Lookout 6.5 clients not connecting to server

[JPhillips]

I just completed upgrading my primary and secondary servers to Lookout 6.5 from Lookout 6.2. I still have a number of clients out there running Lookout 6.2, and they are working fine.

However, the secondary which is running 6.5 development and one other new computer which is running 6.5 web client are not able to connect to the primary server (red Xs everywhere). Both machines are running Windows XP SP3, and the windows firewall is off on both machines.

On the secondary, I can ping the primary, and in object explorer I can get to the process file on the primary, but when I click on it, I get the hour glass and then nothing (same thing goes when I try to access symbolic link in the client process).

I have already uninstalled and reinstalled Lookout 6.5 once.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[JPhillips]

Also, when looking in NIMax on my secondary server (PRIMARY2), there are 2 databases. (see attachment) 

[Ryan.S]

Use the TagMonitor to test the communication.

National Instruments\Shared\TagMonitor\TagMonitor.exe

Try both computer name and the ip address.

If the TagMonitor doesn't work, the problem is the Logos communication between two computers is blocked. Usually it is blocked by firewall.

[JPhillips]

I did as you recommended and the tag monitor did not work. Since I have the windows firewall disabled on my machines, I decided to look at the ports on the primary server using the netstat command. I have 3 computers, other than the primary server, running Logos 5.1 rather than Logos 5.0. This is important because as you can see in the attachment, the computers that are running the newer version of Logos (whether with 6.2 or 6.5) are having a problem with port usage. When ports associated with these computers go in to the "CLOSE_WAIT" state, my problems begin on the primary server and the 3 other computers running Logos 5.1. On my primary server I cannot access the network link in Object Explorer and when I shut Lookout down on the primary server, Lookout hangs. If I open Lookout on the the primary server and then shut it down before I get any CLOSE_WAIT states, Lookout does not hang. The only way to get rid of these "CLOSE_WAIT" states is to shut Lookout down on the server. On the three computers running Logos 5.1, I cannot access my symbolic links nor the network link. Also, these 3 computers show the "CLOSE_WAIT" state on the ports they are using to connect to the primary server. Also, these CLOSE_WAIT states appear to accumulate over time on the primary server for the ports being used by Logos 5.1. From researching the CLOSE_WAIT state on the internet, this state is caused by the application in question, i.e., Logos. I do not see this state occurring on any other ports associated with clients running Lookout 6.2 with Logos 5.0. Information on my server: Dell Precision 690 Mini-Tower Quad Core Xeon Proc E5345 2.33GHz, 2 X 4MB L2 Cache 1333MHz , 4GB RAM Help!! Thanks!

[Ryan.S]

We have done some tests, but didn't see the same behaviour. We didn't see the CLOSE_WAIT and the connection was always good...

The problem looks like the firewall or security issue. But we have not figured it out.

Could you try netstat -b again? This displays the application name with the port. I just want to make sure that those connections are all from lookout.exe.

As you said you have a secondary computer and another web client computer, Could you try the connection between these two computers?

If possible, please uninstall all NI products on the web client computer, and install 6.2(Logos 5.0). If it is able to connect the primary computer, the problem is related to the Logos 5.1. But if it doesn't work either, I guess the problem is in the OS or security setting.

[JPhillips]

Ryan,

Attached is the netstat data showing that the connections are from lookout.

I already completely removed 6.5 player and reinstalled 6.2 player on one of my clients, and I have no problems connecting to the primary with 6.2 (Logos 5.0).

And as I mentioned before, this same client had 6.5 and 6.2 player installed at the same time, and when I uninstalled 6.5 because I was having problems, 6.2 would still not work because Logos 5.1 was still installed. Only after I completely removed Lookout from this client and reinstalled 6.2 from scratch (which installed Logos 5.0) did all of my problems go away. This would point to Logos 5.1 being the cause of the problem.

Thanks for any suggestions you may have...

[JPhillips]

Ryan,

Even though I can connect to the Lookout OPC database using server explorer on my server machine, i cannot access any items in the database. I get to the name of my server process in server explorer and no tags come up (see attachment).

Do you need me to send you my server and client files?

[Ryan.S]

upload the .lks file to ftp://ftp.ni.com/incoming.

It looks like the lookout items are not published, just like the remote connection problem.

On this computer, is there any other NI softwares installed besides Lookout 6.5? Is Lookout 6.2 installed?

Try the Tag Monitor on this server computer and connect it locally. I want to know if you are able to see those Lookout items locally.

[JPhillips]

Ryan,

I uploaded the file to the ftp site - it is located in the 'JPhillips_Jeff Parish' folder. I also attached a 'cbx' file in that folder because you may need it to compile.

Lookout 6.5 is the only NI software installed. However, when I first installed 6.5, 6.2 was still installed. Once I installed 6.5 and it ran my server file fine and my 6.2 clients could connect to the server, I uninstalled 6.2. Then, when the problem arose with 6.5 clients not connecting to the server, I uninstalled everything and then reinstalled 6.5 again.

Attached is the error I am getting in Tag Monitor on the server when I try to connect it locally.

Thanks! 

[Ryan.S]

Could you create a new process and add just one pot? And then use the Tag Monitor to watch the new process and see if you still get the error. If it has the same error, the problem is not related to the current process.

Could you try to repaire the Lookout? In Windows Add/Remove Programs. I hope it could fix something if the Logos is not installed well.