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Win XBMC Android remote & wifi dongle / hotspot - Printable Version

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XBMC Android remote & wifi dongle / hotspot - Greppel - 2012-03-17

Hi guys. First of all, I'm new here but I'll try to be as clear as possible.

Situation:
My home network is as follows. I have a switch connected to my router by ethernetcable. Hooked to my switch are my NAS (on which my media is) and my PC. Since I want to use the XMBC remote app (Android/HTC Desire) I bought a WIFI Dongle so I could set up a WIFI network. Hardware used is a cheapass Comfast USB WIFI Dongle which does the trick of creating WIFI just fine. Since Android can't connect to Windows7 default Ad-Hoc wifi network I use the following software: Ralink RT2870 Driver (provided with the dongle) and Connectify Me to acctually create the hotspot. Using the best of my paint skills I have attached an image to clarify this. It works like a charm; my HTC Desire connects to the hotspot just fine and has internetacces and everything. I can browse, use apps like Teamviewer and several remote programs such as Universal Remote for controlling Windows Media Player. So far so good.

Problem:
Though everything seems to work, the one thing I can't get to work is the XBMC Remote. I have tried lot's of different configurations, and this one ought to work. It doesn't though, I have configured it as follows:

XBMC on PC:
Under System --> Network --> Servers

Upnp: Disabled (have tried with it enabled, didn't work)
Allow control of XBMC via HTTP: Enabled
Port: 80
User/Pass: blank
Webinterface: Default
Allow programs on this system to control XBMC: Enabled
Allow programs on other systems to control XBMC: Enabled

XBMC Remote app:
Name of instance: XBMC
IP-adress: The correct one Wink
HTTP API port: 80
User/pass: Blank
Eventserver port: 9777
Wifi only: Disabled (also tried enabled, didn't work)
Acces point: Blank
Mac adress: Blank
Socket read timout: 5000
Wait after WOL: 40
WOL port: 9

These settings ought to work. When trying to connect however, I get the following error on the Androiddevice:

Socket Timeout
Make sure XMBC Webserver is enabled and XBMC is running.

Now, my guess is that XMBC doesn't handle the fact that it has to use two different networks (both wired and unwired) very well, though no other app seems to have difficulties with it. Does anyone have any clue what I might be doing wrong here.

Also, as promised some network artwork;

Image

Should any further information be required please do ask!


RE: XBMC Android remote & wifi dongle / hotspot - DDDamian - 2012-03-17

Bump up your socket read timeout - has worked for many. Seems to get past the original connection better.


RE: XBMC Android remote & wifi dongle / hotspot - Greppel - 2012-03-17

(2012-03-17, 14:20)DDDamian Wrote: Bump up your socket read timeout - has worked for many. Seems to get past the original connection better.

Ok, one step closer. Bumped up the timeout, and now the Androidapp does get to the point where the remote is visible instead of displaying the forementioned error, but it does not acctually do anything... Does not load shows, music etc. nor does XMBC respond when pressing any buttons...


RE: XBMC Android remote & wifi dongle / hotspot - DDDamian - 2012-03-17

Enable Wi-Fi Only and give it a MAC address. If it still fails try disabling any firewall as a test. If that fixes it you may need to adjust firewall exceptions.

Going to move this thread over to the Android app sub-forum under Supplemental Tools>Official Android app


RE: XBMC Android remote & wifi dongle / hotspot - Greppel - 2012-03-17

Again, one step closer! I have enabled Wifi Only and adressed the MAC, disabled the firewall and we have got communication going on! Based on this I made some firewalls exceptions and the remote is functioning... Partially. At this point XBMC registers input, so i can pause, skip etc. All that is fully functional! Which is great, thank you for your time and effort so far!

Although I'm beginning to feel like a pain in the *somewhere*, there still is a problem. It seems to be the communication is one way only; XBMC is listining to input from the Androiddevice, but it does not talk back. I don't see any info coming from XBMC on the remote, so no lists etc. of music, video.

So there is some huge progress, but still not perfect... I am very thankful so far though!

p.s. sorry for having placed the thread in the wrong section


RE: XBMC Android remote & wifi dongle / hotspot - DDDamian - 2012-03-17

Hey, no worries - at least we're getting somewhere. Have you got an external memory card on your HTC Desire? If so, the database info should start to populate it with lists. thumbs etc.
Also, check this post (and thread) if library still doesn't come up: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=100376&pid=917013#pid917013


RE: XBMC Android remote & wifi dongle / hotspot - Greppel - 2012-03-17

Yep, exactly my problems in that thread. I'm off looking into how to edit systemfiles on Android. Thanks a bunch for the great guidance mate! Cheers!