iTunes - iPod/iPhone "Remote"

[MilesR]

Hi all

New to the forums (so please go easy on me!)
Have tried a search, but couldn't see an appropriate answer.

Hoping someone might be able to shine some light on a problem I have with iTunes on Windows 7 (RC).

I have 2 iPhones at home (I'm a part-time Apple whore)...and in WinXP (with ZoneAlarm as a software firewall) I was able to get them to work as remotes for iTunes without a problem.

In Win7 I can't get the iPhones to appear in the device list to enter the codes for authentication to use as remotes.

I've tried:
1) Switching the Win7 firewall off completely
2) Switching off the Win7 firewall and installing Comodo firewall (to try and track incoming network requests, since it wasn't overly obvious where this was in the Win7 firewall)
3) Uninstalling and re-installing iTunes (with relevant registry clean and preferences wipe in between)
4) Telling iTunes to "Forget all remotes"

I've proved it isn't the iPhones themselves by opening iTunes on my Macbook and them appearing instantly (when I open the "Remote" app on the iPhone).

Has anyone had a similar problem or any info on where the issue might be?

Thanks in advance!
Miles

 

[Tews]

Hey, and welcome to Se7en Forums!!!

I dont think you're going to find a ready solution to your problem due to the increasing bad blood between MS and Apple... You will have to make a decision .. buy apple, or buy microsoft ... or use a variation of linux which will do what you want....

good luck!

 

[MilesR]

Hey, and welcome to Se7en Forums!!!

Thanks

I dont think you're going to find a ready solution to your problem due to the increasing bad blood between MS and Apple

Not sure it's that mate, but I'd happily be proved wrong by people who have the same issue!

buy apple, or buy microsoft

Isn't it about having the best tool for the job? (And hoping that they all just get along)

 

[ccatlett1984]

are you running windows 7 x64?

 

[MilesR]

are you running windows 7 x64?

Sorry, should have specified that. Had too many problems with the software I use most...so stuck with x86. Plus there's no 64-bit driver for my webcam and I can't be arsed to buy another one

It's a shame since I have 6GB of RAM available to use (if I put the 2 x 1GB sticks in as well as the 2 x 2GB)..but the 32bit version runs pretty well for me.

I'm aware though that there is a 64-bit version of iTunes available.

 

[ccatlett1984]

i was just wondering if the x64 driver for the iphone could have been giving you fits

Windows 7 has some API changes from vista, apple will probablely have to release a patch/new version of the driver for the remote functions to work properly. I would expect to see that soon, since win7 has RTM'd.

 

[sweatymongoose]

I've had the exact problem in Vista and now in 7. Never have found a solution. Using two Ipod touches, both will connect to a laptop on the same wifi network, yet neither will will show up on my main desktops device list. I gave up on this a long time ago. I know that I won't even use the app that often, but just knowing it's not working bugs me. The only explanation I have found (but don't know how to fix) is the port number the remote app uses. When I was setting up a different app "Air Mouse Pro" I could not get the PC Server to accept commands from the app. I read the instructions and was told to lower the port number to below 9999. Changing the default from 15010 to 9991 immediately fixed the problem and the app worked. That's just my theory of it, not sure if it's the real problem or not. If someone knows a way to change the port number used for the remote app, please tell. This was very easy to for "Air Mose Pro" since it was streamlined into the application itself. Apple however, did not include this option.

 

[MilesR]

Interesting that you had the problem in Vista.
One of my friend's has Vista on his laptop and said the remote works fine on that (he's using the standard built in firewall).
So I'd simply assumed it was purely a Win7 issue, now I'm not so sure.

 

[sweatymongoose]

Yea, there are quite a few people who have the problem. A common solution I found for it a while back was turning on the (seemingly unrelated) itunes library sharing on local network. This however didn't work for me either.

 

[shutchin]

In XP, I just resolved my problem with the iTunes Remote. Try going to "Windows Firewall With Advanced Security." Just type that into the XP or 7 search in the Start Menu.

Once there, double click "Inbound Rules" on the left, and double click "Bonjour" (I have two rules for Bonjour, not sure if this is normal)

In the General tab, make sure that "Allow the connections" is checked. The problem I was having was in the "Advanced" tab. For "Profiles" make sure that "All Profiles" is used. Mine was on just Public profiles, which made it so that when I was connected to my home network (a private network), it would not work. There are other settings in these exceptions that might do the trick if this didn't work.

Help this helped.
Shane

 

[MilesR]

Thanks for the reply Shane, unfortunately I don't use the Windows firewall (it's switched off for all network profiles), I'm actually using Comodo's firewall.

 

[JpMaxMan]

Same Problem - Some More Info

Greetings! I have the exact same problem. I have completely turned off windows 7 firewall and I don't have any third party security software installed. In other words, the system should be completely open. I am on the same Wifi netowork w/ my iPhone and Windows 7. When I FIRST launch iTunes, I can get it to work. Try launching itunes and then immediately doing itunes remote on your iphone. I got it to see the device, was able to put in the code, register, see the library.

But, after a minute or two, it can't connect or see the library again. So, I get to start one song or so, then it's gone. If I close itunes again and relaunch, again right after it launches I can connect.

Very strange indeed - any help would be sincerely appreciated.

 

[56ksurfer]

Same Problem here. Even with new iTunes Version (v9) and new iPhone Remote App (v1.3.1)

 

[MilesR]

Even with new iTunes Version (v9) and new iPhone Remote App (v1.3.1)

Yeah, I'd hoped the new version(s) would have resolved it as well.
I guess we just need to wait until the official Win7 release for more users to experience the same issue before it's properly fixed.

 

[56ksurfer]

Any news concerning the issue? Is it a common problem or do it just happens to "some of us"? For me it only works if the remote app is active on my iphone while iTunes is launching. Trying it later again.. no success.
Even a deactivated Firewall (use the build-in from windows) does not help.

 

[JpMaxMan]

Working!

I am not sure if it was a Windows update or if it was upgrading to 3.1 on the iPhone. But, this all the sudden works like a charm. I had sort of given up on it, so I wasn't pay attention to what exactly I updated. All I can say is try applying all the latest and see if it works for you.

 

[nikon858]

For once I don't have a problem everyone else has...running 7x64 and itunes 9 x64...no problems at all...with win firewall active, no other security programs....could it be your router? or was it working with XP?

Prolly a stupid question, but do you have look for ipod/iphone devices ticked off in itunes?

 

[56ksurfer]

thanks for your hints nikon858. With WinVista everything works fine and the "Remote Control"-Switch in iTunes is active I think i will try JpMaxMan s way and willl upgrade to 3.1 when the windows jailbreak comes out.

 

[ofixler]

Hoping someone can help. I am having exactly the same issue under Windows 7.

I am using latest iTunes, iPhone OS, Remote app and Windows Updates but still nothing.

I have tried disabling firewall, AVG Free, installing Bonjour etc.

I cannot get iTunes library sharing to function either...

Any help would be great as I am starting to go nuts!

 

[MilesR]

@ofixler

Unfortunately there's no current help we can provide. However, rest assured that you are not alone with this problem, therefore, I can only assume it will be a fairly common problem (assuming the post above referring to x64 is an anomaly) and will therefore hopefully be fixed when Win7 is officially released.