Problem: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it

Core Machine (Operating system/System info/Roon build number)

Toshiba Laptop/Win10/Core 1.6 Build 416 64bit

Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet)
Core is on Ethernet to D-Link router. Control and endpoint on WiFi.

Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)

Raspberry Pi on RoPieee

Description Of Issue

In my case, I think it’s also important to note my controller. I was using my Android Smartphone, Axon ZTE ‘AXON 7 Mini’ on WiFi

Fairly frequently, playback will stop. Moments later, the controller (ZTE) says “Select a different core”.

When this happened this morning, I looked in the Roon log on the Core (Win10) and found these lines:

10/04 08:44:56 Info: [stats] 6844mb Virtual, 1062mb Physical, 609mb Managed, 5229 Handles, 75 Threads
10/04 08:45:11 Info: [stats] 6844mb Virtual, 1062mb Physical, 609mb Managed, 5229 Handles, 75 Threads
10/04 08:45:23 Trace: [raatserver] [RaatServer ZTE B2017G @ [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)] lost client connection. Retrying
10/04 08:45:23 Trace: [raatserver] [RaatServer ZTE B2017G @ [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)] connecting (attempt 1)
10/04 08:45:25 Warn: [rnet/RnetJsonClient] failed to connect No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)
10/04 08:45:25 Trace: [raatserver] [RaatServer ZTE B2017G @ [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)] client connection failed. Retrying in 500ms
10/04 08:45:26 Trace: [raatserver] [RaatServer ZTE B2017G @ [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)] connecting (attempt 2)
10/04 08:45:26 Info: [stats] 6860mb Virtual, 1062mb Physical, 609mb Managed, 5249 Handles, 79 Threads
10/04 08:45:27 Warn: [rnet/RnetJsonClient] failed to connect No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)
10/04 08:45:27 Trace: [raatserver] [RaatServer ZTE B2017G @ [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)] client connection failed. Retrying in 750ms
10/04 08:45:28 Trace: [raatserver] [RaatServer ZTE B2017G @ [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)] connecting (attempt 3)
10/04 08:45:29 Warn: [rnet/RnetJsonClient] failed to connect No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)
10/04 08:45:29 Trace: [raatserver] [RaatServer ZTE B2017G @ [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)] client connection failed. Retrying in 1125ms
10/04 08:45:30 Trace: [raatserver] [RaatServer ZTE B2017G @ [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)] connecting (attempt 4)
10/04 08:45:32 Warn: [rnet/RnetJsonClient] failed to connect No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)
10/04 08:45:32 Trace: [raatserver] [RaatServer ZTE B2017G @ [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)] client connection failed. Retrying in 1687ms
10/04 08:45:33 Trace: [raatserver] [RaatServer ZTE B2017G @ [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)] connecting (attempt 5)
10/04 08:45:35 Warn: [rnet/RnetJsonClient] failed to connect No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)
10/04 08:45:35 Trace: [raatserver] [RaatServer ZTE B2017G @ [192.168.1.130:37799](http://192.168.1.130:37799)] client connection failed. Giving up
10/04 08:45:35 Trace: [raat] [sood] Refreshing device list
10/04 08:45:41 Info: [stats] 6852mb Virtual, 1062mb Physical, 609mb Managed, 5264 Handles, 77 Threads
10/04 08:45:56 Info: [stats] 6844mb Virtual, 1062mb Physical, 609mb Managed, 5254 Handles, 75 Threads

I have no idea why the ZTE controller is “actively refusing” to connect, nor how to stop it from refusing.

Help appreciated. Thanks.

Hi @Tim_Pointon,

Do you by any chance have any other Roon Remotes that are exhibiting the same symptoms or is your ZTE Android remote the only controller in this setup? If you have other remotes, are they exhibiting the same symptoms?

Are there any active firewalls on the PC itself or antivirus applications which could be interfering with Roon? Antivirus applications such as McAFee/Kaspersky/Norton have caused issues with Roon in the past, so I would double check to see if these are installed on your PC and add exceptions for Roon there.

Does the playback stop on just the controller, or does the audio also cut out on the RoPiee endpoint? When this issue occurs, are you able to still use an internet browser to open pages?

I also use a Samsung tablet and an Alcatel phone as remote. I don’t think they have the same difficulty, but not 100% certain. I will pay more attention. [I wish there was a way to run Roon with less debug/trace/info contents in the log … becomes hard to see problem forest for the trees. Is there a command-line switch?] .

There are no 3rd party AV/firewall programs on the core. I run Microsoft antivirus. I have two other Raspberry Pi’s (one on RoPieee and one on DietPI) and a NAD amp with BluOS Module. Generally, things hum along, so I don’t suspect security blockages.

What I do suspect is that the ZTE controller lost WiFi connectivity, then refused to accept the Core’s request to re-establish connection on that port (37799). I cannot know if it always refuses ??? Maybe something went wrong in a protocol where the core understood it had permission to use port 37799. If that’s the protocol, then it may be working intermittently, but I would not know.

Does the playback stop on just the controller, or …

In my scenario, playback is only occurring on the RoPieee endpoint; the Android Phone is only controlling. Generally, I run in this fashion, seldom grouping zones or playing back on tablet or phone.

To elaborate a bit, I have two problems relating to uninvited stoppage of playback:

  1. This one, which is rarer.
  2. Sometimes playback just stops and I must click Play to restart.

I know I have too much on WiFi. The only Roon devices that are Ethernet-wired are the core and the NAD amp. I also have a Linksys EA3500 connected to the D-Link DIR-822 over a Powerline/Ethernet connection (hope it’s faster than WiFi, but likely slower than pure Ethernet). The D-Link router is the Internet gateway over cable modem. The Linksys-over-powerlink is the only WiFi enabled device … that is to say all WiFi traffic is going over the Powerlink connection. I was running WiFi on the Dlink as well, but the signal from the basement was weak and I found my devices would lock in and not move when I got closer to the other router access point.

I am prepared to experiment, and to spend some money, if I know it will solve a problem.

Using WiFi Analyzer, I find I have frequent latency over 100 ms. And when I ping with Fing, I see spikes every second rising over 100 ms, regardless of who I’m pinging. I haven’t been able to identify the source of these spikes.

It seems to me that If I could get Roon to increase its buffer size, I could fix this latter problem (#2). And I cannot fix #1 until I have a resolution to this subject problem (the ZTE controller is “actively refusing” to connect).

I am pretty computer savvy, been at it since 1967. (Programmer, then teaching programming at college 25 years until retirement 2008). If I had some direction on interpreting Roon logs, it might help me troubleshooting.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Hi @Tim_Pointon,

You should be aware that we have often seen issue surrounding powerline adapters, as mentioned in our Networking Best Practices and we generally advise customers to stay away from these kinds of adapters. Some work as expected, but the vast majority have sub-part mutlicast capabilities. Generally we suggest a mesh-style network (such as Eero/Orbi/Velop) where it is not possible to run a direct link.

I suspect that this could be the Powerline adapter causing the latency when communicating over the electrical wires.

Do you by any chance have an IGMP Proxying/Snooping setting on your router? I have seen this setting improve multicast communication in the past, so it is worth experimenting to see if it helps in your situation. I’d also take a look to see if it’s possible to set Reserved IP Addresses for both your Core and Roon Remotes to ensure that the DCHP leases don’t expire. Note: Don’t set static, but rather Reserved IP.

To lessen the amount of traces - no, not as far as I’m aware. Roon logs are meant to be interpreted by staff, not end-users.

Thank you. I will try to use your advice as much as possible and we’ll see what happens. My router gear is a bit long in the tooth. We will move into an apartment in about a year which should make Ethernet more practical and WiFi less required. As it stands, my router (& modem) needs to be in the basement of our 3 storey house making WiFi weak on the 3rd floor.
Much appreciated! :smiley:

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