99 Problems but the pitch aint one. Old banger PC as iTunes server and Apple Remote.

[EarsEarsEars]

Hi folks

I have recently tried to set up my old Dell desktop up as an itunes server in the office so I didn't have to have the laptop running just to listen to some music, and, actually, despite it being me in charge of the show, I've mostly got it to work. There are a few strange things going on, though, so I thought that first I would describe the setup and see if anyone had any ideas about what might be happening.

The Setup: Ooooold Dell desktop running XP Home edition with 1TB usb extrnal drive, connected via ethernet cable to BT Homehub wireless router streaming to an Airport Express connected to a DacMagic. Laptop is newer and runs Vista. Apple remote and all streaming woks on the laptop perfectly. I'm looking at having the desktop running screenless and just control iTunes using Apple remote. Easy, right?

The issue(s):

Firstly, I can't find the desktop on the home network from my Vista machine. I can, however, find it from my other XP laptop. This doesn't necessarily matter in the meantime, but I did eventually want to use the Desktop and it's external drive as the place where all media will be stored and streamed from for all laptops and other devices in the house.

Secondly, I can actually get the desktop streaming to the airport express and playing sweet sweet music via itunes - and very good it sounds too - as long as I close the LAN connection, then reopen it, then open iTunes. If I don't do this, iTunes opens without the option of changing the speakers to use the aiport express. Sometimes I will stream music happily for a fair amount of time, and then apparently the connection will drop and iTunes won't be able to find the airport express until I close iTunes again, then disable and enable the LAN connection again, then reopen iTunes. I'm definitely missing something there...

Thirdly, I can't get Apple Remote to recognise the library on the desktop version of iTunes. You can supposedly control itunes on up to five different computers using Apple Remote, but I can't for the life of me figure this one out. When I try to enter the four digit passkey generated on the phone to connect the two, there is nowhere to enter it! Again, I've got this working fine on the Vista laptop.

Any thoughts truly gratefully received. I've spent three solid nights where the wife is at the gym and I could have been exploring some new music! At one opportunity like this a week, these are precious moments indeed...

Cheers!

Ears.

 

[professorhat]

Does the desktop have a wireless network card? I think this is might be where Apple's Remote app is falling over as this I think requires a wireless connection to the machine running the iTunes app. The having to disable and enable the network card to get iTunes streaming doesn't sound good though.

Just to check if I'm getting this right, desktop is connected into the BT HomeHub with a wired connection, meaning the streaming to the Airport Express is wired to the HomeHub, then wireless to the Airport Express - is this right? Whereas the laptop is wireless all the way i.e. wireless to the HomeHub and thus wireless direct to the Airport Express?

 

[EarsEarsEars]

Hi Prof, yes, that sounds right. Ethernet cable to BT Homehub, then wireless to Airport Express.

Interesting what you say about the Network card requirement for Apple Remote. The desktop doesn't have one of its' own, and I have tried to use a Belkin USB Wireless adaptor so that the Desktop is connected to the wireless network as it's own device rather than being masked by the BT Homehub, but while it finds the wireless network easily, it won't actually connect and gives up after x seconds trying.

Hmmm...

 

[professorhat]

EarsEarsEars:while it finds the wireless network easily, it won't actually connect and gives up after x seconds trying.

Got all the wireless network security settings okay?

 

[EarsEarsEars]

I thought so, but might try again tonight. I think this may be why my Vista machine can't see my XP and vice versa...

 

[EarsEarsEars]

professorhat:

Does the desktop have a wireless network card? I think this is might be where Apple's Remote app is falling over as this I think requires a wireless connection to the machine running the iTunes app. The having to disable and enable the network card to get iTunes streaming doesn't sound good though.

Prof, you rock the party. You were absolutely spot on on two fronts - the desktop had to be running as it's own wireless device for the Apple Remote to identify it, so I pursued the usb wireless network adaptor option, then found that the desktop was on XP service pack 2 - which requires a wireless networking update patch to sort out some internal network settings.

Now I have music in my lounge, streamed wirelessly from lossless files stored on a PC in my office with no screen required, all controlled from the iPhone in my hand.

GADGETASTIC!

Cheers fer the tips, fella.

 

[professorhat]

Awesome! I have to admit, I really didn't think it would be as simple as that, what with wireless networks and all, but I'm very glad it was!

Enjoy!