Can´t connect with MAC address

[Tom_unoduetre]

Hi,

yesterday I tried to use the new feature of mac addresses, but I can´t connect with that. (Boinctasks 1.57)

I deleted the IP address in the computer tab and entered the MAC address but nothing happens, the project and tasks tabs are both empty, but in taskmanager I see that the different project applications are running. Did I do something wrong? I´ll try 1.58 this evening.

[fred]

yesterday I tried to use the new feature of mac addresses, but I can´t connect with that. (Boinctasks 1.57)

In 1.58:

http://www.efmer.eu/boinc/boinc_tasks/manual_net.html

In the Show->Low check "Enable debug mode"

You should see a line like this:

Computers ---- Boinc , MAC: 00-24-1D-10-59-B8
Connect ---- Connected to: Host: Boinc, IP: 192.168.xx.xx, MAC: 00-24-1D-10-59-B8, Port: 31416, BOINC Version: 7.2.28

[KenSharp]

Fails here too in 1.5.8.

Code Select Expand

05 December 2013 - 15:41:11 Connect, no IP found for MAC address ---- Host: Samsunggalaxy, IP: samsunggalaxy, Port: 32416, socket not ready

ARP gives the correct IP address for this device.

Code Select Expand

(192.168.0.2) at 10:1d:c0:4c:XX:XX [ether] on eth0
(Removed last four characters).

It connects fine entering the IP address once the MAC is removed.

[fred]

Fails here too in 1.5.8.
It connects fine entering the IP address once the MAC is removed.

Strange it should resolve the MAC address, but something may block it, like the security software on the computer.

[KenSharp]

I forgot it was running under Wine! I'll look into this further and update later.

[Jimbocous]

From the Manual:
===
Dynamic IP addresses
...
The best way to add a mac address is to use "Find computers".
This works even for existing computers, check xxxin that case only the missing MAC address is added.

If a MAC address is found in the computers tab it is used, regardless if there is an IP address.
Using a static address, you can remove the MAC address (empty it), this will help BoincTasks to connect slightly quicker.
===
On XP32 SP3 here, small home network. If it's relevant, the localhost runs Norton 360 antivirus, the other machines do not have anything other than the default Windows firewall. Router/firewall is a Linksys (Cisco) BEFSR81.
When upgrading from 1.53 to 1.58 (which went smoothly, thanks!), was exploring the new Mac address field in defining computers. When scanning (Find Computers), it finds the existing computers, but does not display MACs and when I select and tell it to add, the computers reconnect just fine, but again no MAC info.
I do run DHCP here, and on 1.53 reconnect was problematic. In some cases, I experienced a case where DHCP reassigning addresses resulted in BOINCTasks showing the same activity under two different machine names, while the "orphan" remained unreported.
It seems to reconnect better on 1.58, so that's great, but if connecting via MAC would be quicker and more reliable than by placing the host names in the IP field, it would be good to do so. It does seem strange to me that BOINCTasks has had trouble resolving machine names, yet a command line Ping returns the IP addresses immediately in all cases. Perhaps 1.58 improved this over 1.53?

Not sure what the "check xxxin" part in the manual excerpt above is, perhaps a note to yourself that hasn't been removed?

Anyway, minor issue here, but I thought you might like to know. Many thanks for authoring such a competent replacement for BOINCView, which I ran before I discovered this. If there's any way I can assist, please feel free to let me know. Jim ...

[fred]

If there's any way I can assist, please feel free to let me know. Jim ...

XP is getting old and I have no way of testing it anymore.
Did you try adding the MAC address manually?

It may be that the IP -> MAC translation isn't working on XP.

[KenSharp]

It works perfectly on XP.

[fred]

I corrected the manual.
This is the latest how to add computers: http://www.efmer.eu/boinc/boinc_tasks/manual_net.html

[fred]

It works perfectly on XP.

Thanks for reporting that is works at least sometimes.

[Jimbocous]

I corrected the manual.
This is the latest how to add computers: http://www.efmer.eu/boinc/boinc_tasks/manual_net.html

Perhaps the difference is that, since this was an upgrade from a previous version, I did not and still have not installed or run BOINCToolbox. Didn't see a mention of that as a requirement in http://www.efmer.eu/boinc/boinc_tasks/manual.html, and since it was an ugrade, I didn't look at it as really adding any computers, though I did rerun the Detect as suggested. BOINCTasks already knew about them after the upgrade.
Just to clarify, is running the toolbox a requirement for MAC detection?
Thanks!

[fred]

Just to clarify, is running the toolbox a requirement for MAC detection?

No but the toolbox can solve problems that prevent a connection.

For a MAC detection it's better to set BOINC to allow full remote access.
You can do this by hand, but if you miss something it doesn't work.
Or forget to restart the BOINC client.

Don't forget to check "Enable debug mode" in the BoincTasks log and, that way you can see what's going on.

[Jimbocous]

Thanks!