[HOW-TO] Roon and RoonServer on Windows Server 2012 R2

[frederick184]

Installed a fresh install of Win Server 2016 standard core on a second partition on my PC.  Then installed Roon Server, then AO 2.20, chose roon support and roon server as shell.  I made sure the firewall was off and that the server has a static address.  As it's a dual boot machine with Win 10 on the other partition, I have the same IP address on both.  

 

My issue is I can't connect to Roon core from my iPad.  Roon server is also installed on the Win 10 partition and works fine.  I disconnected the Roon server in Win 10 before switching over to WS 2016.  When trying to connect it says "initializing".  The roon processes are running when I look at the task manager.

 

Any ideas???

 

Colin

[frederick184]

1 hour ago, tboooe said:

I had the same exact problem.  For me it was due to my fixed IP address.  Disable that and see if that helps.

 

Do you mean your static IP address?  I originally had it set for DHCP.  When I installed WS 2016 it used the same IP address as the Win 10 on the other partition, but I guess that's OK, since they have different MAC addresses.  However, I set a static address on the Win 10 partition, then found that it wasn't copied over to the WS 2016 partition, so I had to do it manually.  Still didn't work.

[frederick184]

3 minutes ago, tboooe said:

Yes I meant static ip address....So you used SCONFIG and set DHCP in network settings and it still didnt work?  Did you also resetting your router to release all the IP addresses?  

No, it was originally DHCP and I set it to static, as I read in the AO set-up guide that a static address was required.  Yes, I released all the IP addresses as well.

[frederick184]

1 hour ago, HardrockInMiniMac said:

Frederick, it is different with 2016 than with 2012.

 

I wrote myself a complete installation manual if I have to do it but I don't have access right now.

 

So what you have is exactly what I had: Roon can see the core and gets stuck in "initializing".

 

You must edit the network policies in 2016, otherwise it won't work. There are several things to do in order to make 2016 see your private network as private as it is set as "public" per default. This is the key. Without this it won't work and it is not sufficient to allow for remote connection and/or toggling DHCP and fixed IP - it got to be a fixed IP anyway. 

 

With 2016 Core it is of course a bit more tricky and work to change policies (powershell), but I have also noted the required commands somewhere. It is basically all available from the internet if you know what you are looking for.

 

Chris

 

 

Thank you, Chris.  I will do some research online and see if I can get it to work.

 

Colin

[frederick184]

Changed network policy to private.  Still stuck in “initializing”

[frederick184]

Ok, this is driving me nuts.

 

Started over with fresh install.  No more dual boot machine.  Dedicated PC.

 

WS 2016 standard core installed, then Roon Server 1.5, then AO 2.20 in Ultimate mode, chose Roon support and Roon as shell.

 

Changed to a static IP address and changed network policy to private.  All Roon processes are up and running.

 

Tried to connect to Roon from both iPad and phone.  Still says “initializing”.

 

Colin

 

[frederick184]

Chris,

 

Thanks for the very detailed reply.  I have noted all of these items for the future, but Wasapi is what fixed it for me.  Started working right away.  Thanks, Phil.  Now to go and listen ?

 

Thanks to all for your help!

Colin