Accessing Subsonic outside local network [Solved]

[Chr1sG]

I am having lots of trouble getting Subsonic to work from outside my network, e.g. from my mobile phone while on the move. Local streaming works fine, so I don't think there's a problem with the server running. The demo Subsonic server works OK on my mobile.

Problem Description: Subsonic not accessible outside local net (e.g. using Android app when on the move)
Troubleshooting Steps: I have disabled Windows Firewall, I have tried manually setting up port forwarding on my router, but canyouseeme.org still says "I could not see your service on ***.***.***.*** on port (**)" no matter which port I use (and unblock) - I have tried 80, 81, 8080 even 443.
I think it means the server is not visible, but I don't know why. I have called my ISP to check that they do not block anything. My router is a Thomson TG712, and I can send screen captures of its configuration if that helps.
Playback Application and version: Locally, using the web interface, externally trying with Android client.
Subsonic Version: 4.6 (build 2583) – December 6, 2011
Server Version: jetty-6.1.x, java 1.6.0_29, Windows XP (30.2 MB / 48.8 MB)
Hardware Platform: Windows XP
Java Memory Limit: 100MB
Problem Filename: --
Output from ffmpeg -i: N/A (I presume)
Last ten log file lines:

Code: Select all

[12/31/11 6:40:52 PM CET]    INFO   DaoHelper   Checking database schema.
[12/31/11 6:40:52 PM CET]    INFO   DaoHelper   Done checking database schema.
[12/31/11 6:40:53 PM CET]    INFO   SearchService   Automatic index creation scheduled to run every 1 day(s), starting at Sun Jan 01 03:00:00 CET 2012
[12/31/11 6:40:53 PM CET]    INFO   PodcastService   Automatic Podcast update scheduled to run every 24 hour(s), starting at Sat Dec 31 18:45:53 CET 2011
[12/31/11 6:41:29 PM CET]    INFO   VersionService   Resolved local Subsonic version to: 4.6
[12/31/11 6:41:29 PM CET]    INFO   VersionService   Resolved latest Subsonic final version to: 4.6
[12/31/11 6:41:29 PM CET]    INFO   VersionService   Resolved latest Subsonic beta version to: 4.6.beta2
[12/31/11 6:43:08 PM CET]    INFO   NetworkService   Successfully forwarding port 80.
[12/31/11 6:43:52 PM CET]    INFO   NetworkService   Successfully forwarding port 81.
[12/31/11 6:45:53 PM CET]    INFO   PodcastService   Starting scheduled Podcast refresh.
[12/31/11 6:45:53 PM CET]    INFO   PodcastService   Completed scheduled Podcast refresh.
[12/31/11 6:53:07 PM CET]    INFO   NetworkService   Successfully forwarding port 81.

Any help would be very much appreciated. Subsonic seems perfect for what I need, if only I could get it to work!

[BKKKPewsey]

Have a look on http://portforward.com to check that you opening the port correctly on the router.
Until the canyouseeme test works then SS will not be accessible outside your network.
Also make sure the pc that the SS server is on has a static IP otherwise the port forwarding will fail.

[Chr1sG]

Thanks for the reply.

Have a look on http://portforward.com to check that you opening the port correctly on the router.

- My particular router isn't listed, but I have followed the instructions in the manual I already have. It has UPnP and I have tried enabling and disabling it. I have tried many port numbers. I have tried with the router firewall disabled.

Until the canyouseeme test works then SS will not be accessible outside your network.

- I realise this, and that's where I was hoping some outside help might be useful. I can't think of wnything else to try to get canyouseeme to report that the port is open.

Also make sure the pc that the SS server is on has a static IP otherwise the port forwarding will fail.

- The PC has a fixed IP address according to the router. Also, I have tried to see if it works when auto assign IP is on, or when I manually define the IP address on the PC.


I really am lost for ideas. I'm not a complete noob when it comes to PC things, so I'm hoping it's not something trivial(!)
Does the SS server need to be running for canyouseeme to report an open port? Is there any way of testing each link in the chain (router, firewall, PC, server etc.)?

[BKKKPewsey]

Unfortunately I can not help with you with the android client as I do not have a droid device.

OK lets go through all the steps again to make sure we are all on the same page.

• From the pc SS is installed on (server) you can access SS web page ok.
• From another pc on your own lan you can access SS ok. (Therefore server firewall open)
• From the server with SS running the canyouseeme test fails.
• If that is the case then it is the portforwarding on the router that is the problem.
• Check that the router has both inbound and outbound rules applied (some routers do this automatically)
• Also power cycle the router as some routers only apply the settings on a reboot.

I would not use port 80 as that may be clashing with software currently on the server - use any unused port eg 8080

[Chr1sG]

Thanks very much for your help in this. The answers are as follows:

From the pc SS is installed on (server) you can access SS web page ok.

Yes

From another pc on your own lan you can access SS ok. (Therefore server firewall open)

I only have one PC, so I can't check this (I can't access SS from my mobile when on my home WiFi, so perhaps the answer to this is 'no').

From the server with SS running the canyouseeme test fails.

Correct.

If that is the case then it is the portforwarding on the router that is the problem.
Check that the router has both inbound and outbound rules applied (some routers do this automatically)

The router manual does not appear to distinguish between inbound and outbound rules.

Also power cycle the router as some routers only apply the settings on a reboot.

Have tried that, but no luck.

I would not use port 80 as that may be clashing with software currently on the server - use any unused port eg 8080

Am currently using 81, but have tried 8080 with no luck either.
Perhaps I need to focus on checking that the server is not being firewalled, but apart from the Windows XP firewall, I don't know of any other thing blocking the server, and disabling Windows firewall still doesn't allow it to work.

Your continuing help is much appreciated.

[BKKKPewsey]

I only have one PC, so I can't check this (I can't access SS from my mobile when on my home WiFi, so perhaps the answer to this is 'no').

Have you tried using the phones web browser rather than the app?
Also have you set up your subsonic.org address yet and tried using that - It will probably fail but the error message may give a clue.

[Chr1sG]

Yep, I tried typing in my PCs IP address (followed by a colon and the port number) on my mobile, and I got web page not available.
The SS web interface says:

Access your server over the Internet using an easy-to-remember address.

http://******.subsonic.org

Status: ******.subsonic.org is registered, but could not connect to it. (ConnectTimeoutException)

which doesn't surprise me.

[Chr1sG]

I tried to query the firewall from the command line and got the following:

Code: Select all

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Chris>netsh firewall show state

Firewall status:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Profile                           = Standard
Operational mode                  = Enable
Exception mode                    = Enable
Multicast/broadcast response mode = Enable
Notification mode                 = Enable
Group policy version              = None
Remote admin mode                 = Disable

Ports currently open on all network interfaces:
Port   Protocol  Version  Program
-------------------------------------------------------------------
81     TCP       IPv4     C:\Program Files\Subsonic\subsonic-service.exe
1200   TCP       IPv4     C:\Program Files\Subsonic\subsonic-service.exe
9412   TCP       IPv4     C:\Program Files\Subsonic\subsonic-service.exe

which seems logical since I am trying SS on port 81 at the moment.
But I don't get why I can't see the web service from my mobile browser

[BKKKPewsey]

This could be a problem trying diagnose without another pc on the network.
All the settings seem fine and the port forward problem (if there is one) would only affect you when outside your local lan.
What ever step we have both missed has got me beat - there is no reason I can see why it wont work
Its probably something very simple and will result in a loud DUHHH!!! when discovered


Edit: 1 thing to check is your hosts file if you have one setup - that will override the firewall
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

[Chr1sG]

I guess I shall bring home my work laptop and try connecting that to the network and see if I can debug the problem.
My hosts file is fine (AFAIK), containing only the '127.0.0.1 localhost' line.
Like you, I'm stumped. Will try tomorrow night with work laptop and let you know

[ytechie]

How is your server connected to the internet? If you list all the devices, I may be able to help you further.

[Chr1sG]

I have a single PC running the SS server, connected (Ethernet port) to a Thomson TG712 Gateway (router/modem). Other Ethernet ports are used for non-PC devices (e.g. Internet TV) and the gateway also serves a wireless network through which my Android phone can access the net. Both the PC and the phone can see the gateway's web UI when I type in its LAN address (192.168.1.254).
The phone can't access the SS server on the PC when I type the PC's address and port (e.g. 192.168.1.65:81).
If that helps with a diagnosis, I will be impressed and pleased

[Chr1sG]

Update: I brought home my work laptop, and attempted to get it talking to my home pc. I had no luck in getting them to see each other - neither showing up in the other's network places, neither able to ping the other.
Unfortunately, my home PC is running XP and the work laptop is running Windows 7, and would normally be configured for our work domain. I did I try configuring them to be in the same workgroup, but I suspect that one or other machine was not correctly configured for the task at hand. I spent an age trying to get them to see each other, with no luck, but I still don't know if the problem with this challenge is the same problem that is stopping me from seeing the SS server.
Grrr...this is really frustrating
Any suggestions gratefully received.

[ytechie]

If your computers can't communicate with one another, there is a bigger problem. Check the firewalls on each computer, and make sure they are both in the same subnet with the same subnet masks. Then try a simple ping and see what happens. If you still don't have two-way between your computers, then there is something wrong with the way the network is configured.

[Chr1sG]

OK, so I have set up the PC, the laptop and the phone to use fixed IP addresses, subnet 255.255.255.0, default gateway is the IP address of the modem/router, and DNS servers as indicated in the routers web UI. They are all using the same wireless network.
Pings to the router from all devices are echoed.
Pings from the PC and laptop to the phone are answered.
Pings from each device to itself are answered (!)
Pings from the phone to either the PC or laptop are not answered.
Pings to/from the laptop/PC are not answered.

Windows XP on the PC claims that the firewall is disabled. Windows 7 on the laptop claims to be Off, but does display a rather contradictory statement that "Incoming Connections - Block all connections to programs that are not on the list of allowed programs". Why isn't either version of Windows responding to pings?!?!?!