Placeshifter / MVP issue

[Hathrok]

I recently had PC issues which caused me to have to disable the ethernet card on my motherboard and replace it with a netgear PCI card.

I also installed a second Haupauge card (350 and a new 1600). They work fine, but I am encountering issues connecting via placeshifter. Everything was working before these changes.

Unfortunately although the upnp option says it installed the information on my router (Cisco wrt400N) it it occassionaly reports that it isn't there any more (and pushes it again). I have switched to manual configuration with a static IP and set up a forwarding rule for 31099 as a work around.

Anyway, the problem is that both the sage client, placeshifter client, and MediaMVP extender can't connect using the locator.

The PC can connect using the IP, but that doesn't help me with the MediaMVP). The MediaMVP says there is no streaming server (even though it worked before and I am seeing traffic with a sniffer). The Placeshifter is reporting that "Locator failed to find server". The sagetv application says "The locator server did not have an IP address registered for this locator ID, please try again in a few minutes".

Note waiting doesn't help.

Is there any way to verify that the locator is getting populated? Has anyone encountered similar problems.

Also, any suggestions as to why is the MediaMVP is not seeing the server. I have reviewed the firewall settings and even disabled it on the pc, but to no avail. Note this was working before...

Since connecting by IP works and disabling the firewall doesn't help I assume it is a problem with the locator entry.

Any suggestions?

Chris

[GKusnick]

It certainly sounds like a firewall issue. My guess would be that some firewall settings specific to your motherboard network adapter did not get properly transferred to the new NIC. If you can't find those settings, it's possible that a reinstall of SageTV will correct them.

Another possible theory is that Sage is still somehow trying to direct its traffic through the motherboard interface instead of through the new NIC. Make sure the motherboard adapter is really disabled in Device Manager.

And by the way, neither SageTV Client nor the MVP use the Locator ID to find the server. The Locator ID is used only by Placeshifter, and only when connecting from outside your LAN.

[carlgar]

Check the Sage properties file for these parameters:
miniserver/forced_server_ip=
miniserver/gateway=

You may need to set or change the values.

[Hathrok]

I have tested from my laptop as well just to verify that everything was working correctly when connecting by IP from another address. It to worked fine when connecting via IP but had the same issue when trying to use the locator. I am confident it is not a firewall issue (especially having disabled the firewall at one point).

I also double checked the old NIC card. It is disabled in the bios and doesn't appear in the system settings.

The miniserver/forced_server_ip= was set to blank. There wasn't a miniserver/gateway= line so I added one. No improvement after restarting the service.

Both Greg and one of the sagetv tech reps told me the MediaMVP doesn't use the locator ID. Does anyone know what it DOES look for when it boots up to find the server? Remember this is one of the OLD MVP devices with a wireless card in it, although I have it configured to connect via LAN and am running it through a wireless bridge so I can connect at N speeds since the G speed was causing latency. I am able to ping it, it worked correctly this way before, and I tested the laptop across the same bridge.

Any other ideas?

Chris

[Fuzzy]

I believe it just uses a network broadcast to ask if there are any compatible servers there. I believe the Sage Client and Placeshifter local also function the same way.

[Hathrok]

I ended up blasting off and nuking the OS from orbit (it was the only way to be sure).

That fixed whatever issue had introduced itself. As I go about re-installing apps I will see if it re-appears. But so far, so good.

Thanks for the suggestions along the way.

Chris