Connecting using locator over VPN

[tangfj]

Has anyone else had problems connecting using the locator when connected through a VPN? I'm able to connect over LAN just fine when I'm at home, but I haven't been able to connect when connected to my VPN for work. It just says "the SageTV Placeshifter is unable to connect to the SageTV Locator server." Then it goes on to say something about opening port 8018 on my network's firewall. There isn't much chance of me getting my company to open up this port, so are there any other ways to get this working? I can connect to my ORB setup just fine as well while on my VPN.

I haven't been able to test this without being on my VPN while not at home because I can't get internet access where I am without being on my VPN. Also, when I go through the internal test on my SageTV server, it says that connecting to the locator from an outside connection should work. Any ideas?

Thanks.

[MrApollinax]

The VPN interface will automatically become your default gateway once you login. Thus all your packets are going through your work's network at that point. I haven't used ORB before but I was under the impression that you are streaming your video over a common port (80 or 8080) to the end user. Most company firewalls will not block these ports. The Placeshifter uses a non-standard port that is probably being blocked by your company's firewall which is why you are getting the message about opening a port.

[tangfj]

Is there any way to change the port that Placeshifter uses?

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by tangfj

Is there any way to change the port that Placeshifter uses?

Yes - go to Detailed Setup -> Advanced -> Configure Placeshifter Internet Connection. You can specify what port is to be forwarded to the SageTV PC for manual or UPnP port forwarding.

There is more information on p. 257 & p. 218 in the v5 manual. If you are using an MVP, you have to use port 31099 on the SageTV PC, but the router could be set to forward a different external port number to 31099. If you router can't do that with a manual setting, UPnP may be able to.

- Andy

[tangfj]

So changing the port on the server will also change the port that the client uses? Why is the error I'm gettting reference port 8018 when the port on the server says 31099??

MrApollinax seems to say that there is a port inherent to Placeshifter on the client. I was wondering if this port could be changed, not the one on the server since I know that is working since the self test checked out on 31099.

[Opus4]

I found out that port 8018 is used to contact the Locator server. That is only used when trying to connect to something via a Locator ID. You could use an IP address or something like dyndns to access your SageTV server w/o a Locator ID.

- Andy

[MrApollinax]

I think you misunderstood Opus' post. The Placeshifter server will try to hook into the locator server on a default port of 31099. The Placeshifter client uses port 8010 for the inital handshake into the locator server. You outgoing client connection on port 8010 is being blocked by your company's firewall. As far as I know there is no setting in the program or the properties file that will alow you to change this setting.


edit:

Or you can skip my post and read Opus' response.

[braeken]

I am wondering if anybody out there has had any luck with this (= working around a closed port at work). I am also not able to watch the TV from work but it was working from another computer outside work and outside my home network so it has to do with a port that is blocked at work.

[hemicuda]

some hardware routers (linksys, others?) have SSH shells via 3rd party s/w. google for "putty" its freeware and creates a 'secure' tunnel w/ port forwarding to the SSH hardware. Only real difference in SSH and VPN appears to be no support for file browsing as in VPN. I use it almost exclusively for RDP, IRC, VNC, etc etc and it seems to have less overhead than VPN. just have to know which ports each app uses. PS takes under a min to find my server; I have both IP and locator ID in the setup.

As always, YMMV as this is just my $0.002.

[zoop]

Originally Posted by braeken

I am wondering if anybody out there has had any luck with this (= working around a closed port at work). I am also not able to watch the TV from work but it was working from another computer outside work and outside my home network so it has to do with a port that is blocked at work.

i setup iptables on my sage linux box to redirect port 80 to 31099... works like a charm from behind corporate firewalls.

/jer