Topic: Problems with FireFly Media Server

[Rien]

Hi all,

I installed the FireFly Media Server on my SME 7.4 server as described in http://wiki.contribs.org/Firefly_Media_Server. I can login in the control panel. My mps's are found so anythings seems to be in order.

However, the control panel indicates that the "Bonjour service" is stopped. I'v restarted FireFly several times, but I can't get the "Bonjour service" running. Itunes, installed on my clients, don't recognize FireFly as a shared library. I checked the workgroup names etc.

What could be wrong and how can I get the "Bonjour service" running?

Rien

edit: Fix url

[markleman]

Hi Rien,
As i noted here http://forums.contribs.org/index.php/topic,42926.msg210498.html#msg210498 it does not appear to matter, Firefly still works. I have always assumed that the 'Bonjour service' was if you were using an external mDNS responder like avahi rather than the internal one built in to Firefly - but this is just a guess on my part.

Regards, Mark Leman

[Rien]

Thanks Mark, then I have to search in another direction.

Any idea why none of the 5 clients on my LAN can see Firefly in ITunes?

My SMEserver 7.4 serves as a fileserver, mailserver. I made the mp3 directory public. The mp3 directory can be reached by the clients and serves as directory to store theire ripped mp3's on. I checked the workgroup name and so on.

ITunes just seems not to be aware of the exitence of a shared library (FireFly).

Rien

[markleman]

Any idea why none of the 5 clients on my LAN can see Firefly in ITunes?

You did follow the instructions on how to 'Enable Multicast traffic' didn't you?

Regards, Mark Leman

[Rien]

Hi Mark,

Yes I did, but the file /etc/e-smith/templates-custom/etc/rc.d/init.d/masq/40DenyMulticast seems to be empty! Is that correct
Regards,
Rien

[markleman]

Yes I did, but the file /etc/e-smith/templates-custom/etc/rc.d/init.d/masq/40DenyMulticast seems to be empty! Is that correct?

Yes it should be empty because all it does is replace the normal template (that creates a config which disables multicast) with an empty template (that does not disable multicast).

I suppose the next step it to look for tools to test mDNS and the Bonjour protocol from other boxes on your network, I did not have this problem so don't have any tools to hand but if we both google I'm sure between us we can find something 

What devices are you trying to connect with? I have a Pinnacle/Roku SoundBridge.

Regards, Mark Leman

[markleman]

Try http://your-server-ip:3689/applet.html which IIRC is a java based DAAP client that will run in your browser and is, I think, included in the firefly install.

Also check the service is actually running with:

Code: [Select]

service mt-daapd status
I have found the service dead on odd occasions but normally it stays up for months at a time.

Also having found this list of DAAP apps http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_software_using_Digital_Audio_Access_Protocol. I tried "ourtunes" which worked just fine under Windows.

Regards, Mark Leman

[Rien]

Hi Mark,

I can't find tools to test mDNS (yet).

Are jou sure it doesn't matter that the Bonjour-service on the FireFly server won't start? I ask this, because I found the Bonjour-service installed and started on all my clients and the mDNSResponder proces is running. The description stated that this service is needed to notice the existence of other services in the network such as ITunes and Safari.

I disabled the firewalls for testing, but nothing happened. Could it be a Router issue (FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7170)?

Rien

[markleman]

I can't find tools to test mDNS (yet).

Try "ourtunes" http://ourtunes.sourceforge.net/ on a windows or MAC box or something like 'Bonjour Browser'.

Are you sure it doesn't matter that the Bonjour-service on the FireFly server won't start?

I don't think it matters what the Firefly web pages reports, let me explain why: IIRC Bonjour is apples name for their "zero-config" method using mDNS. When you build Firefly there are options to use an internal mDNS responder or use an external one like avahi or howl. I opted to build firefly with the internal mDNS responder so there is no separate Bonjour-service to run. Also FireFly is available for Windows where I expect it uses the windows Bonjour-service so I suspect the Firefly web pages are for reporting the status of the windows service when installed on windows and/or the external mDNS responder if you have one and has no relevance to our install.

My Firefly servers web pages show the Bonjour-service as stopped and it still works for me to my Soundbridge and to 'ourtunes'.

Try doing

Code: [Select]

lsof -i -nP | grep mt-daapd
I get :

Code: [Select]

[root@sme ~]# lsof -i -nP | grep mt-daapd
mt-daapd   5303   nobody    5u  IPv4 1536339       UDP *:47294
mt-daapd   5303   nobody    6u  IPv4 1536344       UDP *:5353
mt-daapd   5303   nobody    8u  IPv4 1536345       UDP *:5353
mt-daapd   5304   nobody    7u  IPv4 1536363       TCP *:3689 (LISTEN)I think port 5353 is the mDSN responder and port 3689 is the firefly webpage server.

I also found this useful page http://wiki.fireflymediaserver.org/Troubleshooting

Regards, Mark Leman.

[Rien]

Thanks Mark,


I'v installed OurTunes and quess... it works!!

I get the following output:

lsof -i -nP | grep mt-daapd
mt-daapd  7402   nobody    6u  IPv4  45997       UDP *:36194
mt-daapd  7402   nobody    7u  IPv4  46002       UDP *:5353
mt-daapd  7402   nobody    9u  IPv4  46003       UDP *:5353
mt-daapd  7403   nobody    8u  IPv4  46021       TCP *:3689 (LISTEN)

So there's nothing wrong with the FireFly server, the router and firewalls. But why does Itunes not see Firefly?

Regards,
Rien

[markleman]

I'm glad it works in ourtunes

But why does Itunes not see Firefly?

Well you've got me there I don't use Itunes so can't help, perhaps a visit to the Firefly forums might help and if you do find out why let me know or update the Wiki howto entry.

Regards, Mark Leman

[Rien]

Thanks so far Mark, I let you know.

Regards,
Rien

[MSmith]

Just to get back to basics, is "Look for shared libraries" checked under the "Sharing" tab in Preferences?

[Rien]

Hi MSmith,

Yes I checked that.
I'v installed Safari for testing. Safari doesn't see FireFly either.

[something]

hi,


still not working ?


do you have the latest version of iTunes installed?

If I remember correctly Apple changed the network sharing at the end of august. It is now called "Home sharing"

Maybe the latest version is not compatible to FireFly any more.


If possible you could try to install an older version of iTunes to test this.