Old 08-14-2019, 11:22 PM   #1
EManBass
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Default Web Browser Interface "Unauthorized"

I just had a nightmare show situation (well, sorta), and I'm starting to think I don't understand the Web Browser Interface setup that well. There was an easy workaround to today's mess and I actually got to a place where something worked, but I worked a lot to get this to fulfill my necessities and now I question the things I thought I knew.

For the past few months, I have been able to use a Midas MR18 as a live mixer and audio interface, connected to an external 5G router; and a laptop running Reaper, running ethernet into the router, too, all happily into one network. The laptop obviously taking a USB from the Midas. Then I use a tablet running the Midas software and the Reaper WBI to start and stop the recordings, arm and disarm tracks, etc. In the tablet I have browser links on the main screen that take me directly to the WBI of whatever I need, whether it's the headphone mix for someone I'm recording at home (or myself), the Reaper control for my home's setup, or the control for the Laptop. I also have a link that simply goes to rc.reaper.fm in case one of the IP addresses changes for whatever reason, so I simply insert the ID of that WBI when prompted (never password). It's been BEAUTIFUL.

Now, I just got a new Surface 2-in-1 so I can stop carrying my awesome laptop (it's a gaming laptop, pretty powerful, pretty darn heavy). I figured I can perhaps connect the Surface wirelessly to the router since there is no ethernet port on it, while keeping the Midas going ethernet in. I tried it last night at home but with my home's network (with internet connection, since my router was already at today's gig location) and it worked right away, wirelessly. I was controlling Reaper on my Surface with my tablet, both connected to my home's wi-fi. I tried it again at work before heading to my gig, with the wi-fi internet connection there. Everything was good.

Then I got to the gig and the Midas (via router) and tablet are talking to each other happily. I connect the Surface to the router's wi-fi (no internet in this case, its only function is to let me connect all things together to be controlled from the tablet) and I'm getting prompted for a username and password, something I have NEVER set up for these WBI's. I check on Reaper, and there are no passwords for this only instance of the interface, but the URL I get says "http/1.0.401 unauthorized". I had added all the exceptions I needed to the firewall the previous night and that's how I was getting it to work just fine, but I was still going back and forth checking my settings and testing again. I still brought my laptop just in case, and I tried to connect wirelessly with it too, but I got the same result. Went back to the Surface and tried putting in the IP address manually instead (so no rc.reaper.fm, and therefore no fancy ID to enter) and it WORKED! The show itself went great, but I had 11 mics to setup on stage while dealing with this, the musicians were looking at me wondering why I'm sweating so much, and this really triggered some anxiety I did not need.

Now, I'm back home trying the router I used at the gig vs my home's wi-fi connection, and still, same results, with internet connection it's all good; without internet connection, no luck. I also just tried my laptop goin WIRED into the router, and no luck. But it works, too, if I put the IP in manually. This never happened, I never had issues with it. I know this sounds more like my router went crazy and nothing to do with Reaper, but I was wondering if any of you has had this issue, and what did you do about it. Or simply, what the heck am I missing. Did I simply get lucky all this time and was getting away with something that wasn't supposed to happen?

Thanks!
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Old 09-14-2019, 06:15 AM   #2
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My router didn't go crazy. This is either Reaper not connecting to the web interface, or my computers, 3 of them, preventing Reaper from connecting.

I was doing a voiceover session yesterday on my desktop and wanted to control Reaper via web interface on a tablet. This is the first time I actually try it on my desktop since the issue with my Surface and laptop at that show. This time it didn't connect at all, wether I put the code names on rc.reaper.fm or type in the IP address directly. Doing this voiceover was a nightmare, I had to record all in one shot and edit out all the bad takes later, when instead I should have been starting and canceling bad takes.

Any suggestions? The biggest change I've done recently is switching from Avira Antivirus to the native Windows Defender. But again, this worked great last time I was testing before the show =(
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Old 09-15-2019, 04:10 AM   #3
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When there is no wifi router, use 'wifi direct'. One possible solution.
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Old 09-15-2019, 05:26 AM   #4
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I suspect the problem is the network, not Reaper's web interface.

The Midas MR18 has an onboard router. Was that one disabled?

It reads like you might possibly have two networks, with two DHCP servers handing out ip's. Funny stuff happens when you have two of those, unless they both have been configured to handle their own range.

The DNS server might also be missing if you run the network without something replacing it. That means your clients (Surface, tablet, laptop...) don't know domain names, as there is no service to translate to ip numbers.

By "browser links", you mean "bookmarks", I suppose?

There's a Reaper service that provides live linking to ip's as long as you are connected to a working internet? Do you use that?
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Old 09-19-2019, 03:58 PM   #5
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Sorry this will be wordy and confusing, but I will try to be as accurate as I can with this information.

Thank you both for your responses. I am using a WIFI router that has no internet connection, it its only used to control the Midas mixer and Reaper from a tablet. This way I can run the live show, AND monitor the recording progress in Reaper (I can't listen to it of course but at least I could see if Reaper has stopped, in which case I'd run to where the mixer and computer are and see what has happened [nothing has ever happened, all shows have been great]). It has worked flawlessly in the past.

cyrano, I have the WIFI in the Midas disabled since I am hard-wiring it into the router for more stable connection. I'm using the 5G network anyways, so I have to wire it in order to work (the Midas's internal router only supports 2.4GHz).

By "links" I mean the rc.reaper.fm + ID addresses you can setup, so instead of an IP address you go to rc.reaper.fm and type in the ID, such as "headphones" for headphone mixes resulting in an address such as "http://rc.reaper.fm/headphones" and similar. Yes, you can bookmark those, but in my experience, sometimes the IP addresses linked to those URL's change in the network and Reaper will try to see the old one saved in the system (I assume it's part of the whole DHCP setup in the network). So lately, instead of bookmarking the URL's with the ID's altogether, I just go to rc.reaper.fm and type in the ID's directly which will look for that ID regardless if the IP has changed or not.

Here's where I am at right now:

- On my Surface, if I double-click one of the web control items and, inside of it, I check the box that says "Use rc.reaper.fm" and then click "Apply settings", I will get the "http/1.0.401 unauthorized" message on the "Access URL" field and I am unable to connect to it unless I enter the IP address manually on the browser - rc.reaper.fm with ID's won't work, bookmarked or not. If I uncheck that box, I get the IP address on the "Access URL" field, i.e. "http://192.168.1.2:8085", and putting that address on the search field of my tablet's browser connects me to Reaper, just as when I check the darn box.

- On my desktop, checking or unchecking the box give me both the rc.reaper.fm + ID and IP address URL's, without any "unauthorized" message. However, none of them will connect no matter what I do. IP address or reaper.fm + ID, nothing works.

=(
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Old 09-19-2019, 04:12 PM   #6
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web interface... can't say I love it myself but understand it can be handy

at the same time I wonder if you might try a free remote tools called

AnyDesk..... not sure if it works on the tablet but I think it can

AnyDesk.com
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Old 09-20-2019, 12:16 AM   #7
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I'm using webremote in my studio, never had any such problems. I always use internal IP-numbers for access.

The problems you describe looks like some IP-leases are expiring, resulting in some equipment getting different IP-numbers than before. From your description I get that you are running your own little LAN in each case (live and studio), the first things to check is to see if you have actually setup fixed leases for every piece of equipment linked to your network.

You use a WIFI router for the live setup; those kind of (consumer) routers are notorious for having limited firmware, in most cases ditching the option for fixed leases. In that case you might simply disable the DHCP-service in the router and enter fixed IP-numbers in each linked equipment. You might have to dig deep in Windows for that setting, but the Midas probably has a menu option somewhere to set it.

One other thing; http/1.0.401 isn't a correctly formatted IP-number (255 is the highest number and up to 254 is used in most cases, IPv4 needs 4 parts instead of three). This kind of messages can indicate something doesn't get/have a valid IP-number at all.
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Old 09-20-2019, 04:47 AM   #8
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What make and model is that router you're using?

Some routers stop routing when the WAN doesn't have an internet connection. And that can happen hours after you pulled the plug.

You can't use the rc.reaper.fm connection without internet. I've never tried over LTE. That should work, but some LTE connections have more weirdness than others.

I noticed that erroneous http: ip too, but supposed it was a typo. Is it?
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Old 09-20-2019, 10:01 AM   #9
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What cyrano said, rc.reaper.fm is on the net and it simply facilitates getting your local IP for you. That will never work without an internet connection so if you are in a live club you need to set it up manually - personally in that scenario, I'd hard code the router and surface IPs etc. and not use DHCP (or use reservations at minimum if allowed in the router). This way, you always know the IP for each device - I'd even use console tape and physically write the IP on each device.

The 401.1 could be from a couple places, it could be the router itself or other device since there is no working gateway. Install wireshark, take a network trace during a repro and send to me and I can tell you where the 401 is coming from. If Reaper defaults to 8080, there's a chance you hit the router's management interface and that sent the 401.
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Old 09-21-2019, 04:28 PM   #10
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I think we're confounding internet connection with network connection. You can have a network connection without internet that can still be used to transfer files and data and, like in my case, to control other devices. Just like when you create a Dante network: there is no internet, but there is still a network. As a matter of fact, my home's wireless internet connection through which I am also sending this message is the one that won't let my tablet connect to and control Reaper on my desktop.

The router that I use for my shows, a Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 R7000, is never ever used for internet access, and that's the one I can use with my Dell laptop or Surface along with my tablet ONLY if I type in the IP address on the tablet.

I am in the middle of a bunch of things, but I will 100% look into all the options you are all describing. However, I am more and more convinced that this is due to me switching to Windows Defender from a 3rd party antivirus. I just tried, for the sake of giggles and sanity, to connect to my desktop's Reaper via the same desktop using the Web Browser Interface, using the same network (with internet access) that my tablet is unable to for this task - I can surf through all of the internets out there with the tablet while on this internet network but, when it comes to Reaper web control, I get a middle finger. It worked right away from within the same desktop so I assume Reaper is fine, the web thing isn't broken and, therefore, this must be Windows Defender not recognizing my tablet as a friendly device.
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Old 09-21-2019, 10:24 PM   #11
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I'm not conflating the two. You can't use rc.reaper.fm without an internet connection, period - and will have to use the IP address instead. Like I explained, set it up with dedicated IPs and it will always work - the only other issue you'll have is if you are changing routers/setups then you'll have to account for that.

There may be other info I didn't read, the posts are too long so I skimmed, so sorry if I missed some other point - either way, rc.reaper.fm isn't gonna happen without the internet because it lives on a cockos server... on the internet.

Regarding defender, its possible but it should just deny the connection with a reset packet (firewalls don't reply with a 401/www-authenticate header). It should have asked the very first time Reaper.exe tried to access the internet/network but it didn't or was missed then there is no rule to allow reaper out. You can fix that by adding a firewall inbound rule for reaper.exe for the remote device and an outbound rule for rc.reaper.fm if/when you use the internet.
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Old 09-23-2019, 09:19 AM   #12
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Karbomusic, thank you for insisting and challenging me on this. This past week has been insanely frustrating: on the day after my 2nd post on this thread I accidentally left my Midas in a train heading out of town. I was bringing all the equipment involved in this setup to keep working on this issue while I took some days off. By now, with police report and transit authority report also filed, I'm giving up on finding it. So both my memory of events during the shows and the problems I faced with it, and my way of understanding and explaining things has been affected.

Seems like you are right, there is no way to use the ID's without internet access. I say "seems" because I am still unable to remember every detail of how I initially setup everything. Did I do it all with my home's wifi/internet connection? Probably, and that would explain the following: At home, while setting this up, I got the ID's and everything working and then, once the Web Interface was open, I would bookmark that page on my tablet, and even create a browser link on my tablet's "desktop" to access it easily. Then I would go to a show, tap on that shortcut/bookmark and the thing would freak out, give me a weird message but on the URL type field I would see the IP address it tried to access. When I went into the Reaper preferences I would see the IP address had changed. So I would then only change the number(s) that differed and I was in business. It was until very recently that, instead of the IP it tried to but failed to connect, it shows "http/1.0.401 unauthorized". That's why I freaked out on that show, because until now I was able to see the "bad" IP address and alter it, and everything was good. It seems like something was broken now, but then typing the IP directly works just fine. So, why it worked fine-ish before but not now? No idea, but it works. I'm ok with this arrangement now that I know better.

At home, I'm 100% convinced it's Windows Defender messing with me. I changed the network to private SOOOOO many times, and it kept changing it back to public until the day it stopped doing it and remained private. I'm granting Firewall access only to private networks, so after deleting and starting over all my access permissions, I realized that the connection would work (via rc.reaper.fm + ID, because I have internet access at home) only when I granted permissions via public networks, which was very clear what was happening: the stupid network type changed back to public on my desktop. It's a Windows problem at home, and it drove me insane. I'll keep an eye on it.
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Old 09-23-2019, 09:48 AM   #13
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Excellent, glad you are making at least some progress.
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Old 09-23-2019, 10:08 AM   #14
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Could be Windows Defender. I like Landrovers better

But, seriously. You definitely can use Reaper's web control without internet. You just need a static network. That's not to say you can't do it with DHCP, it's just much harder to set up.

I've got wireless for internet. That leaves the ethernet port free.

On the ethernet, there's a second (cabled) network. Every device on there, has had it's ip set manually. An example:

- My Mac, that runs the browser has been set to 10.0.1.1.
- The controlled Mac (with Reaper running the web server) gets set to 10.0.1.2
- The next device gets set to 10.0.1.3 and so on.

The only thing that's different, is I need to type the ip in the browser, like: http://10.0.1.2:5009

And that setup never changes, because it's static. With DHCP it changes with order of power-up and location (other router).

If I need internet on one of the devices on the static network, I just switch on ICS (Internet connection sharing) and tell it to share the Wifi over ethernet.

Especially for live work, I don't like DHCP servers too much. Even if you can do DHCP with static ip's too. I like to keep it simple...
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Old 09-23-2019, 10:22 AM   #15
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As far as keeping things simple, the reaper interface tells what the IP is FWIW, so just make sure to use that so that even if DHCP hands out a new one, it will be there.

Still though, need to confirm that there is an incoming allow firewall rule for Reaper.exe on the machine running reaper:



Click next then choose "allow connection".


To get to the firewall Start > Run > mf.msc

rc.reaper.fm is really nothing more than a poorman's DNS service where the "domain name" is what you enter in reaper and reaper.rc.fm just keeps a table with Name | IP that it returns to the client, handy, useable, simple but it's as easy to just walk over and enter the http://ip : port manually. <-- there shouldn't be spaces there, I'm stopping the auto-emoji from screwing things up.
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Old 10-07-2019, 06:30 AM   #16
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Just came back here to say I know nothing about networks, but I will try to make it static. Any suggestions on where to start, and what to look for?

As of now, everything is working without an issue, and Windows is behaving by not messing with my network assignments. Haven't had a gig since last time and I have only been testing at home. Will keep doing so this week and then on Friday on an actual session, a pipe organ recording.

Thank you all!
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