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Callback connection docs need an update

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Pepa Kokes, User (Posts: 32)
Sep 15, 2018 12:39:06 pm EDT
Support level: Free or trial
Hi! I would appreciate an update to the "Callback connection"help page ( https://www.remoteutilities.com/support/docs/callback-connection/ ): While I got my first callback connection up easily, the second (to the same master machine) took several hours to get working. I checked and rechecked the master settings for both connections as well as the slave settings, but I couldn't get it to work - the second slave would connect to the master machine (and its Callback connection list said so), but I couldn't control the machine from the master. It turns out that on the second connection, the callback port must be different than that of the first connection. I don't see why - servers are able to handle a number of requests on the same port at the same time, but Remote Utilities require that the ports be distinct. When I finally figured it out, the second callback connection started to work immediately.
Conrad, Support (Posts: 3064)
Sep 18, 2018 1:47:27 pm EDT
Hello Pepa,

Thank you for your message.

Could you try to disable/delete the first connection and see if the second connection will start working immediately. I'm not sure this is the case. That is - the problem is not that one connection is getting in the way of another, the problem is most likely that there are some other connectivity (network) issues.
Pepa Kokes, User (Posts: 32)
Sep 18, 2018 1:59:19 pm EDT
Support level: Free or trial
TBH, I would rather not break my current viewer settings :-). If you can confirm that the contents of "%APPDATA%\Remote Utilities Files" folder is all that I need to recover, I will try tomorrow (time permitting).

However, I think network issues are highly unlikely here, at least in the sense you probably mean them - I am using a set of direct connections over an SSL tunnel, and the tunnel has been tested and retested multiple times and is working perfectly. Plus, if it *was* a network problem, the host's callback connections window should not display "connected"...

In fact, I am completely baffled by the need of the hosts to actually provide *any* callback port. Obviously, the hosts are connecting to the viewer, but they are only connecting to one specific IP address and one specific port. They don't have any need for a local port setting, as any traffic should go over the connection they initiated.
Conrad, Support (Posts: 3064)
Sep 19, 2018 8:12:48 am EDT
Hello,

TBH, I would rather not break my current viewer settings :-). If you can confirm that the contents of "%APPDATA%\Remote Utilities Files" folder is all that I need to recover, I will try tomorrow (time permitting).

You really won't break anything if you just delete one of your callback connections. And yes, the Viewer keeps all its settings and data in that %appdata% folder.

However, I think network issues are highly unlikely here, at least in the sense you probably mean them - I am using a set of direct connections over an SSL tunnel, and the tunnel has been tested and retested multiple times and is working perfectly. Plus, if it *was* a network problem, the host's callback connections window should not display "connected"...

A network problem does not necessarily mean that the tunnel is bad or low performing. Perhaps the 'problem' is an incorrect word chosen. It could be a specific security setting for instance or anything else , either on the PC or the router that would affect how a specific application uses the network. There are hundreds of hardware and software manufactures after all.

In fact, I am completely baffled by the need of the hosts to actually provide *any* callback port. Obviously, the hosts are connecting to the viewer, but they are only connecting to one specific IP address and one specific port.



When you use callback connection it's the Viewer that is listening and the Host that initiates a connection, not vice versa. The Host should know the Viewer's listening port in order to be able to connect (along with Viewer's IP address , of course).

They don't have any need for a local port setting, as any traffic should go over the connection they initiated.

In order for something to go over a connection, a connection must be initiated first. That is the point.
Pepa Kokes, User (Posts: 32)
Sep 20, 2018 1:49:33 pm EDT
Support level: Free or trial

Conrad wrote:
You really won't break anything if you just delete one of your callback connections. And yes, the Viewer keeps all its settings and data in that %appdata% folder.

In the end, I created several brand new virtual machines and they behave exactly the way I would expect them to. For some reason the real computers don't, though. Never mind, I am glad to have a working setup and if it was just some glitch with my setup, that's not a big issue.

In fact, I am completely baffled by the need of the hosts to actually provide *any* callback port. Obviously, the hosts are connecting to the viewer, but they are only connecting to one specific IP address and one specific port.


When you use callback connection it's the Viewer that is listening and the Host that initiates a connection, not vice versa.

That's precisely why I can't understand why should the port of the host machine matter.

The Host should know the Viewer's listening port in order to be able to connect (along with Viewer's IP address , of course).

Of course. That's obvious.

They don't have any need for a local port setting, as any traffic should go over the connection they initiated.

I agree that that's how it should work in theory. But unfortunately that's not what I observe with my computers. On my second host, I *have to* change the Settings -> Network -> Port to something else than on my first host, otherwise the callback connection from the host to the viewer will connect, but any kind of control from the viewer will fail to start. The moment I change the Port, even though it should be completely irrelevant as the connection's direction is from the host to the viewer, control starts to work.

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