Network sharing not working

[totoleheros]

Hi,

I was using a Mac running with FMP552 and Panther to share databases online and the the local network. I have updated the MacOS to Tiger and FMP to FMP7. I have converted all the databases to FMP7. While the Websharing is working perfectly well, the network sharing is not working. When I try to access from a client (with a different Registration number of course), I do not see the databases even if I try to fill manually the IP address of the host. I have checked that the network sharing was activated for all databases, that the port 5003 is open on the host and it is still not working. Lastly, the host is also running an apache server.

I would highly appreciate your input. Many thanks in advance!!

[CyborgSam]

In the Application Preferences, in the Plug-Ins tab: is the Local Data Access Companion checked? Is 5003 open for both TCP and UDP ports in the Firewall?

[totoleheros]

In Pref Tab->PlugIns of the application, the only plugins that is listed is 'AutoUpdate'. There is nothing more. I used to have listed the Network Sharing and Web Sharing (or something like that) with FMP5. I thought that the fact that there are not listed anymore in FMP7 was because these functions had been included in the programme (built-in, not anymore plugins). Should I see these plugins listed with FMP7? This would mean that someting went wrong during installation. Weird that itwould work with Webpublishing and not with network sharing...:...But you never know. Cooncerning the Firewall issue, yes, both TCP and UDP 5003 ports are open.

Thank you so much for your interest in my problem!!

[totoleheros]

I have completely uninstalled FMP7 and installed it again: still does not work. A database created from scratch in FMP7 with network sharing activated is still not seen over the local network (this is therefore not a problem of transition from v5.5 to v7).

It seems that there is a conflict with Apache and opening in the firewall the UDP port 5003: Apache is not working anymore. It works if only the TCP port 5003 is open (or both closed of course). However, if I stop the apache server, the FMP network is not working better...

Can one tell me whether in Application pref->Plugins, I should see the network sharing and the websharing plugins as it was the case with FMP5?

Thank you in advance!

[CyborgSam]

Your profile says you have FM5 & Panther, so I answered for that... I suggest updating your profile, we read them to see what FileMaker & OS versions a problem applies to.

Apache should not be affected by port 5003. Could your Sharing settings be screwed up? Attached is a pic of my settings.

[totoleheros]

Your profile says you have FM5 & Panther, so I answered for that... I suggest updating your profile, we read them to see what FileMaker & OS versions a problem applies to.

My profile has been updated, sorry for that.

Apache should not be affected by port 5003. Could your Sharing settings be screwed up? Attached is a pic of my settings.

I know that Apache should not be affected but it seems it is. My sharing settings look very much the same as yours except for the UDP 5003 port that I cannot open unless I want Apache to be screwed up.

Please, one could tell me how looks like the Plugins window (Application Prefs) in FMP7? Is there a way to change the communication port used by FMP?

Many thanks!

[CyborgSam]

The issue is something other than FM7 using port 5003 Was ANY version of FileMaker Server ever installed on this Mac? Look for a FMS7 installation in /Library/FileMake Server 7. FMS 5.5 resides in /Applications/FileMaker Server 5.5. Is any other version of FileMaker running on the Mac?

Note: this step shouldn't affect port 5003, but it can confirm that there are dangling bits of a previous install interfering with FM7. FileMaker Server's Web Publishing Engine modifies this file: /etc/httpd/httpd.conf Type this command in the Terminal to see if the file has been modified by FileMaker: grep FileMaker /etc/httpd/httpd.conf If so, and FileMaker Server is no longer installed, you'll have to manually edit those lines out of the file (I prefer pico as a command line text editor) and restart apache (or just restart the Mac).

[totoleheros]

The issue is something other than FM7 using port 5003 Was ANY version of FileMaker Server ever installed on this Mac? Look for a FMS7 installation in /Library/FileMake Server 7. FMS 5.5 resides in /Applications/FileMaker Server 5.5. Is any other version of FileMaker running on the Mac?

I had deleted all files that looked related to filemaker. Those in the Library folder too...

Note: this step shouldn't affect port 5003, but it can confirm that there are dangling bits of a previous install interfering with FM7. FileMaker Server's Web Publishing Engine modifies this file: /etc/httpd/httpd.conf Type this command in the Terminal to see if the file has been modified by FileMaker: grep FileMaker /etc/httpd/httpd.conf If so, and FileMaker Server is no longer installed, you'll have to manually edit those lines out of the file (I prefer pico as a command line text editor) and restart apache (or just restart the Mac).

The grep command has confirmed that Filemaker server is not running. Now, I am focusing my attention on the Firewall (Tiger built-in one) since it is blocking completely my Apache server since I edited the 5003 UDP port. Even when I come back to the original setting (Filemaker with only the TCP 5003 port open), Apache is not working. The solution is to inactivate totally the Firewall. Note that this is not allowing Filemaker to share database over the local network. The websharing is still working. I have to go in the ipfw command I believe ???

[totoleheros]

OK, so now Apache is working again with the Firewall, in which the TCP and UDP 5003 ports are open. Filemaker is websharing but the file sharing over the local network is still not working Aaarrrrggghhh :hair:

[CyborgSam]

Your ipfw prefs may be corrupted. But the fact that FileMaker won't work with the Firewall off indicates there's still something else wrong.

Back to basics: open the databases, then drag the FileMaker menu down to Sharing... and then over to FileMaker Network. Does Network Sharing say it is On and is there an IP address displayed? Also, for all the open files in the popup menu: is Network access to file something other than No users? At least one of the databases has to have the Don't display in Remote File dialog unchecked so it'll appear.

[totoleheros]

Your ipfw prefs may be corrupted. But the fact that FileMaker won't work with the Firewall off indicates there's still something else wrong.

I agree with you. I found the problem with ipfw and it's not related to a corruption of its prefs. Indeed, I used the MAMP package for Apache which install Apache in a non orthodox folder (in Applications...?) and leaves the Apache of Tiger in place. The consequence of that atypical installation is that I have to uncheck the WebSharing in the System. Doing so resulted in closing the port 80. When I understood that yesterday, I have open the port 80 so Apache was working again. When I was editing the port 5003, port 80 was again closed by ipfw. This explain why it looked like a conflict between Filemaker and Apache. The problem might be still there since a ipfw list command do not list the UDP 5003 port, only the TCP 5003 port is listed as open. I tried to do a "ipfw add allow udp from any to any 5003 in" command. On the port listing, it woud appear after the "deny tcp from any to any", which I believe is not correct. The order in which these command are released is likely to be very important. The UDP 5003 port, as far as I understand is used by FMP just to list the files that are shared. If it is not open properly, this would explain why my shared databases are not listed...I have to figure out :1) whether the UDP 5003 port is open when I check it the firewall of the "Sharing System Prefs", and if it is not, 2) to add it manually in the terminal but in the right order this time. Any one can help?

Back to basics: open the databases, then drag the FileMaker menu down to Sharing... and then over to FileMaker Network. Does Network Sharing say it is On and is there an IP address displayed?

Yes, the network sharing is "On" and the IP address of the server is diplayed.

Also, for all the open files in the popup menu: is Network access to file something other than No users? At least one of the databases has to have the Don't display in Remote File dialog unchecked so it'll appear.

All the database have at least one kind of user activated and several have the "Don't diplay in Remote File dialog" unchecked (it is checked for several also).

Thank you very much for your help.

[CyborgSam]

I should have thought of that... A lot of the *nix based software available for OS X disables the built in version. For something like FileMaker, this is a no-can-do.

You may want to investigate using Fink : http://fink.sourceforge.net/. The advantage of Fink is that everything resides in a hierarchy at /sw, so OS X's *nix software isn't mucked up. Some parts of OS X's *nix configuration are modified, but nothing that will make any of the built in *nix software dysfunctional. It takes a command to activate the Fink software, so /sw can sit there and do nothing.

Fink can replace much of OS X's *nix software (like apache) with more recent versions. My Fink installation leaves OS X's *nix software alone, and only contains additional software.

[totoleheros]

I checked with my network administrator: for the local network, the port are not filtered. Now that the UDP 5003 port is opened, it should work but it does not

The problem is that the server and Filemaker is not listening on this bloody UDP port. Indeed, when I check by the "lsof -i" command, I get this (I have listed only lines related to Filemaker):

COMMAND PID USER FD TYPE DEVICE SIZE/OFF NODE NAME

FileMaker 27828 u430 22u IPv4 0x01db9530 0t0 TCP *:fmpro-internal (LISTEN)

FileMaker 27828 u430 23u IPv4 0x01db9b08 0t0 TCP localhost:fmpro-internal->localhost:49345 (ESTABLISHED)

FileMaker 27828 u430 24u IPv4 0x02132694 0t0 TCP localhost:49347->localhost:cbt (ESTABLISHED)

FMx20Web 27844 u430 19u IPv4 0x01db9df4 0t0 TCP *:49344 (LISTEN)

FMx20Web 27844 u430 20u IPv4 0x01ade4e8 0t0 TCP localhost:49345->localhost:fmpro-internal (ESTABLISHED)

FMx20Web 27844 u430 21u IPv4 0x01db981c 0t0 TCP *:http-alt (LISTEN)

FMx20Web 27844 u430 24u IPv4 0x01ade1fc 0t0 TCP localhost:cbt (LISTEN)

FMx20Web 27844 u430 26u IPv4 0x01db8f58 0t0 TCP localhost:cbt->localhost:49347 (ESTABLISHED)

So, how do I force Filemaker to listen the UDP 5003 port?:!!

I hope someone around has a suggestion. I am desperate :confused:

[CyborgSam]

My Mac has FMSA 7 installed, when I do lsof -i with an active peer-to-peer sharing database open (from my PC), the entries appear similar to yours.

I'm stumped, this is one of those that's hard to diagnose without being there. Try examining your logs (using Console.app) for clues.

[totoleheros]

Well, everything (or almost) came back to a regular situation after...well, I don't know what. Indeed, I had tried to perform a test suggested by an user on another forum that involved the installation of nmap. I have compiled and installed this piece of code after which my server decided to reopen its UDP ports. The situation is not completely normal since in 'Local hosts', my server is still not listed on client computers. However, if I manually add the IP address of the server in 'Favorite hosts', the shared databases are now listed. YES! This is really a mystery for me...

I'd like to thank all the users of this forum that tried to help me. This has been very much appreciated!!

Edited October 26, 2005 by Guest