I have been using SETI@home for several years now, and successfully using BOINC 5.2 for a while. However, all of a sudden I am unable to get a connection. I do not have any firewalls that I have recently put up, nor have I changed any other settings on my computer that may have affected my ability to connect. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, any ideas on how to fix it?

Incidentally, I understand SETI@home is down, so I tried to attach other projects, but BOINC won't let me without being able to establish a connection through BOINC manager.

Thanks in advance.

---

Main question is "can't get a connection" to WHAT? If you're talking about BOINC Manager connecting to the boinc daemon (bottom right corner says "disconnected" instead of "Connected to localhost") then you can go to File menu, Select Computer, leave everything blank, and hit OK. If that fails, there are many more options we can go to, including editing password files, etc.

If the failure to connect is to a project server, we need the messages with the error from the Messages tab.

---

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific. The connection I was referring to is the connection to the boinc daemon. I have done exactly as you said" File menu, Select Computer, leaving everything blank, and hit OK. Still no connection.

As such, there are NO messages from the message tab, as I cannot connect to the boinc daemon.

---

Okay, first, if you are running anything before V5.2.13, you might want to upgrade to that version - it has some fixes for this problem (although I think it broke a couple of other fixes...)

Next we'll have to do some checking and then possibly some file editing. First, quit BOINC completely (File/exit or quit) and make sure no BOINC processes are running (Task Manager, Activity Monitor, top, whatever is appropriate for your OS). Then relaunch BOINC and see if it connects on it's own. If so, chances are it is a Windows startup problem. (If you aren't on Windows, this probably isn't it.) The only fix is to use a third-party utility to launch BOINC "later" in the startup process, or not have it automatically start at all.

If this doesn't work, after BOINC Manager is running, look at the other processes running and see if "boinc.exe" is present. The GUI Manager is "boincmgr.exe". (Those are Windows. Mac versions; "boinc" and "BOINCManager". Don't know about Linux.) If boinc is not running, someone else may have to step in to help. I suspect it will be, but just can't communicate with the Manager.

Next, exit BOINC completely again. Locate the file "gui_rpc_auth.cfg" and use Notepad (or TextEdit) to open it. There is a random string of letters and numbers, followed by a return. Replace that random string with a password you will remember, or if you aren't on a shared network, just erase it. Be sure to leave the return at the end of the line! Save and close this file. Relaunch BOINC. If it doesn't connect, but puts up the "computer and password" box, enter "localhost" for the computer, and the password you picked (or blank) and hit OK.

If it STILL doesn't connect, post back and let us know what it's doing and what you've tried.

---

I am running WinXP and having the exact same problem as described below. I have followed this steps exactly, but still keep getting the Connection Failed message:

"BOINC Manager is not able to connect to a BOINC client. Would you like to try again?"

What's interesting is that I can start the program boinc.exe (the client) manually and then the manager can connect to it. There's a shortcut placed in my startup folder that I would assume should start up the boinc client. In fact, it executes the boinc manager with an option of '/s'.

Perhaps that option is supposed to start the client if it doesn't exist, but that option is somehow not working right?

---

I am having the identical problem and the same workaround. Start boinc.exe via run then start boinc manager and it connects to the client OK.

V5.2.14 went into testing a few days ago with yet another fix for this problem. It didn't pass... hopefully a new version will be available soon.

This is one of those that will drive you crazy. You "find it" and fix it and 1/2 the people are okay - but the other half still have the problem. So you "find another spot" and fix it... and again, 1/2 of the people left still have the problem... repeat... and sometimes the fix for _one_ group, breaks it for a _different_ group...

I have one computer on which every version from 4.45 on (including several 'betas' that never saw daylight) has been fine. Until 5.2.13, where on boot I get the "not connected to localhost" message. Clicking on "OK", doing nothing else, fixes it for me. Yet 5.2.13 has all the _fixes_ for the problem that was plagueing some other users since 5.2.5 or so.

And you wonder why so many developers crack up! :-)

---

Interestly enough, upon reboot, the client program seems to be started just fine for me. Whatever. <shrug>

---

Well, I tried every suggestion, even the newer ones here, and nothing has worked. I have reinstalled boinc a few times now, and no change. When I tried running boinc.exe it says windows can't find it. I can't figure why this would all happen, as I was successfully running this program only days ago. Very frustrating...

---

Latest update for me:

Shortly after my last post, I once again uninstalled boinc, then went in and deleted the file in my Programs file. I then reinstalled 5.2.13 and successfully attached seti@home. I still don't know what caused my problems, but for now it is working again. Thanks for everyone'e help, and I hope that those with the same issues as I had get theirs resolved soon. My only suggestion is to try the same thing as I just did. Good luck.

---

Hi,
It's intersting that my computer cannot find gui_rpc_auth.cfg at all maybe thats the problem its absent.

Okay, first, if you are running anything before V5.2.13, you might want to upgrade to that version - it has some fixes for this problem (although I think it broke a couple of other fixes...)

Next we'll have to do some checking and then possibly some file editing. First, quit BOINC completely (File/exit or quit) and make sure no BOINC processes are running (Task Manager, Activity Monitor, top, whatever is appropriate for your OS). Then relaunch BOINC and see if it connects on it's own. If so, chances are it is a Windows startup problem. (If you aren't on Windows, this probably isn't it.) The only fix is to use a third-party utility to launch BOINC "later" in the startup process, or not have it automatically start at all.

If this doesn't work, after BOINC Manager is running, look at the other processes running and see if "boinc.exe" is present. The GUI Manager is "boincmgr.exe". (Those are Windows. Mac versions; "boinc" and "BOINCManager". Don't know about Linux.) If boinc is not running, someone else may have to step in to help. I suspect it will be, but just can't communicate with the Manager.

Next, exit BOINC completely again. Locate the file "gui_rpc_auth.cfg" and use Notepad (or TextEdit) to open it. There is a random string of letters and numbers, followed by a return. Replace that random string with a password you will remember, or if you aren't on a shared network, just erase it. Be sure to leave the return at the end of the line! Save and close this file. Relaunch BOINC. If it doesn't connect, but puts up the "computer and password" box, enter "localhost" for the computer, and the password you picked (or blank) and hit OK.

If it STILL doesn't connect, post back and let us know what it's doing and what you've tried.

---

It's intersting that my computer cannot find gui_rpc_auth.cfg at all maybe thats the problem its absent.

It _should_ be created automatically if it's not there... you can try creating it yourself...

---

Bill,

I have isolated when the client connection problem occurs.

I have a broadband modem connection for the internet which I normally leave powered on after shutting down the PC for the night.

I have experienced the the client problem over the last week starting on 5.2.8 and again after upgrading to 5.2.13. I noticed in the DOS window a message that the listening port is in use using alternate. Having been a software tester for 15 yrs I then starting exeprimenting. If I leave the modem powered off during startup Boinc manager starts and connect to the client spot on. If I have the modem powered on during startup Boinc Manager fails every time. I then run it manually first starting boinc.exe using 'run' then fire up boinc manager.

Looks like a conflict with ports during startup. Hope this helps you guys who are doing a great job.

Brian

V5.2.14 went into testing a few days ago with yet another fix for this problem. It didn't pass... hopefully a new version will be available soon.

This is one of those that will drive you crazy. You "find it" and fix it and 1/2 the people are okay - but the other half still have the problem. So you "find another spot" and fix it... and again, 1/2 of the people left still have the problem... repeat... and sometimes the fix for _one_ group, breaks it for a _different_ group...

I have one computer on which every version from 4.45 on (including several 'betas' that never saw daylight) has been fine. Until 5.2.13, where on boot I get the "not connected to localhost" message. Clicking on "OK", doing nothing else, fixes it for me. Yet 5.2.13 has all the _fixes_ for the problem that was plagueing some other users since 5.2.5 or so.

And you wonder why so many developers crack up! :-)

---

Looks like a conflict with ports during startup.

Exactly! I'm not one of the devs involved, and don't have time to track everything going on in the developer mailing lists, but I've been trying to follow these discussions... my understanding is that 5.2.14 was to 'retry' the primary port, 1043, rather than immediately falling over to 31416, seeing the same problem (because it wasn't giving enough time) and putting up the "couldn't connect" message. That part worked, but somehow a different area got broken. There are a few people now using 5.2.14, having been pointed to it as a "last resort", and they're happy with it, because the connect part is fixed, and they aren't using the 'broken parts'. The developer involved is at a conference, but Dr. Anderson has advised that a 5.2.15 (or whatever number) should be available for an initial round of alpha testing next week. If you monitor the SETI boards, I'm sure someone will post an announcment of where to get it - this seems to happen every time, even when the version is _not_ ready for release...

The fact that if your modem is powered off (basically causing connect to port 80 to fail) the connect to port 1043 works, is interesting, and hopefully helpful. I don't have a way to point the developers at a thread so they see it, but they monitor these boards, even though they don't have the time to always reply, so that info will likely make it to the right ears.

What I still don't understand is why on MY Windows box, I had no trouble _until_ 5.2.13, where I get the message once at startup, but leaving everything blank and clicking "OK" causes it to work... others have no trouble with any version... others can connect using "localhost" and a password... and a few have to manually launch boinc.exe to make anything happen. One thing that solves it for many is to take BOINC _out_ of the startup process and run it manually after Windows has "stabilized". I'm lost.

Thanks!

---

I seem to be having some connection problems also, does anyone know what ports and protocols BOINC is setup to use? I know it uses port 80 and 1043 but I'm not sure what other ports it may be trying to use or what protocols. My main worry is that it is trying to use the UDP protocol because that is blocked by my company firewall. If anyone can shed any light on this topic I would greatly appreciate it.

---

Rom walton says Boinc needs the following:

BOINC Manager needs to be able to open outbound connections to either 1043 or 31416.

BOINC Screensaver needs to be able to open outbound connections to either 1043 or 31416.

BOINC needs to open an inbound connection to either 1043 or 31416, and an outbound connection to port 80 for downloads and uploads of workunits, results, and science packages.

---

BOINC Wiki

I have been having a similar 'connection' problem as others on this board. The bionc client wasn't starting on its own when boinc managwer started. I was able to fix this by removing the contents of gui_rpc_auth.cfg, leaving the extra carriage return and stopping and then restarting the boinc manager. This last step was most important for me. It was still failing until I stopped and restarted the manager.

---

So, 13 is NOT lucky number.
I also have problems since I installed 5.2.13. on my laptop.
"No connection to localhost", freezing while connecting to localhost and simillar problems are constant.
So, what I'd like is to completely uninstall client & manager, and then to reinstall them.
But, something stays in registry. So, what should I eradicate manually?

Oh, and BTW, I can NOT use port 80 for communication, but proxy setting should solve this... shouldn't it? It does on my desktop, where 5.2.13 is happily working ... Frustrating, isn't it?

---

Hello, I'm yet another user with connection problems, although mine seems relatively simple!

I installed 5.13 on Monday as I found the previous version would only run when set to "always" - it seemed to think I was active whenever it tried to start up. I used the default options.

Everything was fine that day, but today, after a reboot I find boincmgr has started (icon visible in task bar), but it is totally unresponsive. Launching it again gives me a status bar saying "connecting to localhost" and an hourglass cursor which never goes away.

Task manager says boincmgr.exe is running, but not boinc.exe, which I believe should be running, if my reading of these posts is correct.

If I start boinc.exe manually, all is OK, except I have it sitting there on the start bar all day.

How can I force it to start when boincmgr.exe is launched? Shouldn't it do it itself?

---

Ah, nevermind.
Found broken registry key, deleted it, reinstalled BOINC and reattached to project SETI.
Now it seems that 5.2.13 will work on my laptop again.

---