MediaMVP failed to locate a GUI server !

[slimyosra]

Hi,
I have a strange problem with my hauppage MediaMVP wireless version. When I start it I can see on the screen :
“Contacting server then loading application then failed to locate a GUI server ” and it keep looping for one hour or two like that and then start and every thing just work fine. If I turn unplug the power for the MVP the problem start again. Any hint please it is getting me mad. This is my configuration :
1- Sagetv version 6.4
2- Using SageMC 6.30
3- MediaMvp boot version 2.2 and application version 1.15.0 using the lan connection not the wireless.
4- Lan connection from the MVP to the router is done by 2 HDX101 powerline Ethernet adapter (http://www.netgear.com/Products/Powe...rs/HDX101.aspx ) note that if I use the wireless I still have the same problem.
5- I have a netgear DG834G router with firewall.
6- Windows firewall is disabled and zone alarm closed when I have done the test.
7- I have a port forwarding to all incoming traffic to sagetv server ( 192.168.0.7 )
8- I have disable SageMc but still have the same problem.

I have read in some post that the DHCP can be the cause of similar problem so I have reserved a fixed ip to the media MVP to 192.168.0.7 but have not disabled the DHCP server.

Thanks guys for the help.

[CollinR]

First off turn your firewall back on and port forward only TCP 31099 (assuming you use placeshifter) through your router. Otherwise your whole server is exposed to the internet.


Look in your router's config and see if you can set staic IP addresses to LAN clients by MAC. If you can, provide the MVP a static address.

Wireless internal to MVPs doesn't work well, thats basically a given.

I assume if you plug the MVP directly into the router this problem goes away?

[slimyosra]

Hi CollinR,
The port forward 31099 is already done since i can use my laptop with sagetv placeshiffter.
The Mvp has a static ip 192.168.0.7 fixed by MAC adress.
Later I will try to use a direct lan cable to the router instead of using the HDx101 from netgear.
Thank you

[slimyosra]

I have connected the mvp directly to mu router and everything work fine. So I guess the problem from the HDX101 power line ethernet adapter. Does any body hany idea?
PS: if I connnect the HDX101 to a laptop have a good internet connection.
Regards
Slim

[tmiranda]

I had that problem using a wireless connection. If the connection had any "hiccup" at all the MVP would disconnect and take a while to reconnect. I've heard similar things can happen with the powerline adapters.

Try plugging the powerline adapters into different outlets if you can. That may help.

[slimyosra]

hi
I have changed the place but it does not work
I have noticed that in the lan connexion in the MVP only the orange led is on. and it is solid.

[slimyosra]

hi all,
Here is an attachement of the debug log from my sageTv service. i can see TFTP error like 4 ( illegal operation ) has this something to do with my problem ?
Thanks
Slim

[stevech]

I went through that, sent logs of the TFTP errors to Sage. Long ago. They chose not to fix it.

After days of trying to get my Hauppauge MVP to talk to my server, it began to work and has generally worked OK. As long as I don't make a change to the network where the ARP tables in switches/WiFi do change in some way. The MVP has some odd scheme to remember the ARP results and, apparently, not re-ARP until the cached results are older than X hours. I have changed the router with DHCP server with no impact, but in my setup, the MVP uses an external WiFi bridge so that's what it ARPs. When I was struggling, the MVP wouldn't work with a wired connection or via the bridge. Same symptoms you report, and I logged a zillion TFTP errors. I admit I haven't looked at TFTP errors when the MVP boots successfully!

That's all a guess on my part.

It's odd and I suspect that Sage doesn't know what really happens inside the MVP's boot ROM and TFTP client. Sage has to emulate Hauppauge's goofy TFTP server within Hauppauge's software, and it may be that this is non-standard and Sage didn't get much cooperation from Hauppauge or their subcontractor. And that's why it's all black magic.

Or I may be all wrong.

But every MVP owner seems to struggle with this, according to the postings here.

[slimyosra]

After 3 Hours my MVP started, but if I unplug the power the problem come again . I have a new logs from the previous night I will analyse them and post them later.
Thank you every body for the help.

[slimyosra]

In the previous whenever a TFTP timeout occurs, I can see that the mvp has send the following UDP packet:
IPsrc = 192.168.0.4
IP dest= 255.255.255.255
Type : UDP
UDP: SrcPort = 2051, DstPort = 16881, Length = 60

the details frame in the attachement.

The frame capture was done with microsoft network monitor free and very good to monitor all the network traffic from any pc. Hope would be helpful for someone someday

[slimyosra]

I have updated my ARP table and nothing changed still got the same problem.
My ARP table showed 2 dynamic entry so changed the MVP ARP entry to static then both the mvp and the server, no luck does not work.
I have restored them to dynamic. I have no more any to try!

[stevech]

I "farted" with the MVP for days/hours and tried a zillion things. I'm IT-literate (profession) and I could not reach a logical diagnosis of why the MVP does this. It's some mystery of what the MVP remebers in non-volatile memory and for how long. That's all I can say.

I did install Hauppauge's software on a PC and had the MVP connect to that application - with the Sage server off or not on-net. The Hauppauge server discovery and TFTP download never fails, unlike Sage.

[wbarber69]

there are settings in the sage properties that need to be done manually to get this working solidly just look into the forum for the answers I had this same issue many times and every time it was the same line in the properties file that I forgot to change, yes the thing should work out of the box but sometimes with some mvps it just doesn't I also had an issue where I was entering the data in the properities file but when it came to the mac address I put the one that was on the bottom of the mvp (one I purchased off ebay used) and apparently this guy had had more than one and had taken them apart and put the wrong shell on the wrong mvp so I had to go into router to get the correct mac address for the box.

[dblaine2]

Originally Posted by stevech

I "farted" with the MVP for days/hours and tried a zillion things. I'm IT-literate (profession) and I could not reach a logical diagnosis of why the MVP does this. It's some mystery of what the MVP remebers in non-volatile memory and for how long. That's all I can say.

I did install Hauppauge's software on a PC and had the MVP connect to that application - with the Sage server off or not on-net. The Hauppauge server discovery and TFTP download never fails, unlike Sage.

I had issues with this error too (I run a wireless MVP) until I setup 2 entries in my Linux DHCP server. 1 IP for the MAC that is written on the bottom of the unit. This IP is used when it begins booting up. I had to sniff for the other MAC when the Loading Application screen comes up. I set this up as a different IP. Now I don't have any problems with this error - the MVP boots everytime.

[stevech]

I too put a reserved IP address in my home router for the MVP's MAC address. Just so I know that .100 is always my MVP. And so the MVP never sees a change.

But I believe that a pre-reserved IP address (static DHCP some call it) does not improve the problem that this thread is discussing.

[Conejo]

I thought Slimyosra confirmed that the MVP could connect to SageTV and play while using a direct Ethernet cable, but not with the HDX101 power line ethernet adapter. Or that it took up to three hours for an arbitrary sync up.

The PowerLine Adapters are supposed to act as Bridges, but we've had a lot of people on the forum complain that they're problematic when used with the MVP. Strangely enough, they don't have the same problem with the STX-HD100. I'll assume the Powerline Adapters are either filtering or garbling packets critical to the MVP.

Then again, some people have had success using the PowerLine Adapters, or using the MVP Wirelessly, by swapping to another Router or uploading a replacement BIN to their router. You could spend a lot of time trying to hunt down what piece or combination of pieces of interconnected parts is causing the issue.

I recently had to rewire the connectors on all the in-wall Ethernet Ports of my house because the original electrician didn't wire them in twisted-pair sequence. You wouldn't think this would cause a problem. A wire is a wire. My Sage Client and MVP didn't like it and timed out constantly until I reconnected all the ports using T-568B color coding.

[slimyosra]

hi Guys,
It is getting worse, more that 16 hours to sync!!!!
Does any body know where I can get a boot for my MVP for upgrade or downgrade, I am using loader 2.12 and application 1.15.0 .
Thanks

[dblaine2]

There is no way to upgrade firmware.

[dblaine2]

For wireless, I had to upgrade firmware on my netgear access point in order for me to get consistently connected. I know this has no relevance to your powerline issues.

[stevech]

I've used two wireless routers with the Hauppauge Std Def MVP sold by Sage, however my MVP is a wired product and it connects to a transparent WiFi bridge. I went this route because I've read that the WiFi radio built into the wireless MVP is poop. The bridge I'm using is generic: Buffalo.

W-routers I've used (DHCP servers differ but both work)
Linksys WRH54G (Currently in use)
Linksys WRT54G with DD-WRT firmware (used for a long time)
Linksys WRT54G with Linksys factory firmware

The issue, IMO, is the TFTP sever in the Sage Server does not always do some odd thing that the MVP's bootloader TFTP client insists on, or in some finnicky timing manner. Sage has never chosen to investigate and cure.