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Author Topic: How can I limit information sent?  (Read 1138 times)

JackTheWolf

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How can I limit information sent?
« on: May 30, 2022, 03:48:18 pm »

I've been trying to make Media Center stop sending so much data to your servers (too much enumeration).

I mess with a lot of virtual machines, so I have dozens of nics that are created/destroyed on a daily basis.
Under Settings > Media Network > Interfaces to ignore , I can put a list of networks to ignore, but has gotten massive because of the virtualization.

How can I tell the program to only listen on a particular network?
If that isn't an option, could I request the ability to put in something like !192.168.1.0/24  for the result of: 'ignore all networks that aren't 192.168.1.0/24' ?

My other, more important, question is:
How can I make the program only check for updates and download needed components without sending out data like my DLNA information, etc.?

Right now, I've had to firewall the program and download updates manually, but I can't do the same for components.
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JackTheWolf

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2022, 08:07:57 pm »

... does anyone know?
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Matt

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2022, 08:52:01 pm »

Your DLNA information is not gathered.
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

JackTheWolf

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2022, 10:52:48 pm »

What about this?
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JimH

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2022, 01:06:49 am »

Read the Access Key topic on our wiki.  It explains how to use an IP address instead of the Access Key.

We maintain (and always have done so) a list of Access Keys, so that you can connect from inside or outside your network, even if your IP address changes.  We use that key to find the right address.

I think your problem may be something the virtualization software might have an answer for.

Maybe start at the other end.  What is your concern?  Getting hacked?  It hasn't ever happened. 
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JackTheWolf

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2022, 01:57:39 am »

That's pretty much the thing. I don't use the Access Key feature since I keep everything in-house and connect to the server via IP. I control access through tunnels and certs to minimize port-forwarding.

I'd like to disable the attempt to send information entirely, but I only see a 'Reset...' instead of 'Remove' at the Access Key in Options.
I would start looking into messing with the Registry and %appdata% folder, but I don't think that would prevent the reaching out part. My guess is it would send the same info, but with a blank or null key.

I pretty much only want the program to reach out online for updates and grabbing needed components. Not even that if I could do both of those things offline. No need to spill information online when it isn't necessary to function.

My reasons deal primarily with security, but almost equally, privacy.

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JimH

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2022, 02:51:39 am »

It would be a pretty big job for JRiver to offer the custom granularity that any given user might wish for.

You can be certain that JRiver doesn't ever look to see what you're doing. 

Security and privacy are important topics, but I don't see any real issue with what we're doing, and MC wouldn't be MC without Internet capabilities.
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JackTheWolf

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2022, 03:24:55 am »

Not that I'm bashing internet capabilities, I'm just surprised there isn't an 'off switch', e.g. "when Access key is blank, don't initiate a server connection."

I guess I'll go with plan b.
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blgentry

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2022, 09:17:30 am »

When I click "reset" on the access key, it erases it.  It then does NOT show a new one.  Rather it says "click here for access from another server".  When I click there, I get a short delay, as if it is generating a new access key.

Based on this evidence, I postulate that there is NO access key after you do a reset, and thus nothing to send back to JRiver's servers.

Maybe give that a try and see if it still sends an access key (the old one or some new one).

Good luck,
Brian.
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JackTheWolf

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #9 on: June 08, 2022, 04:48:28 pm »

Sorry for the delay; work.

Thanks for the input on what normal looks like, I was able to get the key removed.
In my case I had to remove all of the DLNA settings before it "stuck" since it looked like the separate Media Server part of Media Center wasn't adhering to my settings and would put the original key back in after a computer reboot with the server set to auto-start.

I eventually saw the 'GET http://wr.jriver.com/libraryserver/delete/<key> HTTP/1.1' and things appear to be looking good.
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JackTheWolf

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #10 on: June 13, 2022, 12:15:21 am »

I have an update.
It looks like without the access key, the server eventually stops working. Lasted just shy of a week.

Eventually I had to disable the DLNA server, but when I reenabled it, the wizard produces errors about not being able to connect online.
The box will show it's enabled and the key will show as empty, but the server won't listen on any ports.

I think the method Media Center uses to setup DLNA needs to be reworked a bit since it appears to be disrupting itself.

- a workaround for me has been:
net stop winnat
<wait 5 seconds>
net start winnat
Close and reopen the program.

You'll then see the defined ports registering, which will last a handful of days or so.

Media Center is the only program I'm having these kind of issues.
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JimH

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #11 on: June 13, 2022, 12:34:56 am »

Our DLNA application has been working well for a long time, though your use of it may not work.

Your server IP may be changing and this is what the Access Key is made to handle.

Your use case is unsupported.
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JackTheWolf

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #12 on: June 13, 2022, 12:19:20 pm »

Your server IP may be changing and this is what the Access Key is made to handle.

Sorry, but that simply isn't the case for this situation. I've been troubleshooting in-house, everything is static and I had already narrowed down that particular problem to flaky port assignments while offline. I've seen the same problem on a test computer I've fired up.


Your use case is unsupported.

I'm surprised to see this reply - indicating that stable, internet-free DLNA as a non-use case...
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JimH

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Re: [Network] How can I limit information sent to your servers?
« Reply #13 on: June 13, 2022, 02:17:34 pm »

I'm surprised to see this reply - indicating that stable, internet-free DLNA as a non-use case...
That's what JRiver provides, in spades.  I don't know why you're having trouble, but let us know if you learn anything.
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