How to Connect via Internet when on LAN

[EChodun]

My placeshifter client currently has full access to my placeshifter server via Local Network and Locator Found Server connections. It uses the LocatorID to connect. When I was at a storetoday I was on a wireless connection (unknown origin - just found it searching) and tried to access the placeshifter server. The placeshifter client said it could not find the server. Everything was configured correctly.

Can someone tell me what might have gone wrong? How will I know in advance whether when I access the server remotely (if at all) that I will be able to find it and consequently access it. Is there a way to test this if I am on a LAN? I don't access the server using an IP address. Frankly, I don't know what my IP address is and its dynamic so I'm unsure whether it would work. Port 31099 is being forwarded on the server side. I actually had the placeshifter work from work before so I am confused why it would not be able to find the server from another location. Could that person's network be prohibiting the port with their own firewall? If so, I heard that using the IP address of my server would cimcumvent this. Is that true and if so how do I get my IP address if it's dynamic. Please give me detail instructions about this if you can. I wanted to take my laptop on vacation with me and I know I'll be crushed if I get there and it says it can't find the server.

Thank you!

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by EChodun

so I am confused why it would not be able to find the server from another location. Could that person's network be prohibiting the port with their own firewall?

Possibly. This FAQ lists firewall info; Placeshifter is towards the end. If using the Locator ID & it can't contact the Locatoer ID server, it won't find anything.

If so, I heard that using the IP address of my server would cimcumvent this. Is that true and if so how do I get my IP address if it's dynamic.

These aren't detailed instructions, but look into something like DynDNS. This topic is also covered for nielm's web server here: "Configuring your system for remote access", so you may want to read the info he posted there.

- Andy

[EChodun]

I went to canyouseeme.org and Port 31099 is open, but port 8080 is not open. However in my router settings I have it as open just like Port 31099. Does anyone know why 8080 would be blocked? Even though it is blocked I was able to use a third party's router and accessed the sageserver.

Is it true that if I use a service like no-ip I won't have any connection issues from accessing sagetv from an outside server? No port issues?

Finally, how does the locatorid differ from an IP address? When I use the locatorid does it matter that I have a dynamic IP address?

By the way, when I try to turn Remote Management On in my router (which uses Port 8080) it says it can't because it's assigned already by Sage Remote Virtual Server.

[jimmyb]

You can use no-ip.com (I have) and it will work, but you must use port forwardign if you are behind a router. I switched to and now use hamachi.cc for my place shifter of of my laptop (you need to be running Hamachi on both computers). When I open my place shifter, I have 2 connection to Sage. One with LAN IP and one with Hamachi IP.

[EChodun]

Since you're using placeshifter anyway, why use the hamachi program?

[gplasky]

But if you forward your ports properly and get yourself a public IP addess through something like dyn.dns.org then all you need is PS to connect to your Sage server with just an Internet connection. That's the whole point of PS.

Gerry

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by EChodun

By the way, when I try to turn Remote Management On in my router (which uses Port 8080) it says it can't because it's assigned already by Sage Remote Virtual Server.

Try and change the remote manage port to a different port, such as 8888, and then try 8080 again. You may need to redo the port forward for 8080. I have seen problems wwth trying to forward port 8080 to an internal computer when port 8080 is listed as the Remote Management port, even when not enabled.

[EChodun]

I changed my Remote Management to use port 8888 (even though I left Remote Management off) on my router. I used canyouseeme.org and it still thinks port 8080 is not open. Don't know why.

Also, my Netgear WGR614v4 router has the ability to communicate with a DNS server directly. Would this mean I wouldn't need to install the software from no-ip.org and the like?

[doc]

yes, go to www.dyndns.com and create an account (its free). Then you need to add a dynamic dns host. Create one like myname.dyndns.org, or which ever you prefer, such as fredbloggs.dyndns.org. Then on your router, enable dyndns. You have to select dyndns as the provider, enter your username and password that you use to log onto the dyndns web site, and in the hostname enter what you selected, like fredbloggs.dyndns.org. Every couple of days your router will tell dyndns its ip address. You can tell if its working by opening a dos prompt and typing "ping fredbloggs.dyndns.org". It should return the IP address assigned to the internet side of your router.

The only other thing I did on my router was to enable port forwarding. You want to forward port 31099 to the local IP address of your sage pc. You should ideally make sure your sage pc has a static IP address so that it doesn't change when its rebooted.

If you have windows firewall switched on you need to add sagetv.exe (or sagetvservice.exe if you have it installed as a service) as an exception and make sure the scope says any address including internet.

Then from the placeshifter client, enter fredbloggs.dyndns.org and it should connect.

That's all you should need to do....... hopefully !!!!!!!

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by EChodun

I changed my Remote Management to use port 8888 (even though I left Remote Management off) on my router. I used canyouseeme.org and it still thinks port 8080 is not open. Don't know why.

Either your ISP is blocking 8080 as well or the router is not forwarding 8080 correctly. I'd try and see if you can get 8888 to the router by turning on remote management for a moment. IF it connects, then maybe set up the web server to use 8888 instead. You'd have to reset the router's remote management to 8080. Then try and see if canyouseeme.org can see the router at 8080.


edit:

because it's assigned already by Sage Remote Virtual Server.

What is this? neilm's webserver plugin? Otherwise, Sage doesn't have anything running on port 8080. If there is nothing running on port 8080, all the forwarding in the world won't let canyouseemee.org see an open port.

[EChodun]

How do you change the webserver's port? I assume you're referring to SageTV's webserver. Doc, thanks for the info. on dyndns . If I use this feature am I opening my computer up to the potential of being attacked from the outside than I am with my dynamic IP address already? Keep in mind that I currently don't have Windows Firewall on and I am not using any firewall provider. I have access control set to on for my wireless router though. I know the pitfalls against not using a firewall, but I am more concerned with just opening myself up to MORE of an issue by using dyndns.

Finally, what's the difference between SageTV's locator id and using the IP address directly. Will I have 100% success rate from the outside using the IP address, but no so with the locator id?

A little overwhelmed.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by EChodun

Finally, what's the difference between SageTV's locator id and using the IP address directly. Will I have 100% success rate from the outside using the IP address, but no so with the locator id?

SageTV will update the Locator ID server w/its latest IP address periodically as needed, so that when the Placeshifter tries to connect, it should be told the correct IP address to connect to. If it has changed, it should be no more than several minutes before it gets updated (not sure how long).

Using a direct IP address or someting like DynDNS, knowing the correct address, or making sure DynDNS gets updated is very important. For people whose IP address rarely, if ever, changes, it won't make much difference which way to go.

- Andy

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by EChodun

How do you change the webserver's port? I assume you're referring to SageTV's webserver.

Yes, refering to neilm's webserver plugin, you did install that, correct? If so, then in sage.properties, there is a line nielm/webserver/port=8080 that can be changed to the new port number. With Sage completely shut down first.

Doc, thanks for the info. on dyndns . If I use this feature am I opening my computer up to the potential of being attacked from the outside than I am with my dynamic IP address already?

YOu haven't physically opened your computer up more by runing dynamic dns reporting. The only way you'd have a problem, is if somebody wanted to target you directly and knew your DDNS name. They would always have your current dynamic IP address, but would still have to deal with your security, router and firewalls.

Finally, what's the difference between SageTV's locator id and using the IP address directly. Will I have 100% success rate from the outside using the IP address, but no so with the locator id?

IF you use the ip address directly, you are going directly to your router. 100%

With a DDNS provider, your router/computer reports the IP address to the DDNS provider, and once you have the IP address you go directly to the router.
With the LocatorID, your Sage box reports itself to SAge's servers. The PS client asks Sage where is my system, gets an IP address, and goes to the router.
With the last two methods, you should still be at 100% once configured correctly. The only time you'd have a problem is if a DDNS or LocatorID server went offline or your software that updates the info crashed.

I like the DDNS method myself, because once set up, you can use your DDNS name to remote desktop in as well. Can't do that with LocatorID.

[EChodun]

Okay, I'll bite. Why do I need this plug-in if I use placeshifter client? No I didn't install it. Do I need it to use dyndns?

This all came about because for some reason I couldn't connect to the sage server from an outside computer the other day. I was looking for a more accurate result and it looks like using dyndns for my dynamic ip address is a better alternative than the locator id method. But now what is this web server plugin?

[ke6guj]

Nope, you don't need it. Nielm created the webserver plugin around 2 years ago so we could do stuff like add/remove favorites and see recording schedules over the web. We can now do that with the placeshifter, so it isn't needed, but can still be usefull. Less bandwith needed, and only a webbrowser needed on the road. No need to install placeshifter at work, just surf the web.

If you aren't running the webserver, then forget about 8080 and 8888. you'll never see an open port if it isn't installed. All you need is 31099 for the placeshifter to connect.

[jimmyb]

I hate to kick a dead horse .. but ... all this port forwarding and IP dyns stuff is tuff work for someone not familiar with the workings of a router. This is why I had suggested hamachi.

Hamachi eliminates the need to do port forwarding. If you are going to access your Sage server for Placeshsifter from the same outside computer all the time, then just load Hamchi on both compuetrs. Now start Hamachi on both computers. Then point the PS to the new IP address (5.xx.xx.xx) and Voila .. you have Placeshifter receiving the stream from your Sage server.

No using dyns or no-ip. No port forwarding, no security issues. Works great!

P.S. I also access the Sage webserver the same way 5.xx.xxx.xx:8080/sage/home

[EChodun]

Thanks to all here who replied. I set-up my dyndns account and inserted the username and password into my router and everything works fine. I accessed sagetv fine using my new IP address on Placeshifter. I also gave Remote Desktop a whirl - something I've never tried before. It's fairly cool. At first I didn't realize I needed to open a port (something like 3...) to get it to work along with the standard port, but it worked good. Someone mentioned earlier that I would get good bandwidth using the Nielms webserver. How much better would it be then using Placeshifter? Am I not still limited by the speed of the connection?

On a side note, thanks again to everyone!

[ke6guj]

Glad to see you got it working.

Originally Posted by EChodun

Someone mentioned earlier that I would get good bandwidth using the Nielms webserver. How much better would it be then using Placeshifter? Am I not still limited by the speed of the connection?

You are still limited by the speed of the connection. What I meant, was that if you are just trying to adjust favorites and the such, using the webserver may be quicker since it is only having to send out webpages. Whereas the Placeshifter may take more bandwidth to send the same info.

However, once you try to watch a video, then the Placeshifter is far better. It will transcode the video down to fit your bandwidth. The webserver can't do that, it will send the video at full-quality, more than most peoples internet connection can handle(maybe those with OC3's could handle it )

[hemicuda]

Originally Posted by EChodun

I also gave Remote Desktop a whirl - something I've never tried before. It's fairly cool. At first I didn't realize I needed to open a port (something like 3...) to get it to work along with the standard port, but it worked good.

I'm not sure if RDP uses any form of encryption by default (I only connect through encrypted SSH tunnels), but I'd definitely look into it. If it doesn't then you're sending everything you do in-the-clear over the wild-wild internet.

[briands]

I am pretty sure I have everything set up correctly as far as port forwarding, firewall, etc. I tested last night by using my dyndns server address and placeshifter worked. I tried from work today with both locator ID and hostname. In both cases, I get

Connection error- The sage placeshifter is having trouble connecting to the Internet....

Does this mean I am SOL?

Any suggestions?

Will someone volunteer to test it for me so that I know everything on the server side is working OK?

Any help would be appreciated.