Douglas Crawford's community posts

Well I had to visit the site and hate to say it, but as ya'll would have suspected the problem
was on our side.  Someone had added a cable to the system... and it was enough to cause strange behavior.
So there were two Comcast cable modems.  one acting as a router, feeding  into another other
with the cable connection.  Someone had run two cables to these- one into the router
and the other into the modem connected router.
I guess this caused weird interactions.
After removing one of these cables, RU came online.
This was difficult to diagnose over the phone at the time, in retrospect I could have
asked someone to tell me the source and destination of everything coming from our
LAN switch.   That would have discovered the problem. Live and learn.

Conrad Sallian wrote:

Hi Douglas,

Ping won’t necessarily work because the ping command may be blocked on the server depending on its security settings.

It is confirmed that the connections were not refused at the servers?

They were not—why would they be? Besides, according to your logs, the Host service is clearly running and sending connection attempts, but they can’t get through.

It is not clear to me that the messages are not getting through verses not being responded to. Can HOST tell the difference?

And bear in mind two other machines on this internal network are working as they always have even though they suffered a power cycle also. Are they also accessing the Internet via the same ISP?

Yes of course.  Four machines on the same network going through the same ISP.
On 2 Host works, on 2 it doesn't.

Is there nothing more to say? It is confirmed that the connections were not refused at the servers?

Conrad Sallian wrote:

Hi Douglas,

If the Host is working (the service is running), there’s an Internet connection on the Host side, and there’s still no connectivity with RU public servers, the most probable cause is security software blocking outbound access for Host. In this case, it’s not necessarily the endpoint software — it could be a perimeter firewall (especially in an organization) or the ISP. That should be the first thing to check.

Thank you.  There is nothing but Microsoft's firewall and security essentials on this machine.
There is no infrastructure firewall.  This is a simple amateur setup- a router with computers on it to a Comcast router/internet connection.   Two machines ceased being able to connect   following a loss of power recycle.  Probably then also a windows update, after a year or more of fine service. And bear in mind two other machines on this internal network are working as they always have even though they suffered a power cycle also.  
I checked that exceptions are in place for the host software in the Microsoft security software.
But yes, these problem machines get to the internet fine via browsers.
That's leading me to expect that the server is rejecting connection.
Do I try to ping the server from the problem machines to prove I can get to the server?

OK folks. I've updated the host software.
No connection.
I've added a rule to insure port 5655 allows a connection outbound.
No connection.
I have sent you the log file.
Any clue now on why?

Conrad Sallian wrote:

None of these have any option for reinstall.
Often a "check for updates" appears in things like the "about Remote Utilities"
Is this an oversight or is it quite impossible for this service to manage downloading and
running an update of itself?

It is not an oversight — it is intentional. Why? To avoid the loss of control over the update process and prevent a situation where remote Hosts are updated to a newer version than the Viewer, which might break some functions. The Viewer is supposed to orchestrate the updating process — both for itself and for the remote Hosts.

Hosts can be updated from the Viewer side in multiple ways, one of which is called "Simple update," which essentially sends an update command to the Host for the Host to self-update.

Hope that helps.

That works as long as the remote host is accessible.  Falls apart if it is not and
RU says it can't diagnose host access to the server unless you update to the latest version.
Then its the long installation with, in my case, having to help someone do the full install from the web over the phone.
You could put support for this but add instruction to only use this if remote installation from a view is not possible.

Conrad Sallian wrote:

Hello Douglas,

Why Port 443?
I've only heard of port 5655.

This is a fallback port used instead of 5655, in case port 5655 is unavailable for any reason. Ports used by Remote Utilities.

Then why was there not an attempt to use 5655 and a failure indicated prior to
"falling back" to 443?

Why Port 443?
I've only heard of port 5655.

Remote Utilities – host log
© Remote Utilities Pte Ltd. Version: 7.6.2.0 (70620)
  Date (UTC) Code IP Event Info
  29.06.2025---21:24:09:081 34   Remote Utilities - Host 70620 is started. GMT-04 Windows 10.0 64bit
  29.06.2025---21:25:02:392 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:25:07:405 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:26:17:427 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:26:22:440 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:27:32:523 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:27:37:529 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:28:47:580 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:28:52:594 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:30:02:577 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:30:07:590 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:31:17:599 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:31:22:612 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:32:32:632 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:32:37:645 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:33:47:710 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:33:52:724 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:35:02:822 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:35:07:835 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:36:17:842 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:36:22:855 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:37:32:885 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:37:37:899 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:38:47:915 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:38:52:928 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:40:03:035 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:40:08:048 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:41:18:011 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:41:23:024 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:42:33:061 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:42:38:074 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:43:48:098 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:43:53:113 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:45:03:153 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:45:08:168 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:46:18:179 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:46:23:195 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:47:33:221 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:47:38:236 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:48:48:250 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:48:53:265 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:50:03:317 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:50:08:332 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:51:18:356 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:51:23:372 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:52:33:414 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:52:38:429 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:53:48:456 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:53:53:471 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:55:03:498 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:55:08:513 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:56:18:570 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:56:23:586 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:57:33:580 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:57:38:595 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---21:58:48:645 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---21:58:53:661 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---22:00:03:672 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---22:00:08:687 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---22:01:18:745 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)
  29.06.2025---22:01:23:761 96   Internet-ID ErrorCode <> 0 Error code: 1
  29.06.2025---22:02:33:787 96   Internet-ID: Unable to connect to ID server. Address: id75.remoteutilities.com; Port: 443; Connect timed out.(EIdConnectTimeout)

Last night I updated my view and remotely updated the two machines that I could connect to at the school. All is good there.
Just now I had a helper at the school manually update the Host on one of the two machines
that cannot connect to your servers.  The new host was downloaded from the internet
further confirming that the ethernet and the internet connections are good on this machine.
However, the new host program still could not connect confirmed through "settings for Host"
I verified that the Windows defender allowed this app through the firewall and
also created an outgoing rule on TCP port 5655
The Host program still could not connect.
We have captured today's log and I will be sending it to you.