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Mac Networking for dummies

Started by DogsEarsUp, Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:56

DogsEarsUp

OK - I know that this will be obvious to everybody but me, but it isn't obvious to me - and so I need help please.
I have a MacBook Air and an iMac (both Apple M chips). I have a copy of PSX on each. I would like to network the two together to enjoy different layouts on each screen (Mac doesn't allow use of MacBook as a second monitor). I use a fast WiFi network. Both computers can see and access each other through the network without issue. I can run the excellent Aeromap on one and PSX on the other and they play happily together.
I cannot get the two versions of PSX to see each other. Both return 'server not found on 10747 and the same on the alternative port.
I'm aware that a wired network is recommended - however surely I should still be able to communicate on fast WiFi?
Maybe I've got spoilt with too much time on Macs, but I'm not used to opening, checking, forwarding ports or whatever it is?
Could somebody please take a moment to tell me if what I'm trying to do is possible, and if so... how?
Many thanks

Hardy Heinlin

Quote from: DogsEarsUp on Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:56Both return 'server not found on 10747 and the same on the alternative port.

That is, both are set as clients. You need to set one PSX as the server and the other PSX as a client.

QuadFan

Quote from: DogsEarsUp on Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:56but I'm not used to opening, checking, forwarding ports or whatever it is?
You (normally) don't need to on your local network, that comes into play when you want to connect stuff over the internet. Check Hardy's suggestion and I think you'll be fine :)
Seb

PanosI

Quote from: DogsEarsUp on Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:56OK - I know that this will be obvious to everybody but me, but it isn't obvious to me - and so I need help please.
I have a MacBook Air and an iMac (both Apple M chips). I have a copy of PSX on each. I would like to network the two together to enjoy different layouts on each screen (Mac doesn't allow use of MacBook as a second monitor). I use a fast WiFi network. Both computers can see and access each other through the network without issue. I can run the excellent Aeromap on one and PSX on the other and they play happily together.
I cannot get the two versions of PSX to see each other. Both return 'server not found on 10747 and the same on the alternative port.
I'm aware that a wired network is recommended - however surely I should still be able to communicate on fast WiFi?
Maybe I've got spoilt with too much time on Macs, but I'm not used to opening, checking, forwarding ports or whatever it is?
Could somebody please take a moment to tell me if what I'm trying to do is possible, and if so... how?
Many thanks


I have the exact same problem with my MacBook Air M1.

My desktop and windows laptop can see the MBA and exchange files over my wifi network.

I gave up.

macroflight

Maybe the built-in firewall in macOS is enabled on the PSX server, blocking incoming connections to port 10747?

Trusted/signed applications (e.g for file sharing) can automatically open the firewall, but I suspect PSX might need it done manually.

If the firewall is on, I would suggest temporarily turning it off on the PSX server and see if that solves the problem. If it does, you can turn the firewall back on and then try to open it up just for connections to port 10747.

https://support.apple.com/en-ae/guide/mac-help/-mh11783/mac

PanosI

Quote from: Hardy Heinlin on Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:19That is, both are set as clients. You need to set one PSX as the server and the other PSX as a client.

I wish that it would be so easy.

From my research before gave up i found this post who has "half" of the problem with no answer

https://aerowinx.com/board/index.php/topic,5643.msg61406.html#msg61406

PanosI

Quote from: macroflight on Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:50Maybe the built-in firewall in macOS is enabled on the PSX server, blocking incoming connections to port 10747?

Trusted/signed applications (e.g for file sharing) can automatically open the firewall, but I suspect PSX might need it done manually.

If the firewall is on, I would suggest temporarily turning it off on the PSX server and see if that solves the problem. If it does, you can turn the firewall back on and then try to open it up just for connections to port 10747.

https://support.apple.com/en-ae/guide/mac-help/-mh11783/mac


I tried it. Actually that was on of my first steps in troubleshooting, with no success


DogsEarsUp

Just FYI confirm. I've tried with client/server and server/client on both computers and have also disabled the firewall on both - no joy

Hardy Heinlin

Did you enter the correct host address on the client?

QuadFan

Quote from: PanosI on Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:39I have the exact same problem with my MacBook Air M1.

My desktop and windows laptop can see the MBA and exchange files over my wifi network.
I use my MBA M1 as a 'remote' to my Windows desktop on another floor, on longer flights. This works quite nicely.

Would that be the same situation as for you?

@DogEarsUp are you familiar with using the terminal on Mac devices? If you are, you could try the following:

1) To retrieve the current address of the Mac you want to use as the PSX server:
- open a terminal
- enter: ifconfig | grep netmask and press enter

The output will be something like this:
inet 127.0.0.1 netmask 0xff000000
inet 192.168.32.58 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.32.255

You may disregard the line with 127.0.0.1. The 192.168.32.58 is what you're after here (yours will likely differ), take note of it as you need it in step 2.

2) To check from the Mac to be used as PSX client whether the PSX server is reachable:
- start PSX on the Mac to be used as a server
- make sure it is acting as a server: navigate to the tab 'Network', then to 'Main' and make sure that 'The main server' option is selected and active (press start when needed)
- open a terminal on the Mac to be used as a client
- enter the following: nc -v 192.168.32.58 10747 and press enter, and press control + C shortly after

If you can connect successfully, the following output will be show (lots more than this!):
Connection to 127.0.0.1 port 10747 [tcp/*] succeeded!
id=1
version=10.180
layout=1
Ls0(E)=CfgRego
Ls1(E)=CfgSelcal
Ls2(E)=CfgCoId
Ls3(E)=CfgDragFf
Ls4(E)=P71A
Ls5(E)=P71B
Ls6(E)=P71C
Ls7(E)=P71D
Ls8(E)=P71E
Ls9(E)=P71F
...
<shortened for brevity>

If it's not working, this will be the output:
nc: connectx to 192.168.32.58 port 10747 (tcp) failed: Connection refused

Hope this helps!
Seb

DogsEarsUp

Thanks Seb - will try and report back

Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers

Another way for Mac computers (note: I don't have one, I just believe the internet):

 *  Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen.
 *  Select System Preferences.
 *  Click on Network.
 *  In the left sidebar, select the network connection you are using (e.g., Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
 *  Your IP address will be displayed on the right side under the "Status" section.

Instead of the nc netcat program in the terminal, another way that has pretty much the same effect is to open you favorite webbrowser and aim it at the IP of the PSX server with port 10747 appended:

127.0.0.1:10747

(with the correct IP address... the 127 address is always equal to the machine you are currently working on)

@Hardy: maybe you want to display the available local IP addresses that PSX listens on, on the PSX server page?

"Started listening for clients on (a), (b) ..."


Hoppie

Hardy Heinlin

Quote from: Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers on Thu, 31 Oct 2024 07:45@Hardy: maybe you want to display the available local IP addresses that PSX listens on, on the PSX server page?

That's already the case in all PSX versions. See the italic text line on Instructor > Preferences > Basics.

Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers

... looked "everywhere" ... but not there ...

PanosI

Quote from: QuadFan on Wed, 30 Oct 2024 18:54I use my MBA M1 as a 'remote' to my Windows desktop on another floor, on longer flights. This works quite nicely.

Would that be the same situation as for you?


If I understand correctly the PSX in MBA M1 runs as client in that situation.

If it is so, when you run the PSX as server in the MBA M1 can the PSX that is running in the Windows desktop connects as client to the PSX in MBA M1?

Because I have the problem that is described here

https://aerowinx.com/board/index.php/topic,5643.msg61406.html#msg61406

> Mac PSX Server to PC Main Client --- Successful connection!

> PC PSX Server to Mac Main Client --- "No Server found on port 10747" on the Mac



 

Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers

If everything is set up correctly concerning IP addresses etc. then probably your Mac has a firewall.

Try to run any web browser on your Mac, with PSX on that same Mac as a server, and connect the webbrowser to:

http://127.0.0.1:10747
or
http://localhost:10747    (they should be the same)

If that works, probably it is the Mac firewall.

The internet then suggests ...

1. Open System Preferences: Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select "System Preferences."

2. Go to Security & Privacy: Click on "Security & Privacy."

3. Select the Firewall Tab: Click on the "Firewall" tab.

4. Click on Firewall Options: Click the "Firewall Options..." button.

5. Add an Application: To allow incoming connections for a specific application, click the "+" button and navigate to the application you want to allow. Select it and click "Add."

6. Allow Incoming Connections: Make sure the application is set to "Allow incoming connections."

7. Close the Window: Once you've added the necessary applications, click "OK" to close the Firewall Options window, and then close System Preferences.



Hoppie

QuadFan

Quote from: PanosI on Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:19If I understand correctly the PSX in MBA M1 runs as client in that situation.
Yes, I connect from the MBA (PSX client) to the desktop (PSX server).

Quote from: PanosI on Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:19If it is so, when you run the PSX as server in the MBA M1 can the PSX that is running in the Windows desktop connects as client to the PSX in MBA M1?
Yes, that should work if they can reach each other. In a home setup you typically would want to check if the computers running PSX are in the same subnet (meaning IP adresses that are 'alike', so they can reach each other) and that no firewall is blocking on the PSX server.

Hoppie has provided more info on the firewall in his post above mine (this post).

To easily retrieve the IP addresses on the PSX computers, see Hardy's remark:
QuoteThat's already the case in all PSX versions. See the italic text line on Instructor > Preferences > Basics.
Seb

PanosI

Quote from: Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers on Thu, 31 Oct 2024 18:26If everything is set up correctly concerning IP addresses etc. then probably your Mac has a firewall.

Try to run any web browser on your Mac, with PSX on that same Mac as a server, and connect the webbrowser to:

http://127.0.0.1:10747
or
http://localhost:10747    (they should be the same)

If that works, probably it is the Mac firewall.

The internet then suggests ...

1. Open System Preferences: Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select "System Preferences."

2. Go to Security & Privacy: Click on "Security & Privacy."

3. Select the Firewall Tab: Click on the "Firewall" tab.

4. Click on Firewall Options: Click the "Firewall Options..." button.

5. Add an Application: To allow incoming connections for a specific application, click the "+" button and navigate to the application you want to allow. Select it and click "Add."

6. Allow Incoming Connections: Make sure the application is set to "Allow incoming connections."

7. Close the Window: Once you've added the necessary applications, click "OK" to close the Firewall Options window, and then close System Preferences.



Hoppie



Jeroen, thank you for your answer but as you can see in my post when PSX runs as server in the macbook then the PSX that runs in windows dektop/laptop as client can connect to macbook, meaning that the firewall in my macbook allows the incoming connection. 

PanosI

#18
Quote from: QuadFan on Thu, 31 Oct 2024 18:38Yes, that should work if they can reach each other.


Seb, thanks for your answer but you didn't give me a direct answer in my question. Can you connect you windows desktop as client to your MBA M1 as server?

Because i have a felling that you might have the same problem.

Hardy Heinlin

#19
Quote from: Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers on Thu, 31 Oct 2024 15:16... looked "everywhere" ... but not there ...

Below the checkbox "Start with boost server on" and above the blue title "Main network".

This host address (main and boost): XXXXXX