Client not connecting to server

[Rob]

I'm using the trial versions of both the server and the client. At on point the client was connecting to the server and I was seeing the live TV. Then I did not use the client for a couple of days. Now for the last three days, every time I try to use the client I get a connection error. It says the server is not responding and tells me to make sure the server is running and that the checkbox is selected that indicates it is the server. Well the server is running fine and the checkbox is selected. Also, both machines (the server and the client) have been rebooted several times. Still no connection.

By the way, I have also loaded the client software on a second client. I'm not sure if I loaded it before or after I started having connection problems, but now I get the connection problem from both clients.

My trial ends in 5 days and I'd like to see this work. I'm sold on buying the server piece, but I'd like the clients to work too.

Any Ideas?

Thanks,
Rob

[Rob]

Hello. Is anybody out there???????

[jptaz]

I have not had this problem before, but is there a chance that the ip address of the server has changed. Also I don't know if the trial will let you have multiple clients connected. I would
suggest sending a e-mail to support. They are very quick to repsond usually within a day.

John

[Rob]

Thanks John. I appreaciate the info.

I'm sure the IP address has not changed, but I am wondering about having multiplte clients installed during the TRIAL period. Anyway, I will contact support as you suggested.

Thanks,
Rob

[gplasky]

I trialed multiple clients before I purchased 2. They work fine. Double check your IP address though. Since you are on a network verify that client can still get out to the Internet or see other workstations on the network.


Gerry

[Rob]

Thanks for the ideas Gerry.

Last night I shared the c: drive from the server machine to the client machine and the client can access it fine. Also, when I try an incorrect IP address in the SageTV clients setup, I get a different error message. It says the address cannot be resolved.

However, when I change it back to the correct IP address, I get a message saying the server is not responding at the sageTV port and to insure SageTV is running on the server and that checkbox in setup is checked to indicate it is a server (I've insured that these are correct several times and rebooted both machines serveral times).

The only other idea I've seen in the forums is to delete the wiz.bin and wiz.bak files and then setup the server again, but I was under the impression that the database corruption problem had been fixed.

I love the product so I've purchased the SageTV server. I'm going to be out of town this weekend, so my client trial is going to end. I wish now that I had not installed the sagetv on the client the day after installing the sagetv server. In hind sight it would have been better to get the server all set up and play with it for a while before trying the client trial.

Next week I supposed I'll purchase one of the clients and try deleting the wiz.bin and wiz.bak files on the server. If this fails I'll finally get around to contacting support, but I've got a bad feeling I'm overlooking something obvious.

Thanks again for the ideas. If anyone as any others, please post them.

[gplasky]

Are any of your PC's using the same computer name? Any app installed on the server that could be using the same port that Sage uses? I would make sure to quit all programs on the server, in the system tray and end processes you know you don't need and test again. I believe you can also use server name instead of an IP address and maybe that might help narrow it down. What OS are you running? XP Pro?-I don't think XP Home will work for you. Are you using static IP or grabbing them from DHCP? If they are static are all submasks correct? Maybe change your server IP address, reconfig clients and try again.


Gerry

[Rob]

Thanks Gerry for the thoughts.

We have four PC's with four distinct names. Each machine is running XP Pro. We have a Linksys router that serves DHCP and provides the IP addresses.
Also, I am providing the sagetv client with the server's computer name (rather than the IP address).

Tonight I'll try your idea of killing all apps and killing any unneeded process on the server machine. Maybe there is a conflict with the port.

I'll also try changing the name of the server. Then if it still is not working I'll try with a different static IP address. Thanks for the ideas, they are definitely worth trying.

Thanks,
Rob

[jglev]

Did you try deleting the wiz.bin and wiz.bak files yet? I once had a similar problem and deleting these files cleared it up.

[Narflex]

Double-check to make sure the WinXP firewall isn't enabled. That'll block the SageTV Server's port if it is.

[Rob]

Thank you all for the help. I now have connectivity.

But, only whey I tell the sage client the actual IP address of the server and not its computer name. .

Here's what I've done so far:

Checked the XP Pro firewall setup and neither machine has the firewall enabled.

Deleted wiz.bin and wiz.bak. After this Sagetv would not start. When I tried to start it I'd get the hourglass for a second and then nothing. So, I ran the sage setup and it gave me an option to repair the installation. After doing this Sage started fine, but I still could not connect the client to the server.

Changed the computer name of the server from "entertain" to "turd" (I was a little grumpy). Rebooted both machines, started sage on the server and tried the client again using "turd" as the computer name of the server. I go the same error message.

Changed it back to "entertain" and tried again. Still no connection.

Looked at the server to determine its actual IP address. Gave this to the sage client and .

Then my son claimed his pc and chased me off. He thought the TV was way cool.

Then I tried the second client. It would not work with "entertain", but it works fine with the actual IP address.

Then my daughter claimed her PC and chased me off, she also thought it was very cool (man I'm going to need some more tuners!).

Since I'm using a DHCP server, and the actual IP address changes depending on which order the machines are booted in, I'm going to keep trying to figure out what's up using the computer name in the sage client. If I can't then I guess I'll code a static IP address for the server.

Are any of you using DHCP and computer names in the sage client? If so, do you ever boot your machines in a different order so that the IP of the server is changing? Maybe not since your probably leaving the server running nearly all the time (I'm just now getting to that point).

I'm remembering now that the very first time I set up the first client, using "entertain" worked fine. Is it possible that some connection was made between "entertain" and its IP address and now that I've rebooted machines the IP address is different for the server than it was?

I'm just speculating and the fact that renaming the machine to "turd" did not work kind of blows this theory.

Next week, when I'm back in town, my trial will be over, but that's ok, cause I'm ready to fork over the $$$ for a great product. After that I may test the above theory by booting up my machines four times so that the server gets each of its possible IP addresses and each time trying the client with "entertain" instead of the actual IP address.

Any other thoughts on why the name isn't working would be appreciated, but even if I don't figure this one out, I've got a plenty good workaround.

Sorry for the long post, but I kind of wanted to document things for the benefit of others.

[gplasky]

The first time I setup the SageTV Client I couldn't get it to use the computer name. It was probably a format issue and I was too lazy to look it up. Provided an IP connection and everything worked fine.
For DHCP there is a lease time that you can change. For the most part though, at the lease half life DHCP will talk to the client and verify and renew it's lease again. As long as those machines are on the network at various times throughout the lease, you'll keep the same IP address. Let's say your DHCP was using a 3 day lease. You would need to keep that machine off the network for more than 3 days for DHCP to realize that it could hand this IP address out again. For the most part as long as these machines are active on the network daily they will keep their same IP address. My PC has been up for a year and has kept the same IP address. In fact all 3 of my PC's have kept the same.


Gerry

[Rob]

Cool. Then I'll just stick with the IP address in sage instead of the name. It should never be a problem, because the server should never be down long. Only the PC's that are sage clients could be down for several days at a time and it won't matter it the IP address is changing on them.

It is so great that people are willing to take their time to help others get over these kind of humps. Thanks again to all who participated in getting me over this one.

We'll now that I've got no more sage server or sage client worries, I guess next week it will be time to turn my attention to the lonely AccessDTV card that sits beside the WinTV PVR 350. If I can get Jeff's patch to mostly work with the Accessdtv card, it will be one more: Wow, sage is awsome.

[shodge]

To allow the name of the server to ALWAYS work....

Another solution would be to make the server a static address. Choose an address in the same sub-net space but out of the address space generated by your router for DHCP requests. Your router infomation will describe this space. Once done, you simply add a entry to the hosts file in each of the other computers for the server name. On XP pro the hosts file is in \[windows directory]\system32\drivers\etc. Documentation for the format of the entry is in the hosts file already... If you want to make this work, there should be plenty of us here to ask for help...

-Stan

[Rob]

Thanks Stan,

I appreciate your suggestion and may do as you suggest. My kids are in grade school and they will be using the clients, so they 'll be calling dad anytime they have a problem with this.

Thanks again,
Rob