Problem browsing subnets

Question

How do I get Ranger Remote Control to browse across multiple Subnets?

Symptoms

If you are running Ranger Remote Control across multiple TCP/IP Subnets; you may find that machines on different subnets do not appear after a "browse".

Resolution

In this case you will need to configure Ranger Remote Control to use the additional subnets when performing a browse of the Network

Instructions

From the Remote Control Tutor application, select the School Configuration file menu.

Select the Connectivity tree item.

Click on the settings button. enter the additional subnets. Use the .255 address to specify the browse address.

Example

10.0.1.255 (The local subnet address)

10.0.2.255 (Another available subnet address)

You can also specify individual IP Addresses.

Example
10.0.1.23
10.0.1.24

Click OK to finish. The Remote Control application will then re-initialise

NOTE: It is vital that you include your own Subnet or you will no longer be able to browse across your own network.

Browsing over different subnets is performed by sending a broadcast packet to all IP addresses on the subnet. This is physically achieved via UDP ports 5405 and 7445.

If your network uses layer 3 switches to implement a VLAN then it is likely that broadcast packets are blocked by default. This is the standard configuration for such networks, but will need modifying if Ranger Remote Control and other applications that use broadcast packets are to work. Please consult your network supplier for information about this.

The following freeware application can be used to check whether UDP traffic is passing between subnets and ports:

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/tdimon.shtml

To test, install the product on three machines with Remote Control Installed; two in the same subnet and one in another subnet.

Set them all logging TCP & UDP traffic and on one of the two machines in the same subnet start Ranger Remote Control Tutor and instigate a browse for clients.

After it has finished browsing, stop the logging on all three machines and save the outputs.

Import these in turn into Excel (or similar) and use the Data Filter Autofilter to filter the list to entries in the "TCP:Connection obj" column that include "UDP*".

This will idetify UDP datagrams sent and received by each machine. You should be able to see all UDP and TCPIP traffic. If no UDP datagrams are received by the machine on the different subnet, then the network is blocking them somewhere.

Testing

Browse to a RRC client on another subnet