New Setup Port Forwarding Joomla Problems

[rootproxi]

My current setup is the following:

Host: Ubuntu 10.04 64bit
(internal)IP: 192.168.1.100
Ports Forwarded: 19191:80, 9123:9123, 1935:1935

Having a bit of trouble getting my first BBB server up and running. I
have BBB installed. I have a computer inside my network that has a
static assigned IP address. I am able to access the BBB demo server/
welcome page by visiting the LAN IP address 192.168.1.100 but when
visiting 192.168.1.100/bigbluebutton I recieve the message, This page
is no longer available, please use the api. I don't know if this is
normal, but I thought I would check. I am trying to integrate this
into our joomla website but I am unable to get it working. I was able
to use the test server that came with the joomla module but am unable
to connect to our dedicated BBB server. I have copied the security
salt from /var/lib/tomcat6/webapps/bigbluebutton/WEB-INF/classes/
bigbluebutton.properties and pasted that into joomla BBB settings.
The URL I am using is the URL of our router which is statically
assigned. As I mentioned above I am forwarding ports 80, 9123, 1935
to the internal IP of the BBB server. The only thing that might be
holding me up is the port forwarding of port 80. Because I run a web
server here as well I needed to select an alternate incomming port,
19191. I have the NAT forward incomming traffic from port 19191 to
192.168.100:80, the BBB server. So in the joomla component under
[settings] I use the URL[http://publicIP:19191/bigbluebutton/]. When
I save and then click on the [General] tab I recieve the following
message, "Unable to display the meetings. Please check the url of the
bigbluebutton server AND check to see if the bigbluebutton server is
running." I have seen settings on routers that block internal traffic
from using port forwarding so I used the URL[http://192.168.1.100/
bigbluebutton/] in joomla, saved and still recieved the same message.
I noticed that joomla auto generates the '/bigbluesbutton/' at the end
of the http://ipaddress in the URL field. Could this be a problem?
Instead of forwarding incomming traffic on port 19191 to port 80 of
the BBB server, should I configure BBB to listen on a different port
so when configuring port forwarding the same port numbers are used?
I'm kind of at a loss for ideas. Thanks so much for any help.

[rootproxi]

Just some additional info on my setup, here is the contents of my
bigbluebutton.properties:

#
# These are the default properites for BigBlueButton Web application

dataSource.url=jdbc:mysql://localhost/bigbluebutton_dev
dataSource.username=bbb
dataSource.password=secret
dataSource.driverClassName =com.mysql.jdbc.Driver

#----------------------------------------------------
# Directory where BigBlueButton stores uploaded slides
presentationDir=/var/bigbluebutton

#----------------------------------------------------
# Directory where SWFTOOLS (pdf2swf, jpeg2swf, png2swf) are located
swfToolsDir=/bin

#----------------------------------------------------
# Directory where ImageMagick's convert executable is located
imageMagickDir=/usr/bin

#----------------------------------------------------
# Use fullpath to ghostscript executable since the exec names are
different
# for each platform.
ghostScriptExec=/usr/bin/gs

#----------------------------------------------------
# Fonts directory passed into PDF2SWF to support highlighting of texts
# in the SWF slides.
fontsDir=/usr/share/fonts

#----------------------------------------------------
# This is a workaround for a problem converting PDF files, referenced
at
# http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.postscript/browse_thread/thread/c2e264ca76534ce0?pli=1
noPdfMarkWorkaround=/etc/bigbluebutton/nopdfmark.ps

#----------------------------------------------------
# These will be copied in cases where the conversion process
# fails to generate a slide from the uploaded presentation
BLANK_SLIDE=/var/bigbluebutton/blank/blank-slide.swf
BLANK_THUMBNAIL=/var/bigbluebutton/blank/blank-thumb.png

#----------------------------------------------------
# Number of minutes the conversion should take. If it takes
# more than this time, cancel the conversion process.
maxConversionTime=5

#----------------------------------------------------
# Maximum number of pages allowed for an uploaded presentation
(default 100).
maxNumPages=100

#----------------------------------------------------
# Default dial access number
defaultDialAccessNumber=613-555-1234

#----------------------------------------------------
# Default welcome message to display when the participant joins the
web
# conference. This is only used for the old scheduling which will be
# removed in the future. Use the API to create a conference.
defaultWelcomeMessage=<br>Welcome to this BigBlueButton Demo
Server.<br><br>For help using BigBlueButton <a href="event:http://
www.bigbluebutton.org/content/videos"><u>check out these videos</u></
a>.<br><br>

#----------------------------------------------------
# Inject values into grails service beans
beans.presentationService.presentationDir=${presentationDir}
beans.dynamicConferenceService.serviceEnabled=true
beans.dynamicConferenceService.apiVersion=0.7
beans.dynamicConferenceService.minutesElapsedBeforeMeetingExpiration=60
beans.dynamicConferenceService.securitySalt=***********************************************
beans.dynamicConferenceService.defaultWelcomeMessage=$
{defaultWelcomeMessage}
beans.dynamicConferenceService.defaultDialAccessNumber=$
{defaultDialAccessNumber}

#----------------------------------------------------
# This URL is where the BBB client is accessible. When a user
sucessfully
# enters a name and password, she is redirected here to load the
client.
bigbluebutton.web.serverURL=http://192.168.1.100

#----------------------------------------------------
# Assign URL where the logged-out participant will be redirected after
sign-out.
# If commented-out, it returns to bigbluebutton.web.serverURL
# bigbluebutton.web.logoutURL=http://www.bigbluebutton.org

#------------------------------------------------------
# Setting to enable the old scheduling mechanism. This is temporary
# as we will be moving to use the API later.
#
beans.schedulingService.schedulingServiceEnabled=false

#------------------------------------------------------
# These properties are used to test the conversion process.
# Conference name folder in ${presentationDir} (see above)
beans.presentationService.testConferenceMock=conference-mock-default
beans.dynamicConferenceService.testConferenceMock=conference-mock-
default
# Conference room folder in ${presentationDir}/${testConferenceMock}
beans.presentationService.testRoomMock=conference-mock-default
# Uploaded presentation name
beans.presentationService.testPresentationName=appkonference
# Uploaded presentation file
beans.presentationService.testUploadedPresentation=appkonference.txt
# Test voiceBridge number
beans.dynamicConferenceService.testVoiceBridge=99999

[Fred Dixon]

> am able to access the BBB demo server/
> welcome page by visiting the LAN IP address 192.168.1.100 but when
> visiting 192.168.1.100/bigbluebutton I recieve the message, This page
> is no longer available, please use the api. I don't know if this is
> normal, but I thought I would check.

That is correct. You don't call the API through the browser; rather,
you call it through HTTP requests.

Just to be sure, have you checked out the documentation at:

http://code.google.com/p/bigbluebutton/wiki/FAQ#Can_I_provide_external_access_to_a_BigBlueButton_server_behind_m

Also, use

sudo bbb-conf --check

which has a number of self-checks in BigBlueButton. If you have gone
through the above and it's not working, let us know. We'll get you
going behind the firewall.

Regards,... Fred

> --
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> To post to this group, send email to bigbluebu...@googlegroups.com.
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>
>

[rootproxi]

Thanks Fred, I will check out that doc you provided.

[rootproxi]

OK, I think I may have found the problem but I want to ask just to
make sure. When I go to http://[router ip]:19191 the browser reads,
"Welcome to nginx!" When I try to go to http://[router ip]:19191/
bigbluebutton/api the browser reads, "404 not found" but if I go to
http://[internal ip]/bigbluebutton/api the browser reads,
"<response><returncode>SUCCESS</returncode><version>0.7</version></
response>. So I'm guessing I need to configure bbb to use [router ip]
by using sudo bbb-conf --setip [router ip]. Is this it? Should BBB be
setup using bbb-conf --setip [router ip]? I tried this but because
port 80 is in use on the router already so this doesn't work. Maybe I
can edit the config.xml file to get this working. Fred, you think am
I on the right track here?

[Fred Dixon]

Hi rootproxi,

Ideally, you want to use an external hostname for accessing the
internal BigBlueButton server. It's easier than using IP addresses
(just create a hostname for your IP address at dyndns.org).

This way, when the request is forwarded to BigBlueButton, you can have
BigBlueButton recognize it using

sudo bbb-conf --setip external_host_name

and then to have the local calls resolve to the BigBlueButton server,
add to /etc/hosts

internal_IP external_host_name

There are two IP's at play here: the internal IP of your BigBlueButton
server, and the external IP of your firewall (referenced by the
external_host_name). The trick of making the above change to
/etc/hosts makes sure that BigBlueButton connects to the local host
using the external_host_name.

If you can do the above, this has worked for others, and it should
work smoothly for you.

Regards,... Fred

[rootproxi]

Fred,

I am actually already using hostnames for the server and router, I
just used [router ip] and [internal ip] and made up IP addresses to
pose my question. In order for my local users to access the local
host using the external_host_name I would have to turn NAT reflection
off and I don't really want to do that but I could live with it or
maybe found a way around it, I just need to get this working in my
virtual environment I have setup here in my office first before I push
it live on the network. Here's the thing..I have it installed and can
access http://external_host_name, and the page reads, "Welcome to
nginx!". I can access http://external_host_name/bigbluebutton/api,
and the page reads, "

<response>
<returncode>SUCCESS</returncode>
<version>0.7</version>
</response>
"

I can telnet all of the ports. This tells me that it's working. Also
when inside of joomla configuring the BBB Conferencing component I
created a new conference named, "test". When I save it, I receive a
message, "saved successfully" but under that message is another
reading, "Unable to display the meetings. Please check the url of the

bigbluebutton server AND check to see if the bigbluebutton server is

running." Just for kicks I tried to create another new conference
also named, "test". When I tried to save it this time I received the
message, "Error Saving Meeting - test already exists. Please use a
different name." and below that message is still the message, "Unable

to display the meetings. Please check the url of the bigbluebutton

server AND check to see if the bigbluebutton server is running." So I
think I'm right on the cusp of where I need to be, so close it hurts
lol. What should be the "URL of BigBlueButton server:" in the BBB
component settings in joomla? I currently have it as
http://external_host_name:19191/bigbluebutton/api/

I have also read through the following thread:
http://groups.google.com/group/bigbluebutton-setup/browse_thread/thread/82d7bb4fb69cb214/7442f91d15ab6c1e?lnk=gst&q=Please+check+the+url+of+the+bigbluebutton+server#7442f91d15ab6c1e

You and this guy were working together to sort out his joomla
problems:

"Hi Bick,

Is your external workplace server able to connect directly to your
internal Joomla server?

The Joomla extension needs to make direct HTTP access to the
BigBlueButton server (using the BigBlueButton API) to create rooms,
end meetings, and create join URLs.

Regards,... Fred"
*******************************************************************************
"Hi Fred,

Thanks for your reply, and it indicates me how I have to consider it.
I resolved the problem, the only thing is that I asked on internet
what was my IP adress (my host system, or my computer adress), it gave
me an IP adress as 92.xxx.xx.xxx.

I put this adress as the "external.host.org", put it in the etc/hosts,
sudo bbb-conf --setip 92.xxx.xx.xxx, set it in my URL server of
joomla settings.... and OK boom! It works....

Thanks for all

regards "

So does this mean all I need as the URL Joomla BBB component is
http://external_host_name? If this is true, how do I stop the BBB
joomla component to stop auto concatinating /bigbluebutton/ to the end
of the URL? Thanks so much Fred for your help BTW. Sorry for the
lengthy posts. I just want to get as much info out there to you or
anyone else who may have run into this problem before. Let me know if
you would like some screen shots and I can provide them. Thanks

[rootproxi]

Oh NAT reflection doesn't need turned off, /etc/hosts/...duh! Anyways,
do you see what I'm saying about the joomla component? Weird right?

[Fred Dixon]

Hmmm ... I think your BigBlueButton URL is wrong. Try setting the
BigBlueButton URL in Joomla to

http://external_host_name:19191/bigbluebutton/

and let us know if that gets you further along.

Regards,... Fred

[rootproxi]

http://external_host_name:19191/bigbluebutton/ didn't work. You
mentioned that BBB will be looking for the html header. I am
wondering if the http entries located in var/www/bigbluebutton/client/
conf/config.xml need to have port 19191 added to them. Here is what
the config.xml looks like on my end:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<config>
<localeversion>0.71</localeversion>
<version>3797-2011-01-14</version>
<help url="http://external_host_name/help.html"/>
<porttest host="external_host_name" application="video"/>
<application uri="rtmp://external_host_name/bigbluebutton"
host="http://external_host_name/bigbluebutton/api/enter" />
<language userSelectionEnabled="true" />
<skinning enabled="false" url="branding/css/theme.css.swf" />
<debug showDebugWindow="false" />

<modules>

<module name="ChatModule" url="ChatModule.swf?v=3797"
uri="rtmp://external_host_name/bigbluebutton"
dependsOn="ViewersModule"
translationOn="true"
translationEnabled="true"
/>

<module name="ViewersModule" url="ViewersModule.swf?v=3797"
uri="rtmp://external_host_name/bigbluebutton"
host="http://external_host_name/bigbluebutton/api/enter"
allowKickUser="false"
/>

<module name="ListenersModule" url="ListenersModule.swf?v=3797"
uri="rtmp://external_host_name/bigbluebutton"
recordingHost="http://external_host_name"
/>

<module name="DeskShareModule"
url="DeskShareModule.swf?v=3797"
uri="rtmp://external_host_name/deskShare"
/>

<module name="PhoneModule" url="PhoneModule.swf?v=3797"
uri="rtmp://external_host_name/sip"
autoJoin="false"
dependsOn="ViewersModule"
/>

<module name="VideoconfModule" url="VideoconfModule.swf?v=3797"
uri="rtmp://external_host_name/video"
dependsOn="ViewersModule"
videoQuality="70"
presenterShareOnly="false"
/>

<module name="WhiteboardModule" url="WhiteboardModule.swf?v=3797"
uri="rtmp://external_host_name/bigbluebutton"
dependsOn="PresentModule"
/>

<module name="PresentModule" url="PresentModule.swf?v=3797"
uri="rtmp://external_host_name/bigbluebutton"
host="http://external_host_name"
dependsOn="ViewersModule"
/>

<!-- new module in development:
<module name="DynamicInfoModule" url="DynamicInfoModule.swf?v=3797"
uri="rtmp://external_host_name/bigbluebutton"
host="http://external_host_name"
infoURL="http://external_host_name/client/conf/example-info-
data.xml?user={userID}&role={role}&meetingID={meetingID}"
/>
-->

<!--<module name="ExampleChatModule" url="ExampleChatModule.swf?
v=56"
uri="rtmp://external_host_name/bigbluebutton"
host="http://external_host_name"
/>-->

<!--<module name="BreakoutModule" url="BreakoutModule.swf?v=3797"
uri="rtmp://external_host_name/bigbluebutton"
host="http://external_host_name"
dependsOn="ViewersModule"
salt="**********************************"
/>-->

</modules>
</config>

I think if all of the http entries are changed from http://external_host_name
to http://external_host_name:19191 that this might work. I will make
these changes and let you know if this works or not.

[Fred Dixon]

You don't have to make those changes manually. Do

sudo bbb-conf --setip external_host_name:19191

and let us know if it works.

Regards,... Fred

[rootproxi]

That didn't work but I still haven't had a chance to make those
changes to the config.xml file.

On Jan 19, 11:04 am, Fred Dixon <ffdi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> You don't have to make those changes manually.  Do
>
>   sudo bbb-conf --setip external_host_name:19191
>
> and let us know if it works.
>
> Regards,... Fred
>

> On Wed, Jan 19, 2011 at 11:21 AM, rootproxi <rootpr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >http://external_host_name:19191/bigbluebutton/didn't work. You

> > tohttp://external_host_name:19191that this might work.  I will make

[HostBBB.com]

rootproxi

Looking at this,

When I go to http://[router ip]:19191 the browser reads,
"Welcome to nginx!" When I try to go to http://[router ip]:19191/
bigbluebutton/api the browser reads, "404 not found" but if I go to
http://[internal ip]/bigbluebutton/api the browser reads,

Your getting to nginx thru router so that is set correct .... i bet
its a nginx config issue...there are a couple of nginx files to map a
domain name/ip and ports so it takes you to the right root directory
by default when you enter a url to a server, and some links that get
setup, Until you can get the default bigbluebutton api page when
specifying just the http://routeip:19191 working your problems will
persist.

Stephen
Hostbbb.com

On Jan 18, 2:56 pm, rootproxi <rootpr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> OK, I think I may have found the problem but I want to ask just to

> make sure.  When I go tohttp://[routerip]:19191 the browser reads,
> "Welcome to nginx!"  When I try to go tohttp://[routerip]:19191/
> bigbluebutton/api the browser reads, "404 not found" but if I go tohttp://[internalip]/bigbluebutton/api the browser reads,

[rootproxi]

Ok, I have BBB up and running, thanks for your help Fred. I can
access the demo server and join a meeting. I can create a meeting and
connect users to it. I am still having problems with integrating this
with our joomla website though. Same problem still exists with the
joomla component but everything else seems to be working as planned.
I have URL: http://external_host_name:19191/bigbluebutton/ I'm going
to try to uninstall the bigbluebutton component in joomla and
reinstall to see if that makes any difference. It may be that I will
have to manually edit some php in the BBB joomla component myself to
get this working. What do you think Fred?

[Fred Dixon]

Hi rootproxi,

Now worries about editing it the Joomla component, it's released under
the GPL license. If you can improve it or fix bugs, go for it! We've
already check in our Moodle integrations to

https://github.com/blindsidenetworks/bigbluebutton-integrations

We'll be uploading the Joomla and Wordpress integrations shortly,
which will make it easier for you to develop.

Of course, if you want us to enhance the Joomla integration, just
contact me directly.

Regards,... Fred

[rootproxi]

Reinstalling the component didn't work unfortunately but it got me to
thinking. I was able to get this working using the test server when I
first installed this component and module in joomla. I tried to use
the test server again and it works. My logic is hinting that I may
have a different version of BBB than the one used for testing through
joomla. What version of BBB is being used for the test server at:


url: http://test-install.blindsidenetworks.com/bigbluebutton/
salt: 8cd8ef52e8e101574e400365b55e11a6

Thanks

[Denis Zgonjanin]

That is the latest version, 0.71a.

--

[rootproxi]

Well, I'm stumped...anyone that has got this working with the joomla
component have a config.xml file they would like to share with me? I'm
pulling my hair out...

On Jan 21, 3:53 pm, Denis Zgonjanin <deniszgonja...@gmail.com> wrote:
> That is the latest version, 0.71a.
>

> On Fri, Jan 21, 2011 at 4:51 PM, rootproxi <rootpr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Reinstalling the component didn't work unfortunately but it got me to
> > thinking.  I was able to get this working using the test server when I
> > first installed this component and module in joomla.  I tried to use
> > the test server again and it works.  My logic is hinting that I may
> > have a different version of BBB than the one used for testing through
> > joomla.  What version of BBB is being used for the test server at:
>
> > url:http://test-install.blindsidenetworks.com/bigbluebutton/
> > salt: 8cd8ef52e8e101574e400365b55e11a6
>
> > Thanks
>
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> > "BigBlueButton-Setup" group.
> > To post to this group, send email to bigbluebu...@googlegroups.com.
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to

> > bigbluebutton-s...@googlegroups.com<bigbluebutton-setup%2Bunsu...@googlegroups.com>
> > .

[rootproxi]

Well, I'm stumped...anyone that has got this working with the joomla
component have a config.xml file they would like to share with me? I'm
pulling my hair out...

On Jan 21, 3:53 pm, Denis Zgonjanin <deniszgonja...@gmail.com> wrote:

> That is the latest version, 0.71a.
>

> On Fri, Jan 21, 2011 at 4:51 PM, rootproxi <rootpr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Reinstalling the component didn't work unfortunately but it got me to
> > thinking.  I was able to get this working using the test server when I
> > first installed this component and module in joomla.  I tried to use
> > the test server again and it works.  My logic is hinting that I may
> > have a different version of BBB than the one used for testing through
> > joomla.  What version of BBB is being used for the test server at:
>
> > url:http://test-install.blindsidenetworks.com/bigbluebutton/
> > salt: 8cd8ef52e8e101574e400365b55e11a6
>
> > Thanks
>
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> > "BigBlueButton-Setup" group.
> > To post to this group, send email to bigbluebu...@googlegroups.com.
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to

> > bigbluebutton-s...@googlegroups.com<bigbluebutton-setup%2Bunsu...@googlegroups.com>
> > .

[Fred Dixon]

Hi rootproxi,

Would you be willing to give us (temporary) root access to your
BigBlueButton server and an account on your Joomla site to figure out
the problems.

E-mail me directly if you want to try this.

Regards,... Fred