Use hostname in auto-connect instead of IP?

[aweber1nj]

Is there a way to configure STV Client (7.1.5, FWIW) so that if I tell it to "Auto Connect", it will attempt to auto-connect to a hostname instead of an IP Address? Doesn't appear to be an option from the GUI.

I have almost all my PCs (including "servers") using DHCP because my internal DNS resolves them very consistently. Thus, my STV Server won't change in name, but it may change in IP Address over time, and simply allowing me to enter a hostname (or FQDN - but that's overkill) in the STV Client config should solve the problem.

Thanks,
AJ

[gplasky]

Go into your router and assign the MAC of your server the IP address you want it to keep. That way no matter what happens it will always get that address. Auto connect can only use the IP number AFAIK.

Gerry

[aweber1nj]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Go into your router and assign the MAC of your server the IP address you want it to keep. That way no matter what happens it will always get that address. Auto connect can only use the IP number AFAIK.
Gerry

Right, I know how to assign it a static IP in 3 or 4 different ways. For the sake of simplicity and consistency amongst all my other PCs and servers in the house, I would highly prefer using a hostname that gets resolved (like almost any other piece of networkable software designed since the 1990's).

The amount of coding necessary to resolve a hostname is so trivial it's not even worth mentioning, but the convenience for end-users is night-and-day over having to enter and maintain an IP Address. I can't be the first person to ask for this.

[Opus4]

In the client's server selection box, simply type in the hostname to connect to instead of selecting an address from the drop box.

- Andy

[aweber1nj]

Originally Posted by Opus4

In the client's server selection box, simply type in the hostname to connect to instead of selecting an address from the drop box.

- Andy

Will it then use that as my "option" when configuring it to Auto Connect in the detailed setup screens? Seems in the detailed setup, the option is "Off" or an IP Address (which is the one that I had previously selected when the client was last started).

Thanks,
AJ

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by aweber1nj

Will it then use that as my "option" when configuring it to Auto Connect in the detailed setup screens? Seems in the detailed setup, the option is "Off" or an IP Address (which is the one that I had previously selected when the client was last started).

The choices are "No" or whatever you're currently connected to. If you connected by host name, it will show you the host name (and save that as the value of that property). Try it.

While I agree that connecting by host name is preferable, in the long run you're going to want a fixed IP for your server so you can do port forwarding for Placeshifter, remote access to the web server plugin, and so on (unless your router can do port forwarding by host name instead of IP).

[aweber1nj]

Awesome info. Thank You.

Agreed, for port-forwarding I would need a fixed IP Address (I don't know of any that will resolve the hostname for forwarding, but that would be very cool).

I haven't played with the web server plugin much; not to push us onto a tangent, but what would I do with it when connecting remotely?

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by aweber1nj

I haven't played with the web server plugin much; not to push us onto a tangent, but what would I do with it when connecting remotely?

Same sorts of things you would use it for locally: checking the status of your server and clients, scheduling recordings, managing favorites, browsing the EPG to see what's on tonight, etc.