• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

I need help with Remote Assistance

Smoke

Smoke

Distributed Computing Elite Member
I've been going around with this problem for days now. A search of this forum did not turn up any old threads discussing the same situation so with a little hesitancy I'll post this query.

Setup:

Expert Computer
WindowsXP Professional
Router: Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless 802.11b
Port 3389 opened to the Expert Computer?s LAN address

Novice Computer
WindowsXP Professional
Router: Belkin 2.4 GHz Wireless 802.11b
Port 3389 opened to the Novice Computer?s LAN address

I have read many ?how to instruction" sets and know the basic way to get this going. We are using the e-mail connection method. Everything works fine when we get to the invitation is sent, received, and accepted messages BUT each time when the connection is trying to open we get the following error message, ?Remote Assistance connection could not be established because the remote host name could not be resolved. Please try again.?

If anyone has run into this problem and knows how to fix it I would be most appreciative.
 
Originally posted by: RebateMonger
UseNet post: How to make Remote Assistance work behind a router.

You'll probably have to forward port 3389 on the Novice's router to forward the incoming packets to his PC.

Microsoft Support: Supported connection scenarios for Remote Assistance

Microsoft's Support: Description of Remote Assistance Protocol
Click to expand...

I have done that. Notice the 4th line on the NOVICE COMPUTER SETUP description above.

I'll go check out the links you provided. Thank you.

🙂
 
In the 2nd link provided, I believe I have found the pertinent portion that applies to my situation:

"In this case, if either the novice or the client is behind a firewall, Remote Assistance works as expected. If both the novice and the expert are behind firewalls, the connection depends on the inbound configuration of the firewall. In these situations, it is recommended that you use Windows Messenger to establish the Remote Assistance session."

Since both the Expert and Novice computers are behind their own routers, Remote Assistance needs to be established with MS Messenger. We are going to try that now.
 
Nope, we still get the same error message.

So using Messenger to launch Remote Assistance didn't do the job. 🙁
 
If you find a solution, please be sure to post it.

I've only used Remote Assistance to home routers a few times. In one case, it worked great, even though both the Novice and the Expert were behind (different) routers. However, the next time I tried it, it wouldn't connect. However, I'd changed my router from a Netgear to an SBS 2003 server, so maybe that caused the problem. I didn't look very deeply at the problem.
 
If the novices machine is XP PROFESSIONAL, then there is no need for remote assistance, just connect to the router's WAN IP in a Remote Desktop Session. Make sure that it is enabled on the novice's computer (Right click mycomputer, properties, remote, "allow users to connect remotely to this computer".) Find out the novices username and password (password cannot be blank) and ensure that this account has administrative privleges. You can get the WAN IP by navigating to www.whatismyip.com OR someplace in the router's configuration pages.

edit: turn off windows firewall as a first step if above doesn't work.
 
The reason you can't use remote assistance (you will find remote desktop will work) is because the key that is sent to the client contains the IP of the server computer as it appears behind the firewall, ie 192.168.x.x. You need to use the IP provided by the servers ISP.

In order to do that you need to use the file method and edit the file with the correct IP.

I'll post when I find the how-to
 
During a Remote Assistance session, you can send files from your computer to the remote computer. For example, you may send a file that is needed to fix a problem on the remote computer. This requires action by both parties, the helper who sends the file and the requestor who must accept it and save it.

To send a file when helping someone via Remote Assistance

1.


In the chat dialog box, click Send a File, and then type the file path or click Browse as shown below.

2.


Select the file and click Send File.

To receive and save a file from someone who is helping you via Remote Assistance

1.


When you receive notification that someone is sending you a file, click Save as, as shown below.

Choose a folder in which to save the file. Note that you can also decline to receive the file by clicking Cancel.
Click to expand...

Before you send the file you need to edit it. Right click the file and open with notepad. Edit the IP so that it's the external IP of the server computer (from the isp).

Remote desktop is much easier to use but it doesn't allow interaction of the client and remote user at the same time. So if you want to show some one how to do something then remote assistance is your only option.
 
I think I have figured out the problem.

Reading the MS site about this, it says for RA to work when both Expert and Novice are behind routers , both routers must be UPnP capable.

In this case the Belkin 2.4 GHz Wireless 802.11b (novice) is not UPnP capable. Thus the problem.

We have ordered a new linksys BEFSR41 router which supports UPnP.

I'll post in a week or so when the router arrives if this actually was the fix.

As ivwshane said, "Remote desktop is much easier to use but it doesn't allow interaction of the client and remote user at the same time. So if you want to show some one how to do something then remote assistance is your only option." That is the situation. 🙂
 
As ivwshane said, "Remote desktop is much easier to use but it doesn't allow interaction of the client and remote user at the same time. So if you want to show some one how to do something then remote assistance is your only option." That is the situation.
Click to expand...
Good point, I hadn't thought of that.

No need for UPnP. From Microsoft: "By default, RDP uses port 3389 for all of its traffic." So just forwarding the port to the correct LAN IP should be enough.

Save the RAInvitation.msrcincident and open it in notepad.

Here is part of an old RAInvitation.msrcincident I edited and used once. The WAN IP and port are highlighted. Just change that part and try again. Also, no need to forward that port on the expert's router.

RCTICKET="65538,1,69.144.218.178:3389;D7PB5N41:3389,*,KV+1HtBhCB7iYAfCcs/nfjvuPxopZNrC+taMtQlBK6E=,*,*,ZedN26rwHr
FoZUJgxJocArs+cI="
Click to expand...
 
Originally posted by: ivwshane
Did you edit the file with the correct IP address?
Click to expand...

I didn't have a chance to try that. The person using the NOVICE COMPUTER had left home and was over at my house for New Year's Eve. 🙂

We ordered the new router while he was here last night. I did not save any of the RA Invitations from him. We will have to try it again today for me to do the edit routine.

Concerning the edit procedure. Would this be the way to do that?

Save the RA Invitation to my desktop (for instance) and then open the file on my desktop with NOTEPAD. Edit the RCTICKET and use the NOVICE"S WAN IP ADDRESS?

I have a bunch of friends that are not very computer literate that I try to help from time to time. I'm not sure if I will be able to "talk" them through opening their routers, obtaining the WAN IP ADDRESS, editing the PORT FORWARDING to direct port 3389 to their specific LAN address, etc. I think I'll get them all confused if this is the way I have to go. 🙁

I still think having a router that is UPnP capable may be the answer even though Guild may be right when he says, "No need for UPnP."

Here are my reasons.

About 9 - 10 months ago my friend (read NOVICE COMPUTER) had a linksys router the same as mine, a BEFW11S4. We both edited our PORT FORWARDING to direct port 3389 to our respective LAN IP ADDRESS. We were able to use Remote Assistance.

Since then, his linksys router crashed and burned. I gave him the old Belkin 2.4 GHz Wireless 802.11b I had laying around unused (as my backup router). That put him back in business but we never tried to use Remote Assistance again until just a couple of days ago. So the only thing that changed from 9 - 10 months ago was his use of a different router.

It sure sounds like MS is saying when both EXPERT and NOVICE are using UPnP NAT DEVICES, RA will work. If they are not "both" using UPnP NAT DEVICES, RA will not work.

The following is clipped from HERE :

Save Invitation as a File and Send Invitation as an E-mail Methods
Windows XP ICS | Windows Me ICS | Non-UPnP NAT Device | UPnP NAT Device
Novice: Yes | Yes | No | Yes
Expert: Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
Novice and Expert: Yes | Yes | No | Yes

(The above is gibberish when posted here in the AT Forums. You will need to look at the section on the linked web page.)

UPnP-Compliant NAT
Remote Assistance is designed to work with UPnP NAT devices. Presently, Windows XP is the only NAT device that is UPnP-compliant. This technology allows a Windows XP client behind the NAT to request that incoming traffic to port 3389 be mapped to the client that is requesting Remote Assistance. Remote Assistance works as expected when the novice is behind a UPnP NAT.
 
Originally posted by: ivwshane
Did you edit the file with the correct IP address?
Click to expand...

The editing of the RA Invitation worked. :thumbsup:

It will be interesting to see if RA works without this file editing when the new router arrives. I'll post the results as a follow-up.

Thanks for all the help and a Happy New Year to everyone. :wine:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top