I replaced my old Windows 10 computer with a new I7, 32 Gb Windows 11, giving it the singular function of operating Roon. I transferred the latest Roon backup from my hard drive to the new computer and downloaded Roon, and I’ve been pulling my hair out ever since.
Problem 1: The Win11 computer name is different from the old Win10 machine. In Settings/General, it is identified as THIS PC. (I do not recall what it was in Win10.) In Settings/Storage it is identified by the new computer name (call it X), and X also appears in Settings/Setup in the Roon server name. (I don’t get THIS PC vs. X.) However, when I click on Find OS on the PC, Roon just sits and spins and never connects. That should indicate Roon will not work, yet when I click on a track in Roon on the new PC, it plays exactly as expected through the audio device (a Trinnov Altitude 16). How is that possible if Roon cannot find the Core?
Problem 2: Roon Remote on my IPad (of recent vintage and fully up-to-date on software) has always functioned properly operating Roon, but it could not find the Core either and would not let me get into the settings to change the computer name. I deleted Roon Remote, downloaded new Roon Remote software, and it immediately recognized computer X but with CONNECT greyed out. It cannot find the Core either and therefore will not operate Roon remotely.
The IPad and the Roon machine are both connected to the same LAN defined as private and is functioning just fine.
Does this say “Find Roon OS”? This would be for finding a separate server that runs Roon OS, such as a Nucleus or ROCK, which you don’t seem to have. So, it would be normal that none is found.
Roon installs a Roon Server on Windows, and this is what it is using. Therefore, on the Windows side all seems to be OK
Did you add the Roon Server exceptions to the Windows firewall?
For problem 2 with your iPad not being able to connect to the Roon Server on Windows: Ensure that your Windows firewall allows incoming connections for Roon Server.
First, try turning off the firewall temporarily to check if this makes it work, as described in the documentation that I linked:
If this works, enable the firewall again and then add permanent exceptions for Roon. The Roon programs that must be allowed are also listed at the link
For how to do this, this tutorial may help (it’s for Windows 10. In case Win 11 differs, I suppose there are similar guides to be found online)
I can’t turn off the firewall. I contract with an outside service for security. It’s far better than McAfee or Norton provide, but it means I give up the ability to change security settings. I have a call into them to check it, but I am doubtful that is the problem as I was using their services with the old computer and I have stressed the importance of Roon to them with the new one, too.
The requirements are in the provided link. Note that they have changed since the Roon update on November 23 (RoonAppliance was added).
Whatever firewall you are using, it will have to allow this inbound traffic on the Windows machine or it can’t work. (It would be a crappy firewall if it allowed an iPad to connect although the firewall is closed down)
I have finally gained access to Windows Firewall. Domain, private, and public networks are set to ON. Clicking on ALLOW APPS TO COMMUNICATE THROUGH WINDOWS DEFENDER FIREWALL shows that it contains a single entry for Roon.exe check marked on the left and marked on the right as private. There are TWO roonappliance.exe entries, one not marked on the left and marked on the right as private and the other marked on the left and marked on the right as public. What should the settings be, and why are there two entries for Roonappliance?
Your home network should be configured as a private network in Windows and then the firewall rules should be in place for the private network. And you need the allowances for
roonserver.exe
raatserver.exe
roonbridge.exe
roonappliance.exe
I think, as given for the Roon Server in the linked docs
Roon.exe and roonappliance. exe I see. I now note the are THREE raatserver.exe entries, all checked on the left with two checked as private on the right and one as public. I don’t understand a lick of this, but that doesn’t make sense. There is no Roonserver.exe. What’s the next step? Deleting and reinstalling?
There should be an option to add allowance entries manually, like for roonserver, but I’m not at a Windows machine.
You could delete all the entries from the firewall and reinstall Roon (without uninstalling first). My understanding is that it should ask for the firewall exceptions to be created.
Or wait for someone else who sits at a Windows machine to guide you through.
Who is your security provider? And, have you tried the simple test of just turning OFF all firewalls and see if the iPad connects? If it does then it is a firewall issue, if not, then maybe something else.
I was mistaken when I said I could not access Windows security. I have been instructed on how to access it and have, as I noted previously in the stream. Roon is functioning as advertised but only when operated from the PC. I just can’t get Roon Remote on the IPad to recognize its existence. (And, yes, Roon is configured to respond to remote devices.) There is no reason to believe that the firewall settings on the new PC are any different now as they were in the old computer when Roon Remote was working, but I lack the knowledge to be certain of that. I’m not even sure how to turn off a firewall. I am more concerned as to why all the supposed necessary .exe files are not present - or at least that is what I’ve been told in an earlier post within this stream.
I am eager for Roon to provide me with a simple procedure to resolve this problem. Please, Roon, tell me what to do.
The Roon Labs Support team is four people and they operate a queue system to deal with requests (and they don’t work weekends).
Since you are unfamiliar with how to add Firewall exceptions into Windows Firewall, they will probably just repeat the same advice as has already been given by @Suedkiez, and that is to delete all the Roon entries from Windows firewall and reinstall Roon (without uninstalling first). After the installation process is complete, running Roon should ask for the firewall exceptions to be created afresh.
To delete Windows Firewall exceptions, type Windows Firewall into the Windows Search box and choose “Allow an app through Windows Firewall”
Then in the control panel screen you get, first click the “Change settings” button - that will allow you to remove the Roon exceptions; select a Roon app (raatserver.exe, roon.exe and roonappliance.exe) and click the remove button…
Once they are all removed, close the Control Panel screen (by clicking on OK) and then download and reinstall Roon for Windows.
When you start Roon again, Windows Firewall will ask you add the exceptions for Roon and RAATServer, e.g.:
You may have to start Roon Server yourself the first time after reinstallation, and then Windows will ask you to allow the exception for RoonAppliance:
Don’t forget to tell Roon Server to Launch at Startup by checking the menu option (after right-clicking on the Roon Server icon in the Taskbar)
Hopefully, you should now be all set as far as Windows Firewall is concerned. If you still can’t access Roon from your iPad, then the finger is pointing to your other Firewall needing an exception added as well.
OMG! That actually worked. Thank you. My knees were knocking throughout a process that is WAY out of my comfort zone. At least I have learned that raatserver is unique to Roon.
I have installed Roon three times since October due to a variety of issues (in one case problems with a new Roon version), and never have I seen the questions asked of me this time.
It appears as if there was a pile up of various Roon files that conflicted with each other.
However, I might ask as to why an install would not take care of that? And my system now has two each of Roon.exe, raatserver.exe, and roonappliance.exe. Why that duplication [in the firewall rules]?
Probably because one entry is for your private (home) network and the other for public (e.g. in a coffeeshop) networks…
I’ve found that subsequent installations/updates of apps may add extra duplicate entries (e.g. look at the multiple entries for qobuz.exe in my screenshot), but these don’t generally cause issues, except when they do…
