BOINC Tasks - finding other computers on network?

[DrPop]

Thanks to Bryan, I am finally trying BOINC Tasks instead of trying to manage every computer here directly.

I have installed Boinc Tasks on each rig, and it is running on them along with BOINC being open. How do I add all the computers into BOINC Tasks on my laptop so I can control them all from there? I go to "Find Computers" and click Find - but no love, nothing ever shows up?
For the record, all 4 computers (this is including the laptop) are running Win7 X64, and all on a home group. I can access each one through the Windows Explorer.

Thanks for any help!

[Fire$torm]

Thanks to Bryan, I am finally trying BOINC Tasks instead of trying to manage every computer here directly.

I have installed Boinc Tasks on each rig, and it is running on them along with BOINC being open. How do I add all the computers into BOINC Tasks on my laptop so I can control them all from there? I go to "Find Computers" and click Find - but no love, nothing ever shows up?
For the record, all 4 computers (this is including the laptop) are running Win7 X64, and all on a home group. I can access each one through the Windows Explorer.

Thanks for any help!

First you don't need to run the original BM GUI anymore. BOINC Tasks can start and stop the local BOINC client on it own. For versions 6.xx.xx of BM, goto Menu > Advanced > options and under the General tab uncheck the box for "Run manager at login?" then shutdown BM. In version 7.xx.xx goto Menu > Tools > Options.

Now if you have Firewalls on those machine (And you should) you will need to configure each machine to allow boinc.exe inbound and outbound TCP?UDP network access on port 31416. Also BOINC Tasks will need the same on its machine.

Finally in BOINC Tasks click the "Computers" button to switch the window view, then on the main menu click computer > Add Computer and repeat for each system you wish to add.

In the computer list window for each system row click the individual cells to edit its contents.

F$

Edit: Better instructions (Here)

[zombie67]

1) You don't need to, and should not, run BOINCtasks on each machine. Run it just on the one that you will use to control and monitor all the others.

2) On each remote machine, set your gui_rpc_auth.cfg password to something like "password". That will make it easier to add them all to your SINGLE instance of BOINCtasks, running on your controlling host.

3) On each remote machine, add the following line to your cc_config.xml. It allows you to use DHCP, and doesn't matter if your machine running BOINCtasks changes it's IP address. Also saves you having to add entries to each individual cruncher's remote_hosts.cfg.


<cc_config>
<options>
<allow_remote_gui_rpc>1</allow_remote_gui_rpc>
</options>
</cc_config>

[DrPop]

Wow, thanks Z. I had it all wrong, I guess. I'll go uninstall it on the other rigs and try with that configuration you posted.

[DrPop]

Just an update, that worked perfectly. Now I have all 4 rigs under control of the single Boinc Tasks installed on my laptop. THANK YOU!

[Fire$torm]

Actually I do have BOINC Tasks on all my systems. It is a replacement for BM. How can it hurt? And as I VNC into the boxes all the time it makes sense to have the same GUI just in case I have to check something.

[DrPop]

I'm sure that works fine, I mean now that I see how it works, it's like a Boinc Manager on steroids

Z's way was just easy for me since he posted the cc_config. Works pretty good from what I can tell so far. Now just to see if the rule I setup works!

[Fire$torm]

I'm sure that works fine, I mean now that I see how it works, it's like a Boinc Manager on steroids

Z's way was just easy for me since he posted the cc_config. Works pretty good from what I can tell so far. Now just to see if the rule I setup works!

OK, just be aware that the allow_remote_gui_rpc will open up the client to any machine that can find it. So it is a potential security risk especially since BOINC uses the RPC communication protocol. RPC is horribly insecure ---> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc751166.aspx

[Bryan]

If you decide to only allow certain IP addresses to control your machines then you can configure it that way. The only problem is you have to have FIXED IP addresses so that the computers don't change when they connect to your network (ie no DHCP). You can either do that modifying the IPv4 on each network card or using the MAC addresses on your router.

I use this (fixed IP) on my machines and like F$ I have BTasks setup on each computer because I tie into them via a VNC. I usually only have it running on a single machine but it is installed and ready to go on any of them. That way if I lose a machine I can tie into another one and control any machine from it.

[Fire$torm]

Sorry I forgot something. Bryan's post reminded me.....

I used my ISP's supplied router to give each system on my network a static it. It should take you like ten minutes to do the same. That way you do not have to configure the systems individually.

If you need a guide to help you take a look at Portforward's repository of router guides (Here)