BI App Not Finding Server

[mike2874]

I have the BI app on all my WiFi iPads (2), iPhone, and wife’s iPad. My wife is in a nursing home and for some reason when she opens the app to view our cameras it’s been saying check the server or whatever it says. I thought it was just some setting in her app but today while there I couldn’t view our cameras on my phone either. I forgot to check to see on the way home although it normally works via cellular but definitely worked when I got back on my home network.

So what does this tell you… is it something on my end with Port Forwarding or is the nursing home network blocking our cameras/BI?

 

[hikky_b]

I have the BI app on all my WiFi iPads (2), iPhone, and wife’s iPad. My wife is in a nursing home and for some reason when she opens the app to view our cameras it’s been saying check the server or whatever it says. I thought it was just some setting in her app but today while there I couldn’t view our cameras on my phone either. I forgot to check to see on the way home although it normally works via cellular but definitely worked when I got back on my home network.

So what does this tell you… is it something on my end with Port Forwarding or is the nursing home network blocking our cameras/BI?

I would say it's unlikely that the nursing home would have blocked your ip/domain. The obvious way to confirm is to test via cellular as you have already said.

How have you configured external access? DDNS, Static IP ect?

 

[TonyR]

+1^^.
Yep, after you've tested via cell and/or on another party's Wi-Fi and it still does not work and works ONLY when you're at home on your LAN's Wi-Fi, consider that your WAN IP changed. If so, then a DDNS setup would be good thing.

Go to WhatIsMyIP and compare it to the WAN IP setting in the BI app.

 

[mike2874]

So I’m not too knowledgeable with this stuff but I just turned off my WiFi network at home and tried to connect via cellular and it won’t connect says to check server address just like it was doing when I was trying to connect with my wife’s phone via nursing home’s WiFi network.

My ISP has what they call a Managed Service which means it’s their router and I have no control over the settings… my only option in a rural area. When I first subscribed to their service maybe four years ago I had them set up Port Forwarding and probably a year ago I had them put each of my cameras on a static address. Don’t remember having this issue before not connecting via cellular until now.

I tried the link above and the WAN IP setting is the same as in the BI app.

Ran BI Access Wizard and my WAN is not checking out. Went to canyouseeme.org and it can’t see my WAN so guess you are right it has changed.

Do you agree it will be up to my ISP to figure out?

 

[TonyR]

I just turned off my WiFi network at home and tried to connect via cellular and it won’t connect says to check server address

But it DOES work when you're on your home's Wi-Fi?

I tried the link above and the WAN IP setting is the same as in the BI app.

Then that's not the problem; the BI app has the correct WAN IP configured.

Ran BI Access Wizard and my WAN is not checking out. Went to canyouseeme.org and it can’t see my WAN so guess you are right it has changed.

It's not the WAN that has changed; the port forwarding is not right.

What needs to happen is BI's port (usually 81) needs to be forwarded to the BI server's LAN IP. If, in fact, your ISP set it up for you then I'd say call them and have them check your router. Before you call, make sure you know the BI server's LAN IP and the port on BI's "Settings"=> "Web Server" tab, something like "192.168.1.36:81"

BTW, I have never heard of an ISP doing such configuration of a router for a customer. Do they charge you for that?

EDIT 5/19 2153 CT: Be sure a recent Windows update has not set your home network connection in the BI server to "Public", it should remain "Private". If you do have to change it back to "private", do so then reboot the PC.

 

[mike2874]

Yes it does work on my home WiFi network.

How do I check to see if Windows might have changed my home network connection in the BI server to "Public"?

Edit: So I called ISP tech support and I had recently upgraded upgraded to a higher speed which required them updating me to a newer more robust router. Tech said apparently Port Forwarding was never set up in the new router so was a quick fix, and I can now view my cameras via cellular!

Thanks for the help troubleshooting!

 

[TonyR]

Edit: So I called ISP tech support and I had recently upgraded upgraded to a higher speed which required them updating me to a newer more robust router. Tech said apparently Port Forwarding was never set up in the new router so was a quick fix, and I can now view my cameras via cellular!

Thanks for the help troubleshooting!

You're welcome and glad to hear you're back in business!

How do I check to see if Windows might have changed my home network connection in the BI server to "Public"?

To change a network to public or private on Windows 10:

• Select Start => Settings => Network & Internet => Status.
• Under the type of active connection, Ethernet or Wireless, click on "Properties."
• Select the desired radio button for "Private" or "Public".
• Reboot PC.

 

[mike2874]

Windows 10

 

[mike2874]

Thanks good to know for future reference!

 

[RSYC]

But it DOES work when you're on your home's Wi-Fi?


EDIT 5/19 2153 CT: Be sure a recent Windows update has not set your home network connection in the BI server to "Public", it should remain "Private". If you do have to change it back to "private", do so then reboot the PC.

Can you ELI5? I suspect this is my problem as the app used to work just fine, then after a while it only works when i am on the Wi-Fi that the BI is connected to. When I’m on a different network or on cellular I get the “unable to make connection; check server address”. BTW, I did follow the instructions above and my network is showing as private

When I go to my computer network and internet settings, I can’t find any options for BI, but my network is listed as private network.

I have tried to add new server, but this has not resolved my problem.

I have tried to do the remote access wizard. I get the green check mark on the first 5 sections. The final test fails as the verified server says: the operation has timed out.

how can I check to see which port I am forwarded to? Can you seem.org cannot see me on port 80 or 81 and since I at one time was able to get this setup correctly I’m sure my port was changed from the default of 80…I’m just not sure what it was changed to….

 

[TonyR]

Can you ELI5? I suspect this is my problem as the app used to work just fine, then after a while it only works when i am on the Wi-Fi that the BI is connected to. When I’m on a different network or on cellular I get the “unable to make connection; check server address”. BTW, I did follow the instructions above and my network is showing as private

When I go to my computer network and internet settings, I can’t find any options for BI, but my network is listed as private network.

I have tried to add new server, but this has not resolved my problem.

I have tried to do the remote access wizard. I get the green check mark on the first 5 sections. The final test fails as the verified server says: the operation has timed out.

how can I check to see which port I am forwarded to? Can you seem.org cannot see me on port 80 or 81 and since I at one time was able to get this setup correctly I’m sure my port was changed from the default of 80…I’m just not sure what it was changed to….

Possibly your WAN IP has changed OR the BI port that was forwarded in your router has changed.

To find your WAN IP, on the BI server, open a browser to "whatismyip.com"; in the BI app that should jive with the entry for WAN.

To find which port in BI needs to be forwarded, go to BI's "Settings"=> "Web Server" tab, it should be something like "192.168.1.36:81" .
To find out if that port has been forwarded in the router, on the BI server with BI running, also open a browser to "canyouseeme.org", put in the correct port and click on "Check".

We'll need to check the router settings so come back with the above findings.

NOTE: Understand that this is not a recommendation for port forwarding; a VPN setup on your router or Zerotier is highly suggested.