Boinc view, do I need it?

[Firechicken]

Guys after reading through the faq's and some other sites I'm a little confused about checking in on my Boinc clients remotly through my network. I set this up on an old machine once and I just use the select computer option from within my boinc client.

I have seen a couple methods 1 using the auth_gui something or other file, and one using the remote hosts config file, and then Boinc view.

Is Boinc view a MUST have to do this?

All I want to be able to do is select a computer from within my current boinc application via the drop down menu. I for the life of me don't ever remember having to use boinc view. That was a long time ago and maby I did use it.

[[XC] mysticmerlin]

If you want to use it that way then yes you will need boinc view or similar. I just check my stats each night after the 9pm EST update and make sure each of the 5 reported that day. Mac + Boinc View is no go so I can't help you on this.
Hope that helps.

[stoneageman]

You can use the drop down menu in Boinc but you need to create and add a remote_hosts.cfg file to the Boinc data folder (the one which has the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file) in your remote cruncher. This file should just contain the ip address of your local cruncher.
Make a note of the password in the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file or change it to something else. You will need this to log in.
The Boinc data folder of the remote cruncher will need file sharing enabled as well. You might have to reboot to get it all working.
If you have several crunchers, then use BoincTasks (http://www.efmer.eu/boinc/boinc_tasks/download.html) :up:

[Rob_B]

I don't use BoincView. I use the "select computer" option in Boinc Manager.
All I did was change the password on the in the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file to something easier to remember. And added the IP address in the remote_hosts.cfg files on both PC's. (each needs to have the IP from the other)

EDIT: It took me way to long to post this :)

[D_A]

I don't use BoincView. I use the "select computer" option in Boinc Manager.
All I did was change the password on the in the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file to something easier to remember. And added the IP address in the remote_hosts.cfg files on both PC's. (each needs to have the IP from the other)

EDIT: It took me way to long to post this :)

That's what I do, except it's only the remote machine that needs the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file. In other words, the machine you're using to access the others doesn't need it. For this method you don't need file sharing enabled, either.
For BOINCview, though, you do need file sharing and any network protocols installed to get that to work. To my way of thinking, if it only take you a minute or two to get through your whole farm using the BOINC manager internal tools then you don't need BOINCview. If you have more than five machines then it could be an advantage.

[SiGfever]

I have used it for years and really like it's ease of use.

[Lu523]

I have used it for years and really like it's ease of use.

+1 on boincview. I use it to keep an eye on my small farm.

[D_A]

I just decided to have a play with it.
Had to install Wine in Ubuntu before running Boincview (Wine is a compatibility layer that lets you run SOME windows programs under Linux, I installed v1.3 direct from the producers)
BV is quite nice, but combined with Wine it soaks up a full core on it's own so I won't be leaving it running.

[Firechicken]

OK thanks for the help it's always apreciated. I had a look (I'm using win7_64 and 64 bit boinc btw) in my program files under the boinc folder and I don't see any GUI_rpc files, or no remote hosts config files either. I was trying to have a look around in case boinc hides those in common files or another area. I guess I have to create them myself? or maby I just missed them somewhere. Everything is in XML format, theres only about 3 .txt files and none of them are the gui or remote hosts cfg's.

I'm sure it's got to be hid in a different directory? i'm brand new to windows 7.

Does boinc view show everything at once, maby sort of shows you all your machines you have setup without having to jump from one to the next then? I only have 3 machines so I think using boinc's built in will be ok for now, but I will be adding to my farm in a few months.

[Firechicken]

You can use the drop down menu in Boinc but you need to create and add a remote_hosts.cfg file to the Boinc data folder (the one which has the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file) in your remote cruncher. This file should just contain the ip address of your local cruncher.
Make a note of the password in the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file or change it to something else. You will need this to log in.
The Boinc data folder of the remote cruncher will need file sharing enabled as well. You might have to reboot to get it all working.
If you have several crunchers, then use BoincTasks (http://www.efmer.eu/boinc/boinc_tasks/download.html) :up:

OK, yeah I thought from what I read that i was going to have to create the remotehosts.cfg file. But your saying I should be seeing in my main boinc directory the gui_rpc_cfg file somewhere? I'm not seeing that anywhere, a search finds nothing via the search of C drive or folder. Looked on my vista machine and the same thing. I'm not sure what to do.

I did not install boinc as a service on any of my machines (I don't know why) maby that has something to do with it?

I'll have a look at Boinc tasks, and boinc view, I've not heard of the firtst one.

[D_A]

Ok, here's the rub. This is the same for any operating system:

On your REMOTE machine find or create a file called remote_hosts.cfg in the BOINC data directory. In that file put the IP address of the LOCAL host. (local = the one you're using to access the other one, remote = the other one). Next find or create a file in the same directory called gui_rpc_auth.cfg This file has the password needed for a remote host to access the client (this time "remote" means any machine other than the one the file is on). You don't NEED a password in there for it to work, you just need the file. The password can be anything you like, just make sure you restart the client after you change it for the change to take effect. Personally I block the control port in my router so I don't have to worry about the password.

[Firechicken]

Thanks DA, Got it, yeah I knew I had to more then likely create the Remotehosts, and of course all on the remote machine lol, but it was the gui_rpc file that was throwing me way off, I was paniking when I couldn't find it, and started thinking about reinstalling. (my name afterall is do everything twice mike LOL) Anyways I should now have it up this morning, thanks for the help. That little tid bit might be worth having in the everything you neeed to know about boinc sticky, that if thier not there, just create them both.

I'll be up to 4 machines by the time snow flys and 5 in january, so I might start thinking about boincview, but for now I just wanted to pop in on my machines from time to time and actually learn how this all works again.

Cheers.

[DAK1640]

On medium size farms BoincView is great...:up:

[Kingcarcas]

Medium sized? *Heart Attack*

[Lu523]

Damn Goose. That makes my small farm look like a flower pot.

[SiGfever]

Damn Goose. That makes my small farm look like a flower pot.

Flower pot, hell mine looks like three grains of sand. :eek:

[D_A]

Is it just me or is this water REALLY cold?

[my87csx481]

Ok, here's the rub. This is the same for any operating system:

On your REMOTE machine find or create a file called remote_hosts.cfg in the BOINC data directory. In that file put the IP address of the LOCAL host. (local = the one you're using to access the other one, remote = the other one). Next find or create a file in the same directory called gui_rpc_auth.cfg This file has the password needed for a remote host to access the client (this time "remote" means any machine other than the one the file is on). You don't NEED a password in there for it to work, you just need the file. The password can be anything you like, just make sure you restart the client after you change it for the change to take effect. Personally I block the control port in my router so I don't have to worry about the password.

I followed this to the letter but, boinc manager just keeps trying to connect to the remote computer without success.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[D_A]

Ok, using BOINC manager, click on Advanced > Select Computer, then in the little window that pops up click in the top box labelled "Hostname" and put the IP address of the host you want to contact in. If you have some kind of DNS system for your local network then you can use the actual host names but otherwise use the IP address.
In the next box put the password you assigned to the host you're trying to contact. If you left the gui_rpc_auth.cfg blank then you don't need a password.

If you're doing it like that and still having troubles say so, coz it will require more thinking.

[my87csx481]

That's how I did it....so more thinking?:shrug:

Local is XPx64, remote is 7x64. I'm at work now. I'll try again later, when I'm at home.

[D_A]

Are they both on the same sub-net? Do you have any trouble seeing the remote machine in Network Places from your local machine?

There's another thought, make sure the Windows Firewall has a hole in it for the BOINC manager.

[Firechicken]

On medium size farms BoincView is great...:up:


Sweet Farm Dak! :eek: If thats a medium sized farm, WTF is mine? LOL. Thanks for the screen shot, I have been wondering what BV would look like and how it worked.

According to what DA said earlier about having to have File sharing and stuff enabled for BV shouldn't be a problem for me, seems I got that sorted when I got my file server connected to me network last night, so I might still try it out.

I still am going to learn to get the other meathod working too.

[my87csx481]

Are they both on the same sub-net? Do you have any trouble seeing the remote machine in Network Places from your local machine?

There's another thought, make sure the Windows Firewall has a hole in it for the BOINC manager.

Yes, same sub-net, no trouble seeing/sharing in "network places".

I'll have to make sure there is a "hole" in the firewall....this is most likely the problem.

[werdwerdus]

i think it's port 31416