Problems with RDC

[manisandher]

Hi all, I'm kind of reluctant to post this here, because it really doesn't have anything to do with XX, but I'm trying to get RDC working via bluetooth and am having problems.

The two computers see each other no problem. But RDC refuses to work. I will go online and do some research myself, but if anyone has an obvious fix, please let me know.

Cheers, Mani.

[manisandher]

ALL SORTED!

It was just a matter of sorting credentials out.

Mani

[manisandher]

NOT ALL SORTED!

I'm having problems connecting with the computer name '169.254.108.156'.

When I thought everything worked OK, I was connecting using the name of the AudioPC (MAIN-HIFI-PC in my case) and not '169.254.108.156'.

Connecting via the name of the AudioPC works fine if the AudioPC is not in Minimize OS mode. But as soon as you go into this, the connecting PC cannot find AudioPC.

I cannot connect using the name '169.254.108.156' irrespective of whether the AudioPC is in Minimized or normal OS mode.

Any thoughts?

Mani.

[manisandher]

I've managed to get everything working in Minimize OS mode!

BUT...

... it only works if I have 'Keep LAN services' ON. This is not an ideal situation - even though I have unplugged the LAN cable from the AudioPC I would prefer it if I could switch 'Keep LAN services' off.

Any thoughts?

Mani.

[stefanobilliani]

Hi, I had the same impossibility to connect my laptop exactly as described in manis' post . Later in the afternoon will try to change credentials too and see if it works .

NOT ALL SORTED!

I'm having problems connecting with the computer name '169.254.108.156'.

When I thought everything worked OK, I was connecting using the name of the AudioPC (MAIN-HIFI-PC in my case) and not '169.254.108.156'.

Connecting via the name of the AudioPC works fine if the AudioPC is not in Minimize OS mode. But as soon as you go into this, the connecting PC cannot find AudioPC.

I cannot connect using the name '169.254.108.156' irrespective of whether the AudioPC is in Minimized or normal OS mode.

Any thoughts?

Mani

[Scroobius]

Hi Stefan - Peters IP address did not work for me either. I used the actual ip address of my PC which is different to Peters. Mine works with the LAN services off so don't know what to suggest there.

Paul

[manisandher]

ALL SOLVED!

If you have problems establishing an RDC connection when the AudioPC is in 'Minimize OS' mode, then you need to connect using the AudioPC's IP address. To find this:

- make sure bluetooth PAN has been established (see tutorial)
- run the command line (cmd) in AudioPC
- type 'ipconfig'

This will give you the IP address of the bluetooth connection. In the connecting PC (laptop, or whatever else you're using), use this address in the RDC window, and NOT the one Peter states in the tutorial OR the name of the AudioPC (this will work, but not if LAN services are off). I attached a screen shot of mine, but of course your IP address is likely to be different.

HTH.

Mani.

[PeterSt]

Woops …

So this is my bad. I figured the IP address of the dongle at the main PC's side was fixed, but apparently it is not.
I obtained it the same way (via IPConfig) ...

Thank you for sorting it out !
Peter

[PeterSt]

Mani (or others), a stupid question maybe :

Since I am not there to check it out literally, and since I tried to update the Tutorial for it, at what recognizable ipconfig line should one look for the Bluetooth IP address ?

Thanks a lot.
Peter

[manisandher]

Here's what I get...

Mani.

PS. But note that this is for the BT-PC not the Audio-PC (the latter is not connected to a LAN and it's too much hassle to transfer a screenshot).

[Scroobius]

I used the "Autoconfig IPv4" address and it works fine

P

[arvind]

Hi Peter,

I installed the driver from the e mail on the audio PC & laptop. However neither computers are able to locate each other. I rechecked the driver download, both seem ok but the problem persists. Any suggestions?

Best regards,

Arvind

[PeterSt]

Hello Arvind,

I assume you precisely followed this Turorial about it : Set up BlueTooth PAN. Now, I recon that when it now doesn't work, somewhere along the lines of this process something didn't work out as described. So, where was that ?
If you think it was all okay, I am afraid you will have to do it again so you can run into whatever it is. If you are 100% sure that all when exactly as described, well, then I don't know, but you *still* need to tell where it stopped being in alignment with the description.

All in other words : it should just work. If not, then I can't do much with the (no) data provided. So I hope you can find something for me ...

Regards,
Peter


PS: To be sure we talk about the same thing later, maybe add a screen copy of where things don't align. Can be a copy of the picture in the Tutorial along with a picture of how your screen looks at the same time.

[arvind]

Hi Peter,

Attached are 2 screenshots from the Laptop.

Identical pictures from the audio PC too.

Hope these help.

Best regards,

Arvind

[PeterSt]

Arvind, I am sorry but you now showed the status of how you have it. Can you answer my previous questions please ? Thanks.

Regards,
Peter

[arvind]

Hi Peter,

If I understand you correctly, let me try & answer your questions. I have followed exactly as per the tutorials. The place I am getting stuck is that the audio pc & the laptop don't see each other.

I did the driver install again too but I can't find the pc device on the laptop & vici versa.

I hope I have answered your question.

Best regards,

Arvind

[PeterSt]

Unfortunately Arvind, that tells me nothing. So, in order to understand what you are telling me, now I must repeat the process myself ? no.

How difficult is it to point at the screenshot in the Tutorial where it first goes wrong for you ? (just make a screenshot of *that*) -  that doesn't seem hard to me. It may not help, but then at least I know where you get stuck. Sorry !

Peter

[arvind]

Hi Peter,

Attached is a screen shot of searching for devices. This is where the laptop keeps searching & cant find any device. Similarly the audio pc also keeps searching.

Best regards,

Arvind

[PeterSt]

Ok, thanks !

So what you are saying is that this step does not work out, correct ?

[arvind]

Hi Peter,

Yes that's right.

Best regards,

Arvind

[PeterSt]

Ok. Do both of the dongles show a blinking led (that can be not regularly blinking) ?

Do you have any other Bluetooth device in the house ? can easily be a phone. Switch it on and make it "detectable" (if you can find the choice) and from either PC try to find it in the same screen as you showed. Notice that "from either PC" is two-folded :

1. There might be something wrong with the driver install after all (not likely);
2. There might be something wrong with one of the dongles.

The above should give you the opportunity to find out what is wrong (hoping that you will at least now see something somewhere). So, dongle or install - and you will find out by swapping the dongles and see things happen on the PC's in question.
Notice that it can even be a USB port not working (internally not connected). And of course USB2 should be active, might you have gone the USB3 route with the NOS1.

Also keep in mind the line of sight which must be there.

Lastly, once you saw a device, keep in mind that at swapping things it will still show, no matter it can't be seen anymore. So, always remove the Bluetooth device first at a next (swap) attempt (this is in the Tutorial, just preceeding the screenshots I just showed).

Well ... ?

Kind regards,
Peter

[juanpmar]

After installing the RDC in both computers, the Audio PC and a laptop that I´m going to use as remote, I´ve found that XX has been deactivated. I followed the usual procedure: http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2131.msg21892#msg21892 but there is no way to activate it.
I don´t know if it has something to do with RDC or not...

On the other hand after finished the RDC installation I´m stocked because I don´t know how to continue, I mean what is the next step after I have in the laptop desktop the Remote icon?. I click on it I receive an error message with 3 points that tell me that the access to the remote server is disabled, the remote pc is off and/or the remote pc is not available in the net (sorry but these messages are in Spanish and I don´t know how to translate it correctly in English).

When I look at both computers I see that the Bluetooth connection is ok, but something must be wrong.

Regards,
Juan

[PeterSt]

Juan,

If you use the correct IP address, reboot both computers and try again.

Peter

[juanpmar]

If you use the correct IP address, reboot both computers and try again.

I did it but the error message appears in the screen of the laptop.
But when do I have to remove the monitor and keyboard from my  Audio Pc?. Once I have finished the RDC installation?.

I don´t understand well how I can recover the Bluetooth connection in my Audio PC if I restart it and I don´t have the monitor and keyboard.

The other problem I have is that XX has been deactivated, why?. I can´t activate it again.

Regards,
Juan

Juan

[boleary]

Hey Juan, if you are reactivating by pasting your activation code into the activation box, be sure that you first play a few tracks, maybe even reboot and play a part of one more track and then paste your activation code into the activation field. This has worked for me several times.

[juanpmar]

Thank you boleary, I followed Peter´s recommendations to activate it as I did before, but this time it doesn´t work.

This is what Peter said:

Copy paste your Activation Code in the field for it under the PayPal button in XXHighEnd;
Press Activate and wait until the message Done appears.
Cause the WallPaper Coverart to appear at Attended Playback (see Settings);
Load one or two tracks in the Playlist Area and play one in Attended Mode for a short while;
Watch the Coverart and its yellow-ish borders;
Quit XXHighEnd and Restart XXHighEnd;
Again start Playback.
The WallPaper Coverart now has red-orange borders when Activation succeeded.

The deactivation happened once I installed the RDC, I´ll follow your recommendation of play some tracks and reboot before I paste the activation code to see what happens.

Best regards,
Juan

[PeterSt]

But when do I have to remove the monitor and keyboard from my  Audio Pc?. Once I have finished the RDC installation?.

Ehm, what about never ?
Who told you you should ?

Peter

[PeterSt]

I did it but the error message appears in the screen of the laptop.

Juan,

Did you enable Remote Access in the Audio PC ?
Go to Explorer, rightclick Computer, choose properties. I think it is under Security somewhere.

I KNEW I had to add a part to the Tutorial (which I made several months ago) but never could think of what it was. I think this was it ...

Peter

[PeterSt]

After installing the RDC in both computers, the Audio PC and a laptop that I´m going to use as remote, I´ve found that XX has been deactivated.

I say : impossible. Well, as the cause. But probably you have mangled with the XX folder(s) somehow perhaps ?
Now, we can try to sort out what you did and did not do, but in *this* I am not so much interested. This is until many more come forward and tell that suddenly their Activation is not active anymore. But to be honest, the fact that you can't Activate anymore tells me enough. All IOW :

Just obtain a new Code via Paypal. I will send back the money of course.

Kind regards,
Peter

[juanpmar]

Ok, thank you, I´ll try with a new code.

Juan

[stefanobilliani]

I did it but the error message appears in the screen of the laptop.

Juan,

Did you enable Remote Access in the Audio PC ?
Go to Explorer, rightclick Computer, choose properties. I think it is under Security somewhere.

I KNEW I had to add a part to the Tutorial (which I made several months ago) but never could think of what it was. I think this was it ...

Peter

Great !! it worked .

Computer>properties>remote settings

I needed to disable audio for the XXHE Time Resolution .


S

[arvind]

Ok. Do both of the dongles show a blinking led (that can be not regularly blinking) ?

Do you have any other Bluetooth device in the house ? can easily be a phone. Switch it on and make it "detectable" (if you can find the choice) and from either PC try to find it in the same screen as you showed. Notice that "from either PC" is two-folded :

1. There might be something wrong with the driver install after all (not likely);
2. There might be something wrong with one of the dongles.

The above should give you the opportunity to find out what is wrong (hoping that you will at least now see something somewhere). So, dongle or install - and you will find out by swapping the dongles and see things happen on the PC's in question.
Notice that it can even be a USB port not working (internally not connected). And of course USB2 should be active, might you have gone the USB3 route with the NOS1.

Also keep in mind the line of sight which must be there.

Lastly, once you saw a device, keep in mind that at swapping things it will still show, no matter it can't be seen anymore. So, always remove the Bluetooth device first at a next (swap) attempt (this is in the Tutorial, just preceeding the screenshots I just showed).

Well ... ?

Kind regards,
Peter

Hi Peter,

Both dongles blink for some time then the blinking stops for some time & restarts again.

I put on the Bluetooth on my mob phone & both the Audio PC as well as the Laptop discovered the device. (screen shot of audio PC is attached).

Next I interchanged the two blue tooth devices after switching off the Blurtooth from my mob phone. Performed the same again, activated the Bluetooth on my mob phone & once again the Audio PC as well as the laptop discovered them.

So I assume that the bluetooth devices are ok.

However the two computers do not discover each other as yet. Line of sight between the 2 bluetooth device is clear.

Best regards,

Arvind

[PeterSt]

Arvind, what is the OS of the remote PC ?

[arvind]

Hi Peter,

W7 in both Audio PC & Laptop.

Best regards,

Arvind

[PeterSt]

Arvind,

If you go to the Bluetooth icon in the Taskbar Tray (see first picture below, so only *that* icon) and you rightclick on it and choose "open settings" ... are your settings the same as you see in the second picture below ?

All I know is that this is default, but maybe it is not.

Don't forget to check both the PC and the laptop.

Regards,
Peter

[juanpmar]

After three days struggling with the RDC finally I decided to quit. I can get the Bluetooth connection but at the end an error message like the one posted by Mani at the start of this topic appears again and again. I followed all the recommended steps by Peter, Mani, etc. but no way. I never used any bluetooth connection before so maybe I am missing something easy and essential, who knows...anyway, I would appreciate if someone post a step by step guide for dummies on how to set up correctly the RDC from the beginning to the end, mostly the last part, I need to know what I have to do once the dongles see each other, because they see each other but at the same time there is that message of error. Do I have to start XX to complete the installation?, if so with what settings?, where I have to click, here or there?, etc. etc.
Sorry my friends but I´m quite tired, I go to sleep...maybe tomorrow I´ll see it with a better face.

Regards,
Juan

[arvind]

Arvind,

If you go to the Bluetooth icon in the Taskbar Tray (see first picture below, so only *that* icon) and you rightclick on it and choose "open settings" ... are your settings the same as you see in the second picture below ?

All I know is that this is default, but maybe it is not.

Don't forget to check both the PC and the laptop.

Regards,
Peter

Hi Peter,

The problem in my case was that by default it does not allow A Bluetooth device to connect. Hence I had to tick that & I have managed to connect both devices.
Now I will move fwd in the tutorials. Thanks for the help.

Best regards,

Arvind

[PeterSt]

Ok Arvind. Good that you held on !
I will adjust the tutorial for this.

Regards,
Peter

[PeterSt]

So Juan, you're next eh ? I hope you slept well ...

Do you have set a password on the Audio PC ? IOW when you boot it, do you have to login with a password ? This is necessary ...

Did you find that page where you can allow remote access ? Look below, but notice this is XP (I don't have W7 around where I am now). Maybe someone else can post a W7 picture - might you be in a hurry. Haha.
Notice that you get to this screen by means of Explorer - Rightclick Computer - Properties.
You don't have to enter anything under "Select Remote Users" and if all is right/normal you also don't need to enter anything under "Advanced". However, check in there whether maybe the allowed number of users is 0 (but I wonder whether this exists in W7).

Peter

[Calibrator]

Maybe someone else can post a W7 picture - might you be in a hurry.

Happy to oblige.

From the START button, right click on Computer (right hand section) and select "Properties". Then click on "Remote Settings" ( top left area ).

[PeterSt]

Than you Russ.
And I think I can tell that this middle (chosen) bullet is important ...

[juanpmar]

Thanks Russ and Peter.

Ok, I slept well and I think I´m ready to start again, the problem is that I really don´t know what else I can do.

Do you have set a password on the Audio PC ? IOW when you boot it, do you have to login with a password ? This is necessary

Yes I have set a password in both computers, the Audio pc and the remote laptop.

Btw the laptop system is Windows 7 Starter, I read in the Windows help menu that this specific system can be used to connect remotely to other computers with any W7 system but can´t be used bacwards to receive files or orders from other W7 systems, I´m not sure, though, if I understood it well.

So Juan, you're next eh ? I hope you slept well ...
Did you find that page where you can allow remote access ? Look below, but notice this is XP (I don't have W7 around where I am now). Maybe someone else can post a W7 picture - might you be in a hurry. Haha.
Notice that you get to this screen by means of Explorer - Rightclick Computer - Properties.
You don't have to enter anything under "Select Remote Users" and if all is right/normal you also don't need to enter anything under "Advanced". However, check in there whether maybe the allowed number of users is 0 (but I wonder whether this exists in W7).

Yes, I post here two screens of the Allow Remote Access that aren´t exactly equal to those from Russ although I also have W7 Ultimate.

I tested it again today but still have the same error window as before, the one posted by Mani at the start of this post: "Remote Desktop can´t connect to the remote computer for one of these reasons:..."

Regards,
Juan

PD: I activated XX with the new password, thanks Peter

[PeterSt]

Is that just all the nice GUI features shut off, or is that Minimized OS I see ? I wouldn't do the latter.

Did you obtain the IP address like Mani explained (and which by now is in the Tutorial) ?

Otherwise I start to be speechless by now ...

Peter

[manisandher]

Hi Juan, greetings from Houston!

I don't have time to write anything detailed right now, but I just wanted to check that you're using the correct IP address when setting RDC up. Referring back to an earlier screenshot I posted, are you sure you're using the bluetooth connection IP address?

Mani.

[PeterSt]

Thanks a lot Mani.

Otherwise, Juan, switch on the LAN and try it over the normal LAN. I have the feeling that this is not Bluetooth related at all. But then use the IP address of the Ethernet connection )the 192.168.0.7 from Mani's example - but of course what it says at your place. Remember, obtain this IP addrress on the Audio PC, but enter that in the RDC data on the remote PC.

And otherwise otherwise ... give it a break for a while !
(let's say I feel as helpless as you are ...)

Best regards,
Peter

[juanpmar]

Thanks Mani for taking your time to help while travelling. Yes I used the Bluetooth IP address in my case 169.254.167.40

Peter, I tried also the LAN On in XX and with the DNS of the Ethernet LAN, in my case 192.168.1.136, from the PCMUSICA (Audio PC), entered in the CONTROLREMOTO PC (de laptop I use as remote). Same error message.

Maybe here could be an explanation: I see that the PCMUSICA (Audio PC) has a sign of ! in one of the screens. It does mean that it doesn´t have installed the drivers, it needs a driver called "Fresco Logic xHCI (USB 3.0 controller)", but on the other hand as can be seen in that screen the Unknow Device (Dispositivo desconocido) pops up a window saying that "There is no need for more drivers or the driver were already installed". At the end all quite confusing.

Tomorrow, if you don´t see something that could help in the screens, I´ll remove all the RDC installation and I´ll start again.

Thank you again and best regards,
Juan

[juanpmar]

I post here some more screen prints, this time from the CONTROLREMOTO, the remote laptop.

Thanks again,
Juan

[Calibrator]

G'day Juan,

perhaps the following FAQ from microsoft's site might help ...

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Remote-Desktop-Connection-frequently-asked-questions

There is also a short video tutorial link on that page that may help.

Good Luck!

Cheers,

Russ

[juanpmar]

Thank you Russ,

I´ve already read that and there is where I´ve found that maybe Windows 7 Starter could be unable to get remote communication from other computers but, if I understand it well, not to connect remotely from there to other computers as I think that it should be.
Please see the screen print "Which editions of Windows 7 include Remote Desktop Connection"
My laptop (CONTROLREMOTO) is running Windows 7 Starter.

I´ll wait to see if I receive some other opinion and if not I´ll install it again.

Best regards,
Juan

[PeterSt]

A small remark in between from my side :
I tend to call the "host computer" as how it's undoubtedly officially named, the "Audio PC" while that other thing is called "the remote" by me. That wouldn't be correct according this (again, of course official description).

It is well known that any version of Windows can be used as the client, but to be honest maybe I didn't even know before shortly that also something like "Starter" existed. And, like from "Home", all kind of features do not exist in Starter and they are not always (well) documented. It seems doubtful though, that Started wouldn't allow to be a client (while the client software is clearly in there).
But it must be something of course.

At least I am glad for you that by now you have seen that it is unrelated to the Bluetooth connection. This makes things a lot more simple (and more confident, not only for me).

The answer is still to be found, sadly ...

Peter

[Calibrator]

I´ve already read that and there is where I´ve found that maybe Windows 7 Starter could be unable to get remote communication from other computers but, if I understand it well, not to connect remotely from there to other computers as I think that it should be.

I believe your interpretation of the bullet points is correct and that is how I read it also. You SHOULD be able to initiate the connection from your laptop.

Networking can be frustrating at times, and it's one of the less enjoyable aspects of PC's that I enjoy! My recent exploits getting my laptop with Vista on it to work with RDC is a prime example. I lost more grey hairs getting that working as desired, but perseverence paid off in the end. I'm sure you'll get there also soon.

Cheers,

Russ

[PeterSt]

There is something else, which has been on my mind for a longer time (for this topic) already, but I thought it wasn't possible. I just asked around, but it is :

It *is* possible that Firewall software on the host PC blocks internal IP traffic. This is not normal (to do) but technically it can exist.

Eh, for now, turn all off in the host PC which smells like a Firewall ?