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View Full Version : Directv2pc, ddwrt, and OpenVPN

Willy1
10-25-08, 04:57 PM
I am trying to use Directv2pc while away from home. For the home LAN, I have a WRT54G 2.2 running dd-wrt 2.4 SP1 generic VPN. I set up the router using OpenVPN. On my client PC I am running OpenVPN 2.1rc13. Normally, I can connect nicely as a VPN client and see the home LAN with full functionality of the LAN.

I can start Directv2PC client. It sees the Directv servers on my LAN as if on the home LAN. I can see the playlists from each server, however when I start the video stream, the VPN connection is reset. OpenVPN then reestablishes the connection automatically but the video stream is unable to start. I don't know why the VPN connection is reset.

How can I trouble shoot this? Thank you.
Grentz
10-25-08, 05:57 PM
What kind of speed is your upload at home?

The app was only made for local network streaming and has high network demands because it does not use much if any compression on the stream. It also could be because of the protections in place for streaming that is resetting the VPN connection (unsupported traffic, confusing it, etc.)
LarryFlowers
10-25-08, 06:33 PM
Not sure about this, but I would be willing to bet that the software is not going to let that stream get outside your house... no telling what you might do with that stream...:p
CJTE
10-25-08, 06:50 PM
Not sure about this, but I would be willing to bet that the software is not going to let that stream get outside your house... no telling what you might do with that stream...:p

I doubt DirecTV2PC has the ability to determine if a machine on the local network is VPN'd, or if it's actually local.

OP:
As a temporary work around, you may want to try VNC, RDP, or Logmein.com

I like the IDEA behind VPN, however, This is just another notch on the gun for issues I've had with it. (Ok, so this one wasnt a personal issue. It was YOUR personal issue.)

Have you tried any other type of VPN Client?
Hamachi is pretty cool.
Grentz
10-25-08, 06:54 PM
VNC, RDP, and Logmein should have issues as they use mirror drivers which would be disallowed under the Directv2PC multiple monitor restriction.
Willy1
10-25-08, 07:24 PM
I am not familiar with VNC, RDP, or Logmein but I looked at the sites and it looks like the server runs on the host machine, right? I like the Open VPN which runs on the router so I don't need a dedicated machine on all the time.

I don't think Directv2PC can tell if I am on a VPN or locally. It does let me connect to the HR2x 's to see the playlists just fine. I just can't stream the video.

As far as upload, I believe it's 2 Mbps upstream. Would that cause the connection to reset? Open VPN automatically reconnects each time this happens. I get the error from Directv2PC that the server cannot play the content.

Thanks for the help and advice.
rahlquist
10-25-08, 07:54 PM
I don't think Directv2PC can tell if I am on a VPN or locally. It does let me connect to the HR2x 's to see the playlists just fine. I just can't stream the video.

I have had issues with hamachi VPN client and d2pc. I could not run my hamachi client even while on local lan and play anything. Good luck.
pikespeakhiker
10-25-08, 09:07 PM
No chance here. I use the same technologies. Even if you could make it through the smarts of drivers and subnets, the bandwidth would kill you. What you need is something like tunebite that could scrape the video, transcode to a lower bandwidth, and broadcast over vpn. Not worth the effort to me.
CJTE
10-25-08, 11:12 PM
No chance here. I use the same technologies. Even if you could make it through the smarts of drivers and subnets, the bandwidth would kill you. What you need is something like tunebite that could scrape the video, transcode to a lower bandwidth, and broadcast over vpn. Not worth the effort to me.

That was my next suggestion. The push of the bandwith is hanging the network and causing the OPs crash.
CJTE
10-25-08, 11:15 PM
I am not familiar with VNC, RDP, or Logmein but I looked at the sites and it looks like the server runs on the host machine, right? I like the Open VPN which runs on the router so I don't need a dedicated machine on all the time.

I don't think Directv2PC can tell if I am on a VPN or locally. It does let me connect to the HR2x 's to see the playlists just fine. I just can't stream the video.

As far as upload, I believe it's 2 Mbps upstream. Would that cause the connection to reset? Open VPN automatically reconnects each time this happens. I get the error from Directv2PC that the server cannot play the content.

Thanks for the help and advice.

Yes, I understand that you dont want to have a dedicated machine. However, I was trying to suggest band-aids until you could get a permanent fix. Have you tried OpenWRT instead of DD-WRT (or vice-versa).

Do you have any other systems that serve content, like a NAS, or a TV with a memory card reader?
CJTE
10-25-08, 11:20 PM
VNC, RDP, and Logmein should have issues as they use mirror drivers which would be disallowed under the Directv2PC multiple monitor restriction.

Ahhh yes, sort of. RDP and Logmein use alternative mirror drivers, however VNC software comes in many shapes and sizes.

Meanwhile, to quash that little bug, simply disable (in hardware management) the primary video display device prior to launching DirecTV2PC.
One video output, problem solved.