XBMC web server, multiple PCs?
#1
Hello,

I would like to enable the webserver on the PCs that I have in my network at home. There are 4 of them.
If I enable the webserver on each of them, do they each have to use a unique port number i.e. comp. 1 - port -8087, comp. 2 - port 8088, etc. ?

As you may have guessed, I am not very familiar with the concept of ports and such.

Thanks,
Mark
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#2
Quote:I am not very familiar with the concept of ports and such.
I guessed.

The different computers will have different IP number. You only need a different port to have 2 web servers on one computer. (alternatively 2 ip numbers on the same computer but do not worry about that)
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#3
Okay...thanks for the answer.

I have set up the XBMC webserver on one of my pc's and have given it a unique port number not used by anything else in my network.
Now, how can I tell if it is working or not? Is there some sort of a test I can run?
Should I open a webbrowser and try to connect to it using http://localhost:8085 (8085 is port number)?

Thanks,
Mark
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#4
Quote:Should I open a webbrowser and try to connect to it using http://localhost:8085 (8085 is port number)?
Do you have a web browser on you xbmc computer? If so yes, try that.

The next step is figure out a bit more how your network is working. Perhaps you can find a basic guide if you google a bit. I do not know a guide....this is very basic stuff...

You most likely have a router?
Since you do not seem to under stand enough, I assume you have not assigned any static IP addresses to your computer?

If you didnt your computers still have individial IP numbers. They have been assigned by the router. This system is called DHCP.
EDIT: You can still use DHCP if you want to give a server a permanent IP number. Just tell the router to reserve this IP for this server. Thats the correct way to do it.

Normally you would not use the IP numbers, you would instead use a name, e.g xbmc.org. This may or may not work in you network. If it works you can access the webserver by http://nameofcomputer:8082.
On my network this does not work. I have to use the ip number or set up a DNS server.
You cannot do that and I am too lazy.

So we have to use the IP number.
e.g. http://192.168.0.100:8080

How do you find the ip number? You can find it in the router under DHCP, you can find in the operating system or you can find it in xbmc under system/network or something like that.

Sorry if the explaination is bad.....if you cant follow you really need to do same reading first.
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#5
Hello,

I understand a little more than that.

Yes I have a router that is connected to a switch that is connected to my server as well as the other 4 computers in my network for a total of 5 computers in my network. All operate using Windows 7.
Each computer has a static IP address, starting with my server (192.168.1.6). I have given the other computers IP addresses that add 6 to the last number (192.168.1.12, 192.168.1.18, etc)
I do have a browser on the pc in question. I use it to connect to Sickbeard, Sab and Couchpotato on my server using the servers IP addess and the port number of the specific application I wish to talk to.
Sickbeard port # is 8080
Sab port # is 8081
XBMC on server is 8083
Couchpotato port # is 8082
Flexraid port # is 8086

That is all of the port number's I am using. So if I give port number 8085 to the XBMC webserver on the pc in question (192.168.1.12), I should be able to talk to and look at XBMC on this computer by opening up a browser on any other computer and going to "http://192.168.1.12:8085",or by using http://localhost:8085 on the same pc. Is this correct? And this will tell me if that particular webbrowser is working, correct?

Thanks,
Mark
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#6
Ok, sorry if I insulted you. I was confused by your question. Still am to be honest, do not understand how you manage to do all that and still asking thisSmile But no problem, if you do like me and learn by doing this happens.

Yes
http://192.168.1.12:8085
should be correct.

If you had a problem it is probably becuase default for xbmc is 8080 and you already used that for sb.

Again, the port only have to be unique on that IP.
Unless you have sickbeard on the other computers they can use 8080 or you can even change to port 80 (default for normal webserver)
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#7
Ah...that helps.

I can use the same port number on a different IP address? That's good to know...thanks. I wasn't insulted, sorry if it appeared that way.

I will give it a try later when I get home.

Thanks for your help, it is appreciated.

Mark
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#8
Quote:I can use the same port number on a different IP address? That's

Yes, the port is connected to an IP number. The port is a hole and when one hole is taken it can not be used. Each service needs a port, when it is listning to a port no other service can start listening. Normally the result is that the start of the second service will fail. You will have to start one at the time OR change the port for one of them.
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#9
Like I said the port is connected to a IP, but normally you don't pay attention to that, the service normally binds (listen) to all IP numbers. However, if you have more than one IP number on the server it can be an advantage to tell the service to listen to only one of the IP numbers and then you can use the same port on the other IP for something else.

In sb you will see ip 0.0.0.0, I beleive this means what in win7 is called "all available IP".
EDIT: "all available" is of course only the IP numbers currently used on THIS computer.
If you changed that to 192.168.0.12 you could if you wanted to add a second IP (to the same network card!!) and use 8080 for something else as well as long as you tell that something not to listen to .12.

This way you do not have to tell your users what port number to use...normal users wants
webbrowser => port 80
ftp => 21
ssh => 22

etc
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#10
mwkurt,

What vikjon says is true: port numbers only have to be unique on an IP address.

HOWEVER, bare in mind that if you forward the ports so that these programs are accessible from anywhere (if you do this, definitely password protect)--bare in mind that all of those computers will be sharing the single EXTERNAL IP address, rather than the internal IP addresses that your outer gives them... So, while some routers allow you to redirect external ports to different internal ports, (For example, you want data coming to 24.195.3.35:8080 (<EXTERNALl IP>:<PORT>) to go to computer with the IP 192.168.1.103:8085 (<INTERNAL IP>:<PORT>)).... It may be easier just o use different ports so that it is easier to keep up with.
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#11
Thanks you for the replys guys. All was very informative.

Mark
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