Hey /r/Kodi, I’m new to the scene and need a little help getting set up. I just got a HTPC from a coworker and immediately started playing with Kodi. I like the customization available and my wife will be happy to control it with an app on her iPhone. I want to use an app that will work on her iPhone and on my android with one catch. I use VPN software that keeps me from connecting to the PC. I’m sure it can be done but I have little understanding of how the VPN works other than it keeps me from getting letters from my ISP. What should I search to find out how to bypass the VPN and get my phones to talk to Kodi?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. When the VPN is connected an encrypted channel is created between your computer and an external server. In some setups, this seems to be the case for you, all traffic is routed through the VPN then out to the world. In this situation the computer is effectively not connected locally, but at site of the remote server. Which in your case is intentionally mixing traffic to hide it from authorities.
So you can’t connect because the computer isn’t connected locally. The only easy way out is to turn off the VPN when you want to use the phone. The other option is to selectively bypass the tunnel which is a pretty complicated thing to do.
Why does your VPN prevent you connecting to the PC if you’re on the same local network. I use Kodi and a VPN and I can still use my Yatse remote just fine.
Are you sure the VPN is what is causing it? Have you disabled your VPN and tested it without.
You can do this and not compromise your security because of NAT. Basically 192.168 and 10...* etc. are reserved for local LANs it’s a form of protection and is why I can use my VPN one one or both of my devices and not have any problems. [Edit - when I say “you can do this” I mean you can have your VPN configured for external traffic only and not compromise your privacy thanks to NAT, and I do not mean that NAT somehow provides privacy of external connections so you don’t really need a VPN… you need a VPN]
There are settings that could interfere, but you should be able to fix that. There are also firewall and settings that need to be set up correctly to allow the connections to be made.
[Edit- also since we’ve now established that your VPN is not a factor in preventing you from using a wifi control. We need more information about your setup. OS and VPN service should be good enough to start]
you might try something like this from an administrative command line:
route add 192.168.0.0 mask 255.255.0.0 192.168.1.1
I had to make some assumptions. There’s not really enough information to answer your question, but if you don’t do routing there’s no reason for you to know what information was needed to begin with :). Basically what we are telling your computer is “If you are trying to send data to a machine that starts with “192.168” then send that over to the router directly instead of going through the VPN.”
The biggest assumption is the last IP address. Most home routers use 192.168.1.1 as their IP address. Some use 192.168.0.1. Either way, that IP address should be the one for your router.
Type that into the command line. See if you can get to your PC now. Also, on the PC, go to something like www.whatismyip.com and make sure your VPN is still working.
If it doesn’t work, reboot. The change will be lost on a reboot.
If it does work, then do this to make it permanent:
route delete 192.168.0.0
route -p add 192.168.0.0 mask 255.255.0.0 192.168.1.1
The first command will clear out the temporary one we put in (probably not necessary). The second one adds the “-p” to the command making it a permanent part of your computer’s routing table.
Existing remote + flirc.TV. Done
I really can’t give a lot of advice because home networks can be so varied, but the term for what I believe you are trying to set up is a “Split Tunnel” VPN. Split Tunnel VPNs send certain traffic over the VPN and other designated traffic over the local network.
Hmm. I was thinking I could connect to the outside world through the VPN and have a local connection open within my house. Again, not sure I’m using the right terms but you get the idea. Doesn’t sound like it’s going to work. My VPN is PIA using their own client.
The easiest solution is to buy an air mouse remote from Amazon or Ebay. You should be able to get one for around $10-15.
I’m on windows 7 using PIA through their own client. I will look into NAT a little more. Call me lazy but I really don’t want to spend 6 hours on Google getting an associates in Computer Stuff, although I may just have to. When I get home I’ll try it on my wife’s iPhone to see if there’s any difference.
I can still use my Yatse remote just fine.
how?? I have to disconnect my phone from the vpn to access local area connections too, how did you set up yatsee/your phone’s vpn? (my problem is on my phone end, not pc)
what’s your vpn app?
Wonderful. This seems like the simplest solution, I will give this a shot when I get out of work. You’re the man /u/ibn4n
No luck with this. I tried manually setting up Kore using 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.0 and 255.255.0.0 and it couldn’t find the server with any of them. I may have to go with a remote via dongle…
You can do exactly what you’re asking. I know this because I have the exact same setup and PIA … what is your operating system. I use linux for my Kodi box.
That’s really not a good idea. Using an actual remote with Kodi really enhances the user experience and doing a simple Google search and spending 30 minutes to an hour for an extremely novice, but somewhat tech savvy individual to flip a few bits here and there is quite easy and would prove to be a much better overall solution.
I have a wireless mouse and keyboard but I have the PC set up to boot right to Kodi and if I want to play a game or something I close it and bust out the peripherals.
You may be able to try this http://www.nextofwindows.com/how-to-use-local-internet-connection-to-access-internet-while-still-connected-with-vpn/
Okay that’s awesome I’m looking into the windows settings now. I see there is PPTP and OpenVPN… which configuration did you choose?
I’m sorry it didn’t work out. That should have done the trick, but I don’t know how your VPN software is interacting with the routing table. It is possible it is monitoring the routing table and removing the entry.
Just to be sure, though, you didn’t change the IP address/subnet mask on the Kodi box itself, right? And did you enter this command on the Kodi machine?
The IP addresses and subnet mask in the command don’t refer to the IP address or subnet mask on the Kodi machine itself. It isn’t the easiest to explain without getting into how routing tables work too much, but the “192.168.0.0 mask 255.255.0.0” is just how we tell it which IP addresses we are interested in. The 192.168.0.0 part gives the bits that we are trying to match, and the 255.255.0.0 tells it which parts to ignore (in our case, we are ignoring the 0.0… so it will only match destination IPs that start with 192.168).
It may also help to know that the problem you are having is most likely a bit different than you’re imagining. Your phone isn’t having any trouble getting to the Kodi machine. It’s just that the Kodi machine can’t respond (because the response is going through the VPN).
Hope this helps. If not, then the remote is a good alternative. I use a CEC adapter, myself. It allows me to use the remote for my TV to control Kodi. (Has some extra niceties such as being able to turn the Kodi box off when the TV shuts off, etc.) https://www.pulse-eight.com/p/104/usb-hdmi-cec-adapter
You sir have the right idea. I’ve done some searching and still haven’t been able to figure out what to search for to find my answer.
I’m thinking of something like this. Admittedly, you don’t get the library management you do with an app, but it’s preferable to a bulky keyboard and separate mouse cluttering up the place.