Cannot Connect Outside of Home Network

[TolkienBard 54]

I've recently encountered an inability to connect to the MB server if I am not actually on the home network. I have checked the router settings and they are set up to allow forwarding of port 8096. Port 8096 is also set up as allowed through Windows Firewall. 

 

At first I thought there was an issue with my son-in law's app. But then this morning, I tried using the direct connect web address in my browser's address bar and after a spell I got a message that the address was unavailable. It seems that any app or browser trying to access my MB server using the external address is still being blocked by something. However, since the firewall and router are set to allow 8096 all the freedom I can manage, I'm not sure what else could be blocking the connection. I even tried simply disabling the Windows firewall entirely to make sure that there wasn't some configuration issue there, and that did not correct the problem.

 

Unfortunately, I am unable to say exactly when this issue began. It has to have been somewhat recently though, since in the past, using the direct connect address has been my "go to" option anytime I have encountered an issue with one of the various apps out there. 

[Happy2Play 8304]

What version are you running?  When you say "direct connect web address" are talking about your wan address?

 

Does the link in the dashboard do the same thing?

 

 

Or are you using Media Browser "Connect"?  http://app.mediabrowser.tv/index.html

 

Have you tried restarting the machine?

[TolkienBard 54]

 

 

 

Have you tried restarting the machine?

What version are you running?  When you say "direct connect web address" are talking about your wan address?

 

Does the link in the dashboard do the same thing?

 

 

 

I thought it might be a Media Browser Connect issue, so I tried typing the address directly into a browser address bar and got the "unavailable" message. When I open the dashboard and click on the link listed, I get the same message, that the address is unavailable. Obviously, something is blocking the connection, but I cannot seem to track down where the blockage is occurring. The machine has been reset a handful of times since this issue started, mostly the result of me poking about trying to figure out why this has started happening. It wasn't always like this, so something changed somewhere. I'm just not sure what.

 

Edited December 29, 2014 by TolkienBard

[saitoh183 137]

you check your port forwarding?

[Happy2Play 8304]

Also have you tried restarting your router?

[TolkienBard 54]

Port forwarding on my router shows 8096 as forwarded for my MB server machine, and the internal address has not changed, so it isn't just a matter of having to reassign which device is doing the port forwarding.

[TolkienBard 54]

Also have you tried restarting your router?

 

Uhm...Maybe?

 

I honestly can't remember if I have tried that or not now. I've been searching all over for what other settings in other places could be causing the issue. I'll try resetting the router and machine again now and see if the "fixes" the problem.

[TolkienBard 54]

Resetting the router didn't change anything.

[saitoh183 137]

was it working before and then stopped working? If so, do you recall any changes prior to it stop working? If not, try changing the port in mbs and forward that port in your router and add that port to windows firewall. If everything works with the new port, maybe you have something that is using your 8096 port.

[TolkienBard 54]

It was working just peachy not too long ago. The only changes have been automatic updates. I'll attempt to switch the ports and see if that fixes things. This is just getting frustrating. MB was having all sorts of intermittent issues for me for a while, but then about 3 or 4 server updates ago, everything started to work smoothly and even showed improved performance in the interfaces. MB Theatre is still spotty, but it is getting better. But now, suddenly I can't reach the server if I am not on the internal network, and that is putting a terrible damper on the entire arrangement since a great deal of streaming is to my brother's laptop at work.

[TolkienBard 54]

Still no joy after altering the ports. I'm fresh out of ideas though as to where to look for the blockage. If I had been fussing about with the settings at an point, I would at least no where to begin looking. The thing is, I've left this thing pretty much on auto pilot. SO i have no idea if/where changes have occurred. 

[Luke 37119]

a tool like wireshark can help tell you how far along the network it got. also if your router logging is robust enough it can tell you whether the requests were received or not.

 

also - if you're testing from inside your home network using your remote address, then loopback needs to be enabled on your router, so check that. all of these things are outside of media browser's control.

[ernstgot 17]

I am also having this problem and have check ports reset router.

[TolkienBard 54]

a tool like wireshark can help tell you how far along the network it got. also if your router logging is robust enough it can tell you whether the requests were received or not.

 

also - if you're testing from inside your home network using your remote address, then loopback needs to be enabled on your router, so check that. all of these things are outside of media browser's control.

 

I've been fairly certain for a while now that whatever is causing the issue is outside of the MB server environment. I just can't figure out what it is that is causing the issue though, and it is creating no shortage of headaches. I was hoping someone else around these parts had a similar issue and could point me in the right direction. Heck, if I knew it would solve the problem, I would be willing to go so far as to reset Windows to original and reload everything. The only two things on the server are FlexRAID and MB Server. 

[Luke 37119]

if you're inside your home network then loopback should be checked into. most routers disable it by default. if you've reset your router or perhaps done a f/w upgrade on it, or perhaps it was reset for some other reason, that could be a factor.

 

but that's where wireshark comes in handy because you can spend all day formatting and re-installing windows only to find out the requests aren't even getting to the box.

[TolkienBard 54]

I will check on that, although the problem does exist outside the home network as well. I'm quite certain that my brother's job isn't in the network, nor is my best mate's house. I will be checking on the loopback though to make sure that it isn't keeping me from trying to troubleshoot the real issue, which is that I cannot phone home to the server from outside.

[TolkienBard 54]

Well, a new modem and router being installed to beef up the bandwidth of the house did not correct the problem, despite going out of the way to make sure that the router configuration was catered to the server. This would seem to indicate that the problem is on the server machine. Between this issue and still needing to re-name more movie trailers than I can shake a stick at, I'm not sure where I am going to find the time to actually watch anything that is on the server.

[TolkienBard 54]

The following is what I have configured. Am I missing something obvious? Is one (or more) of these settings wrong?

 

Netgear Router 6200v2:

 

• Port Forwarding of Port 8096 designated for the server machine's connection
• Internet IP Address is set to "Get Dynamically from ISP"
• DNS Address: Get automatically from ISP
• DHCP Address Reservation: 192.168.1.2

 

Windows 8.1 Network PC: Windows firewall enabled with two additional rules.

1. The first is a rule allowing Port 8096 through the firewall on both public and private networks using TCP protocol.
2. The second rule is allowing the following app through the firewall: C:\users\james\appdata\roaming\mediabrowser-server\system\mediabrowser.serverapplication.exe

 

Media Browser:

• Local Port: 8096
• Public Port: 8096
• Enable Automatic Port Mapping: Yes (I have tried it with this setting not selected as well)
• External DDNS: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (This matches the address on the dashboard for remote server connection

 

Am I missing something obvious here? I've gone ahead and downloaded wire shark. However, after opening it and looking about, I am fairly certain that particular diagnostic tool is beyond me since I have very little idea what it is I am looking at, much less how to set it up in order to track one very specific issue (this one).

[saitoh183 137]

The following is what I have configured. Am I missing something obvious? Is one (or more) of these settings wrong?

 

Netgear Router 6200v2:

 

• Port Forwarding of Port 8096 designated for the server machine's connection
• Internet IP Address is set to "Get Dynamically from ISP"
• DNS Address: Get automatically from ISP
• DHCP Address Reservation: 192.168.1.2

 

Windows 8.1 Network PC: Windows firewall enabled with two additional rules.

1. The first is a rule allowing Port 8096 through the firewall on both public and private networks using TCP protocol.
2. The second rule is allowing the following app through the firewall: C:\users\james\appdata\roaming\mediabrowser-server\system\mediabrowser.serverapplication.exe

 

Media Browser:

• Local Port: 8096
• Public Port: 8096
• Enable Automatic Port Mapping: Yes (I have tried it with this setting not selected as well)
• External DDNS: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (This matches the address on the dashboard for remote server connection

 

Am I missing something obvious here? I've gone ahead and downloaded wire shark. However, after opening it and looking about, I am fairly certain that particular diagnostic tool is beyond me since I have very little idea what it is I am looking at, much less how to set it up in order to track one very specific issue (this one).

 

External DDNS is not a IP,it is domain name ...like this_is_my_network.ddns.com. It is not required and must be a acquired from a DDNS site. Its just a nice to have instead of remembering your lSP IP. 

Edited January 2, 2015 by saitoh183

[TolkienBard 54]

External DDNS is not a IP,it is domain name ...like this_is_my_network.ddns.com. It is not required and must be a acquired from a DDNS site. Its just a nice to have instead of remembering your lSP IP. 

 

Good to know. I went ahead and deleted that, just to make sure no unexpected conflicts show up as a result. Eventually, I will break down and pay for a DDNS site subscription. That won't be happening until after I get all the kinks worked out of the system though.

[saitoh183 137]

Good to know. I went ahead and deleted that, just to make sure no unexpected conflicts show up as a result. Eventually, I will break down and pay for a DDNS site subscription. That won't be happening until after I get all the kinks worked out of the system though.

 

DDNS you can get for free. The catch is usually that you have to renew it every 30 days by logging in on the site. Getting back to your problem at hand, i would try to connect your MBS pc directly to the modem and see if you can access from outside. If you can then you know the problem lies in the router if you cant then you know the problem is machine.

[spynx89 4]

I seem to be having a similar problem. I absolutely can't get the remote access to work on my mobile app. I checked the port forward for 8096, it says port is in use, but connection failed. I'm pretty network savy, but im going crazy trying to forward this port. Any help someone could offer would be great. I have Netgear Router WNDR4000

[saitoh183 137]

I seem to be having a similar problem. I absolutely can't get the remote access to work on my mobile app. I checked the port forward for 8096, it says port is in use, but connection failed. I'm pretty network savy, but im going crazy trying to forward this port. Any help someone could offer would be great. I have Netgear Router WNDR4000

 

via app connect or manual connect?

[SlyPop 1]

Hours old first install... newbie question. Not even sure where to ask a question about the website.

 

Similar authentication issue? I created a forum/web client account created user, ports and acknowledged all emails. Forum login works fine but the web client says invalid username or password.

 

After much looking around and many iterations I selected forgot password and received a new password. This worked great. Logged into forum and web client even saw my media server everything great, everything worked.

 

Reset my password and now I can't login with web client again. Of course I can't login with the emailed temp password either so it seems to have changed ok. I am logged into this forum using the new password. So I seem out of synch. So what am I missing is there more than 1 account? Is login denied if media server is somehow disconnected?

 

 

[SlyPop 1]

Ah I got it the login is a passthrough. My system was unavailable. Nevermind.