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Author Topic: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved  (Read 3728 times)

pixel233

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Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« on: November 16, 2014, 11:45:20 am »

Hello,
Having a problem with Gizmo app I can't seem to sort out and am hoping the wise ones here may offer some assistance please?

Everything was working fine for a month when new PC was connected directly to router (Linksys e4200), Gizmo app worked perfectly.
I moved the PC into the theater area and connected it directly to a Linksys wes610 bridge.
Now when I try to connect to JR20 the Gizmo app finds the server, connects to it and puts a "What do you want to do?" message box in middle of the Nexus tablet and won't do anything else.
I have reinstalled the App a couple of times, cleared the Server code on the PC and tried new ones with the result the same each time
I also tried the trial version of EOS app with same result.

Everything else works great as I can access the NAS and Internet no problem from within JR20
As I say it worked perfectly when I was setting up this new HTPC connected directly to the router.
I have an older version of JR19 still setup on a desktop in my office that either App has no problem finding and controlling as well.

So any ideas or assistance would be greatly appreciated please?



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gvanbrunt

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2014, 12:41:14 pm »

I'm thinking that maybe the routing is not working. When you first set it up before moving did you manually forward a port to the computer? If so after moving it's IP address may have changed.
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pixel233

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2014, 01:10:21 pm »

thanks, but I never changed anything in the router on that initial setup just plugged ethernet in and all was good
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gvanbrunt

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2014, 07:01:48 pm »

Which means that you are relying on upnp to auto-create the forwarding for you. Which is great if it works, but often it does not. I think this is the problem because not only Gizmo but a third party app has an issue connecting.

I'm thinking there may be a couple of different subnets at play here which could be the issue. Do you know the network settings of both devices?
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Arindelle

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2014, 05:49:44 am »

How about setting the IPs in DHCP in your router? Did you do that initially? Works for me
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pixel233

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2014, 08:01:40 am »

Thanks,
No I'm usually not very competent when it comes to Wifi and Networking issues, can you please direct me to where I should be looking/
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gvanbrunt

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2014, 09:12:49 am »

My guess is it has something to do with your settings for your routers. If you can PM me some screenshots of the settings I'll try to help you out. Don't post them here as there are some security issues with that. If you don't have software to take screenshots, I would suggest Jing from Techsmith. It's free and easy to use. http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html
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pixel233

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2014, 09:30:35 am »

It seems that both computers are connected to the same Subnet.
Everything works perfectly through that bridge? 
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pixel233

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2014, 09:33:35 am »

thankyou I will give it a shot shortly...
there is only the one router though
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gvanbrunt

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2014, 10:02:15 am »

The "Bridge" is a router. The terms bridge and router are somewhat interchangeable nowadays. Also most routers do a heck of a lot more than routing. Originally there were some very specific things each of them did, but for the most part they do a lot more than just bridge. So I'm using the term in the loose sense. In fact I'm most interested in the settings of the "bridge" in your case as that is where I think changes need to be made.
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pixel233

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2014, 10:44:18 am »

ok, heres an update.
I dug out my 100 foot Ethernet cable and connected it directly to the router again (no wifi bridge involved) both Gizmo and Eos can't connect to JR20 as before. Webgizmo as well
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pixel233

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #11 on: November 17, 2014, 10:48:25 am »

Webgizmo will connect to JR20 from tablet when I choose "connect within my network"
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pixel233

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #12 on: November 17, 2014, 10:59:18 am »

So Webgizmo will work with both Wifi and direct connection to router with the PC.
Is there some sort of settings for Gizmo app that is available?
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Arindelle

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #13 on: November 17, 2014, 11:26:09 am »

Thanks,
No I'm usually not very competent when it comes to Wifi and Networking issues, can you please direct me to where I should be looking/

should learn a little though .. then if something crashes you know where to look. You don't have to no everything, but each router interface is different.

Rather then set static ip addresses for each computer, I set it through DHCP which will return the MAC address of each device on the network. I limit mine to my media server pc and all home pcs on the LAN and keep the range of addresses sort of small. For portable devices, they can take whatever is available, what you don't want is your kids friend to steal temporarily the HTPCs ipaddress, because its not turned on :)

here's the manual for your router go to page 25 of the e4200 section http://setuprouter.com/router/linksys/e4200/manual-221.pdf

then I check to make sure I'm forwarding the port that gizmo or jremote or whatever you are using needs which is usually 52199 unless you changed it in the options of JRiver
this is a guide for how to port forward for JRiver with your router (or you might prefer to use the manual which looks even newer
http://portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Linksys/E4200/JRiver_Media_Center.htm

Once this is set up, you should have no issues, and you will always have access. If you have problems, then its probably in the fire wall. Make sure in your Anti-virus you allow access to jriver and especially ports 52199. 

Also I think it is better to connect using your access key from JRiver rather than an ip address (needs authentification see options under media network)

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Arindelle

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #14 on: November 17, 2014, 11:28:10 am »

So Webgizmo will work with both Wifi and direct connection to router with the PC.
Is there some sort of settings for Gizmo app that is available?

it can even work externally, which is why its is very cool. Stream your collection to your phone in a pub with wifi :)

Not sure what you mean by settings in options? views?
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pixel233

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #15 on: November 17, 2014, 11:37:28 am »

never need to stream to it externally, just want to control it with my tablet in the home, much prefer Gizmo app... little slicker.
I was wondering why Webgizmo works perfectly fine but Gizmo won't even connect... is there a way to compare the two programs settings somehow?
I am truly at a loss as to why the App works fine on JR19 in other part of home and sort of crashes out when connecting to JR20 yet Webgizmo has no issue?
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pixel233

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #16 on: November 17, 2014, 11:51:52 am »

Many thanks for the info and links Arindelle.
I have ever only used the access key from JR20 (that same key works just fine for Webgizmo wifi access btw) as it worked so perfectly in JR19
Firewall has been disabled to try and connect, no such luck
Never changed ports, 52199 is enabled
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Arindelle

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #17 on: November 17, 2014, 12:14:10 pm »

have to run, make sure your router recognizes your PCs (especially the pc running media server) under DHCP.

It should also recognize your tablet under wifi. Check it via the browser interface to your router. When you say port 52199 is enabled in the router? or in JRiver. Its the router port forwarding that is important.
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pixel233

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #18 on: November 17, 2014, 02:07:03 pm »

Fantastic... you were absolutely correct re the port not being forwarded properly through the router.
Seems to be working fine (for now) and I learned a little bit so that's great!

Many thanks for your help with my issue, never would have solved it without your wisedom!

Cheers fellas!!
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gvanbrunt

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Re: Gizmo won't connect after PC moved
« Reply #19 on: November 17, 2014, 03:15:18 pm »

Now that it is sorted a tiny bit of education about what I think the issue was:

In most peoples home networks they have a router that connects to the internet and may also provide wireless access. The router usually has a firewall that prevents all access to nodes inside the network. In addition the outside network uses public IP addresses and internally the network uses private IP addresses. These can't be routed over the internet. So the router has to "translate" messages between the internet and and the devices inside. When you want to access a device from the public internet, you have for "forward" the traffic from the internet to the device and disable the firewall for the port(s) used. Most consumer routers do all this stuff (and more) transparently to the user. The exact details are not really important, but the basic concepts are.

This forwarding can be created in 2 ways. You can do it manually, or you can use upnp to do it for you automatically. I believe that when you first had it hooked up the the "upnp forwarding" was made automatically and it worked. For whatever reason this wasn't happening when the device was behind the "bridge". So if you manually create the forwarding, you are good to go.

Security Note: Upnp  was designed to make things easier for the regular user, there have been several very serious bugs with it that allowed outside users to get inside your network. Several major brands were affected and to this day many users have not patched their software. There are automated tools available so the 10 year old down the street can scan large ranges of IP Addreses, find and then mess with your network. :P So you can do one of two things, do it manually and shut off upnp on your router or make sure you update your firmware regularly. In my opinion personal security is too important so having some basic understanding is mandatory anyway. I would shut off upnp on your router. There should be a setting for it somewhere. Keep in mind you if you access anything else behind your network you make have to create forward rules for them too.

Anyway, glad to hear you have it working.
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