February 24, 2006, 06:32:25 am »

I installed 11.1.128 on both but same results

I doubled checked to see if the server is running and it is.
I just tried port 8123 not sure what other ports to try but that did not help either. I added a Media Library 192.168.2.199:8123 and there's a check mark beside it under file -->library.
The ony thing I can think of that might have changed besides versions is the lastest Windows updates.

Pug · « **Reply #15 on:** February 24, 2006, 06:45:03 am »

pinging the server from the client works??

The server is running on 192.168.2.199:8123. is that also stated in the server plugin on your server??

If not, you have to either set this port on the server or use the port given by the server on client side..

I'm sure you will be able to fix this, MC is the best Media Server around the globe

Pug

TonesterT · « **Reply #16 on:** February 24, 2006, 07:12:48 am »

I can ping my server computer. I also did change the servers port to 8123 and it was listed as that under the server plug-in.
I also just tried turning my wireless off and plugging directly into the router but that did not help either.
I also uninstalled MC via add and remove programs on my remote computer and deleted the J River folder under my Doc and setting -->user name --> application data then reinstalled MC but that did not help.

JimH · « **Reply #17 on:** February 24, 2006, 07:25:51 am »

Is your routing at all unusual in any way? The router itself could be a problem.

Check that your routing does not send packets out onto the Internet and back to get to the other PC.

Shut down any other software running in the background. We've seen some weird things in the past with programs like pop-up blockers, spam blockers, virus checkers, etc.

John Gateley · « **Reply #18 on:** February 24, 2006, 10:09:47 am »

(Yes, I said "client" when I meant "server" earlier, thanks for catching that).

What happens if you use the following URL on the client:

http://1.2.3.4:80/GetVersion

(replace 1.2.3.4 with the SERVER IP address, and 80 with the
Server port).

You should get a blank page (viewing the source will show the minimal
HTML)

j

TonesterT · « **Reply #19 on:** February 24, 2006, 12:29:48 pm »

Quote from: John Gateley on February 24, 2006, 10:09:47 am

(Yes, I said "client" when I meant "server" earlier, thanks for catching that).

What happens if you use the following URL on the client:

http://1.2.3.4:80/GetVersion

(replace 1.2.3.4 with the SERVER IP address, and 80 with the
Server port).

You should get a blank page (viewing the source will show the minimal
HTML)

j

Yes I get a blank page and the :80 (the port I'm using) dissapears out of the address.

TonesterT · « **Reply #20 on:** February 24, 2006, 12:36:44 pm »

Quote from: JimH on February 24, 2006, 07:25:51 am

Is your routing at all unusual in any way? The router itself could be a problem.

Check that your routing does not send packets out onto the Internet and back to get to the other PC.

How would I do that ? I don't this is happening though as last night my cable modem was down but I was still connected to my network. I was using iTunes sharing.

Shut down any other software running in the background. We've seen some weird things in the past with programs like pop-up blockers, spam blockers, virus checkers, etc.
[/quote}
.

I tried that too. I did have Panda Antivirus which sometimes causes problem so I unistalled that but that did not help either.

I may try to borrow a notebook from work and try another client to see if that is able to work. If it does I guess I may need to reinstsalll Windows on my client

John Gateley · « **Reply #21 on:** February 24, 2006, 01:23:52 pm »

Okay, try the same thing but change the "GetVersion" to "GetLibrary"

j

TonesterT · « **Reply #22 on:** February 24, 2006, 06:29:47 pm »

Quote from: John Gateley on February 24, 2006, 01:23:52 pm

Okay, try the same thing but change the "GetVersion" to "GetLibrary"

j

When I do that I get a download window which downloads a file call GetLibrary. I tried opening that file with MC but nothing happens.

TonesterT · « **Reply #23 on:** February 25, 2006, 08:25:32 am »

Ok I'm not sure if this would help with troubleshooting but I turned the server on my remote computer as I have a few files on it and I was able to connect to the server from my main computer. So I guess it has to be something with my remote computer. Not sure what though. Would the size of my library make a difference ? My library is a little over 400 gb's.

TonesterT · « **Reply #24 on:** February 25, 2006, 02:33:11 pm »

I upgraded to version 11.1.130 on both computers and now when I try to search for Media servers I get a window that say "Error Loading Library"
"Media Center failed to load the Library Search for Media Servers and will attempt to load the previously selected library"

MerlinWerks · « **Reply #25 on:** February 25, 2006, 04:24:27 pm »

I've had a similar issue just today. I installed and configured MC on a new machine that I'm using as a file server. I set up the new PC to run MC in server mode. When trying to connect from the client I got the same message as you. However, I found that after a client reboot, if I go to Explorer and access one of the drives I have shared on the server, then start MC, it will connect and download the library. Another "fix" was to simply ping the server from the client before starting MC. Now I have a batch file in my StartUp folder that runs at logon and pings the server before anything else...works so far. Even with the preemptive ping, it seems to work better if the library I'm trying to load is one that I've manually entered (IP in Library Manager) vs. "Search for Media Servers".

From what I've found out so far I believe this is some kind of authentication and/or timing issue with Windows. I believe a very similar problem occurs when trying to reconnect mapped network drives at logon. Many people, myself included, get the "Could not reconnect all your network drives" message in the system tray, although if you look in Explorer the drive is there. I'm still investigating...

So you can try:

Reboot the client
Ping the server
Start MC
Search for media servers (repeat this step if it fails the first time) or In library manager add a library using the server IP in the "Location" field, "Name" can be what ever you want.

TonesterT · « **Reply #26 on:** February 26, 2006, 05:35:47 pm »

Quote from: MerlinWerks on February 25, 2006, 04:24:27 pm

can try:

Reboot the client
Ping the server
Start MC
Search for media servers (repeat this step if it fails the first time) or In library manager add a library using the server IP in the "Location" field, "Name" can be what ever you want.

This did not help. Going back a version got rid of the error message but I still cannot connect to my server from my remote computer.

John Gateley · « **Reply #27 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:44:50 am »

Try creating a new library with just a few files and test that. That'll let us know if the library size is a factor (File->Library->Library Manager)

j

TonesterT · « **Reply #28 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:25:11 pm »

Quote from: John Gateley on February 27, 2006, 10:44:50 am

Try creating a new library with just a few files and test that. That'll let us know if the library size is a factor (File->Library->Library Manager)

j

Thanks for the good idea but that didn't help either. I guess I'm the only one with this problem

If anyone had to guess which side is most likely causing my problems ? Server or client ?

MerlinWerks · « **Reply #29 on:** February 28, 2006, 05:41:27 am »

Do you have access to another PC that you could use as a client to the same server?

TonesterT · « **Reply #30 on:** February 28, 2006, 02:38:22 pm »

Quote from: MerlinWerks on February 28, 2006, 05:41:27 am

Do you have access to another PC that you could use as a client to the same server?

Good idea. I think it's my server computer that's the problem. This morning I tried to connect to the Library Server thru a computer at work and I got the same results as I did at home. Now I was using a VPN at home (to connect to my works network) and I was able to ping my home computer but when I tried to connect to the Library Server nothing happened.
Not sure if this helps but I tried the http://1.2.3.4:80/GetLibrary from work and I got a download window to download a file called GetLibrary. I guess this tell us that I was able to connect to the server.
So what should I try on my server ? Should I try a complete uninstall then reinstall and recreate my library ?

JimH · « **Reply #31 on:** February 28, 2006, 02:59:36 pm »

Quote from: TonesterT on February 28, 2006, 02:38:22 pm

I tried the http://1.2.3.4:80/GetLibrary from work and I got a download window to download a file called GetLibrary. I guess this tell us that I was able to connect to the server.

That's correct.

Quote

So what should I try on my server ? Should I try a complete uninstall then reinstall and recreate my library ?

I don't think you have a software problem with the server. I think you have something blocking a port or a piece of software (like a virus checker) causing a problem.

Have you tried reversing the client and the server? Can you then connect from work?

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Author Topic: Can no longer connect to media server (Read 7201 times)