Connection troubleshooting

Please note that this troubleshooting guide only applies to users who have configured their connection manually.

Having trouble connecting to your server? The first step to connection troubleshooting is identifying where the issue is.

Start within your local network. Enter the local IP address of your computer into the app, and try connecting.

If you can’t connect:

• Check if you have any software that blocks local network access, such as firewalls, VPN services, or a router service
• Make sure that the server is running properly, and has all the right permissions (if it says “server is running”, then you should be OK)
• Rebooting the computer is also good for any kind of troubleshooting

If everything is good there, move on to your public IP address.

If you can’t connect:

• Check your port forwarding setup. PortCheckTool.com is a great tool for this. (Please note that it only works if the server is running.) Also check that you’ve configured your server for port 1359, the local IP address is entered correctly, and that the type is TCP.
• Again, check for any network blocking software. Sometimes they only block connections from external sources.
• Try switching to mobile data. Sometimes trying to connect from different networks can help.

If you were able to connect using mobile data, but not from your Wi-Fi network, then you may have to configure AirMessage to use your server’s local IP address when on Wi-Fi. To do so, open AirMessage’s settings, scroll to the bottom, and add enter your server computer’s local IP address into the fallback address option.

Finally, move on to your dynamic DNS hostname.

If you can’t connect:

• Make sure you’re running your dynamic DNS provider’s software on your computer, and that it’s working properly. You can check on your provider’s website to see if the public IP listed there matches your actual public IP.
• Switch to mobile data here too