Having trouble remote access BI

denywinarto

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Just bought BI and BI app for my home cams,
And ive setup port forwarding on my hg8245h.
Since ive had good experience with noip, i set it as well in my router.
Problem is, i cant get remote access to work from the android app, neither using ddns name or wan ip address works,
- local access works
- when i change the open port on my router to 3389 (for remote desktop) noip's ddns name works fine, so the problem is not their side
- when i try to access wan ip from my android chrome, im getting "uncaught reference error $ is not defined at blablabla
- portcheckertool says port is open

Any thoughts?
 

fenderman

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Just bought BI and BI app for my home cams,
And ive setup port forwarding on my hg8245h.
Since ive had good experience with noip, i set it as well in my router.
Problem is, i cant get remote access to work from the android app, neither using ddns name or wan ip address works,
- local access works
- when i change the open port on my router to 3389 (for remote desktop) noip's ddns name works fine, so the problem is not their side
- when i try to access wan ip from my android chrome, im getting "uncaught reference error $ is not defined at blablabla
- portcheckertool says port is open

Any thoughts?
are you entering the correct port in the app?
you should also consider setting up a vpn - wiki
 

denywinarto

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are you entering the correct port in the app?
you should also consider setting up a vpn - wiki
Local access with the same port works, so i doubt thats the issue.
Some of my family members is gonna use this as well and i'd like to keep it as simple as possible, using vpn might be too complicated for them..
 

fenderman

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Local access with the same port works, so i doubt thats the issue.
Some of my family members is gonna use this as well and i'd like to keep it as simple as possible, using vpn might be too complicated for them..
What port are you using?
Also note that most riders allow you to set distinct external and internal ports.
Understand that by port forwarding you risk compromise of your entire network unless you have the proper precautions in place like vlan.
 

denywinarto

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What port are you using?
Also note that most riders allow you to set distinct external and internal ports.
Understand that by port forwarding you risk compromise of your entire network unless you have the proper precautions in place like vlan.
BI's suggested port,
Hmm i did a quick google and looks like my router cant be installed with vpn, probably could be a little easier for my family if its possible
 

fenderman

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BI's suggested port,
Hmm i did a quick google and looks like my router cant be installed with vpn, probably could be a little easier for my family if its possible
try using a different port, 8585.
You can buy a cheap asus router with built in vpn.
 

denywinarto

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Ok, i changed the port,
Disabled the firewall on both router and the machine
And i remove external port on router and only set the internal port.
And it seems to work, but sometimes im still getting "cannot reach server" error.
So i have to try couple of times before i can login, i'm gonna try it again for a day, if its just repeating login it might not be too hard for my fam
 

xtropodx

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If local access works but remoting in doesn't, given the troubleshooting, most likely issue is with the phone itself or setting. I remember when I first tried accessing my network remotely on my smartphone, I had some setting/app on smartphone interfering/blocking with what I was trying to do. Not sure what you'd look for in your case but perhaps there's some setting etc on the device that's causing the problem.
 

denywinarto

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If local access works but remoting in doesn't, given the troubleshooting, most likely issue is with the phone itself or setting. I remember when I first tried accessing my network remotely on my smartphone, I had some setting/app on smartphone interfering/blocking with what I was trying to do. Not sure what you'd look for in your case but perhaps there's some setting etc on the device that's causing the problem.
After observing for a week or so,
I think the issue lies when BI mobile is trying to connect using my gsm connection,
When bi is using wifi (not local) its able to connect without any issue.
Which is very strange because both wifi and gsm should be counted as external network.
I cant figure out whats wrong with my gsm, im not using any vpn.. i'm also able to rdesktop to the pc where bi is installed using the same gsm.

Is there any guide for remoting bi cams using other apps such as tinycam?
 

denywinarto

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So any ideas what might cause this?
I read on other threads some people are having this issue on older android phone.
Mine is note 8 and my wife is p30, so it doesnt seem to be the case for our phones..

I also installed tinycam and dahua's app and it doesnt have this issue with gsm so i'm not sure if the problem is my phone
 
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J Sigmo

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For what it's worth, my wife and I are using Note 8s, and they work with the Blue Iris app as well as with UI3 when on our WiFi. When we're out and about, we use a VPN setup that's running on an Asus router. It takes some steps to set that up and set up the passwords, etc., on the phones or PCs that will be using the VPN, but once set up, the person using the phone doesn't have to do much of anything. We just launch the OpenVPN app, click one "switch" to turn on the connection, and then close that app and then use either the BI app or UI3 (on Chrome - it's the only thing either of us use Chrome for, so it automatically logs into the BI machine at home).

And you can supposedly even automate all of that so it's just a one click thing.

Having the VPN set up is also really nice when you're out and about on some unknown WiFi system and want to surf the net securely (for example, making online purchases while using an airport or hotel WiFi without worrying about your passwords, credit card info, etc., being captured by folks also on that same WiFi system).

All of your traffic will be encrypted, sent to your house, then connected to the internet. The replies from the internet will also come from your house, be encrypted and sent through the "secure tunnel" to your phone or laptop or whatever. That means that your traffic goes through your modem and uses your ISP at your house - both ways. So ideally, you'll have fast and unlimited internet access at your house. I often stream Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc., via our VPN, and it works just fine. But we have fairly fast internet service (100Mbps down, 10 or more up) at our house. I'm always surprised that streaming works through all of this, but it does.

Anyhow, I'm not sure what you might have set up wrong on the phone or elsewhere, but I do recommend setting up a VPN at your home, even if that means buying a new router. Don't confuse running your own VPN to access your home network with subscribing to a VPN service. That's a different thing, and not what we're talking about here.
 

denywinarto

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Thanks for the advice,
Unfortunately using vpn is too much hassle for my wife,
Ive tried vpn before,
But I'd rather having fast access to my cams rather than setting up vpn first.

Not to mention i might have to set it up for my mom who always accidentally press the mobile data button :(

Or.. Is there any other app that could view BI's recordings and alerts?
 

J Sigmo

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If someone can't launch one app (OpenVPN), how can that same person be expected to launch a different app?

Setting up your VPN initially will require your effort and some expertise from here or elsewhere. I didn't know any of this stuff until I wanted to set this up for my system, and I found the help I needed here.

Using it once it's all set up is a piece of cake. I set this up on my wife's phone, and although she has no idea of the steps I used to set it up for her, she can use the system easily, and loves it.

We literally tap the OpenVPN icon, tap the "On" switch, and that's it.

Two taps, and I'm in!

If your users can't do that, I'm sure they can't operate the BI app, UI3, their email, any web browser, make calls, text, take pictures, etc. So presumably, they have no use for a smartphone at all.

Seriously. This is super easy. It's not even close to being as complex as surfing the net with a web browser, checking my email, texting, or even answering a call on the phone itself!

For YOU, setting it up initially, you will likely want to follow one of the step by step guides, or read the Wiki here, etc. You can ask for help here, and get it done. There's a bit to it, but there's a lot of help available here.

And once you set it up on your router, and then on your wife's phone, that's it for anything technical.

Once set up, tapping an icon and then a button in that app is all you do to turn on the VPN. At that point, your phone is securely (via an encrypted tunnel) connected to your home network as if you were right there, at home, connected to your home WiFi.

It doesn't matter if you're on someone's WiFi, or out and about on your phone provider's cellular network. You're now securely "inside" of your home network.

Everything after that is exactly as it is when you're home. The Virtual Private Network gets you into your home network as if you were right there. It's very handy.

Then, when you want to shut off the VPN, you just open the app and click on that same "ON-OFF" switch, and you're disconnected. It's that easy.

It's not as hard as 99% of the typical tasks everyone does all of the time on their smartphone.

Two clicks. Two!

She can handle it. And you'll both love it for other uses than accessing BI. How cool is it to make two clicks, no matter where you are, and have your phone then behave as if you were home on your own wifi?

Further, setting things up right, so your cameras cannot access the internet, and you aren't forwarding any ports is highly recommend from a security aspect.

It's worth considering seriously.
 

TL1096r

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For what it's worth, my wife and I are using Note 8s, and they work with the Blue Iris app as well as with UI3 when on our WiFi. When we're out and about, we use a VPN setup that's running on an Asus router. It takes some steps to set that up and set up the passwords, etc., on the phones or PCs that will be using the VPN, but once set up, the person using the phone doesn't have to do much of anything. We just launch the OpenVPN app, click one "switch" to turn on the connection, and then close that app and then use either the BI app or UI3 (on Chrome - it's the only thing either of us use Chrome for, so it automatically logs into the BI machine at home).

And you can supposedly even automate all of that so it's just a one click thing.

Having the VPN set up is also really nice when you're out and about on some unknown WiFi system and want to surf the net securely (for example, making online purchases while using an airport or hotel WiFi without worrying about your passwords, credit card info, etc., being captured by folks also on that same WiFi system).

All of your traffic will be encrypted, sent to your house, then connected to the internet. The replies from the internet will also come from your house, be encrypted and sent through the "secure tunnel" to your phone or laptop or whatever. That means that your traffic goes through your modem and uses your ISP at your house - both ways. So ideally, you'll have fast and unlimited internet access at your house. I often stream Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc., via our VPN, and it works just fine. But we have fairly fast internet service (100Mbps down, 10 or more up) at our house. I'm always surprised that streaming works through all of this, but it does.

Anyhow, I'm not sure what you might have set up wrong on the phone or elsewhere, but I do recommend setting up a VPN at your home, even if that means buying a new router. Don't confuse running your own VPN to access your home network with subscribing to a VPN service. That's a different thing, and not what we're talking about here.
Yes I got an asus router very nice speeds and functionality. Setting up OPENVPN on asus and through phone took minutes.

Once you have openvpn on your phone even if connected to public wifi they cannot see sites you are browsing or anything? Is there a way to NOT connect/use wifi unless openvpn is working?

How do you stream netflix/amazon (firestick for me) through your VPN?

And how can you use the VPN on a computer (like at work) to connect to asus openvpn?
 

denywinarto

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My current router doesn't support VPN.
So that means i'm gonna have to buy a new one,
It's an expensive solution when other apps could access my WAN address without any issues,

i think the issue lies in login page,
when i try to login with GSM in browser, it simply bounces back to login page again.

I will record a video later,
Or perhaps there's a setting on BI server that must be changed?
I didn't see anything related to GSM / wifi though
 
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