Calibre Sharing

[focus48]

Here is my problem. I can run Calibre server fine and within my home I can see the book database. However I need instructions on how to make my book database available so I can share with a couple of friends outside my home and I would like to have access remotely.

I have added an exception on my firewall for Calibre so remote access should be ok. But still no go.

I would prefer to leave the database on my computer however I have access to a bucket load of space on one of my domains so maybe I could do something with that?

I have really struggled to find information on how to do this.

Can somebody please help me sort this out please.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by focus48

Here is my problem. I can run Calibre server fine and within my home I can see the book database. However I need instructions on how to make my book database available so I can share with a couple of friends outside my home and I would like to have access remotely.

I would prefer to leave the database on my computer however I have access to a bucket load of space on one of my domains so maybe I could do something with that?

I have really struggled to find information on how to do this.

Can somebody please help me sort this out please.

Key words: Port forwarding (on your router)

That said: Board policy says we can not help you Share copyrighted material . Opening a router port may also lead to unintended sharing.

[MeSue]

I have my Calibre Server exposed to the web using the remote access provided in Windows Home Server. WHS sets up the port forwarding and provides a domain. Works great. Mine's password protected and only shared with family.

Easiest way to go, though, is probably to move your library into a cloud service like Dropbox, etc.

[focus48]

Originally Posted by theducks

Key words: Port forwarding (on your router)

That said: Board policy says we can not help you Share copyrighted material . Opening a router port may also lead to unintended sharing.

Ok Port Forwarding... Never done this before where am I forwarding my port to?

(As an asside I am not dealing with copyright material)

Thank you.

[focus48]

Originally Posted by MeSue

I have my Calibre Server exposed to the web using the remote access provided in Windows Home Server. WHS sets up the port forwarding and provides a domain. Works great. Mine's password protected and only shared with family.

Easiest way to go, though, is probably to move your library into a cloud service like Dropbox, etc.

Yes maybe but I don't want them to be able to update the database. Causes to much confusion.

[focus48]

I have set up port forwarding using a small port forwarding program. Ran a test through the software and it shows that the port is open.

Set up calibre server to the new port but still cannot access the books.

Any new suggestions?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by focus48

I have set up port forwarding using a small port forwarding program. Ran a test through the software and it shows that the port is open.

Set up calibre server to the new port but still cannot access the books.

Any new suggestions?

Did you use the Public (WAN side) IP of your router for the test. Not 192.168 whatever
Every router is different, which also make helping harder
On mine:
I have to define a 'Service' (a name, type and port)
Then I have to define a 'Rule', Enable it, set an 'Action' (when allowed)

It does work once you get it perfect

BTW 'Program'?? My router has a WEB interface

[PeterT]

http://portforward.com/ has some guides for setting up forwarding on different routers.

[melmac]

Originally Posted by MeSue

I have my Calibre Server exposed to the web using the remote access provided in Windows Home Server. WHS sets up the port forwarding and provides a domain. Works great. Mine's password protected and only shared with family.

Easiest way to go, though, is probably to move your library into a cloud service like Dropbox, etc.

I would like to do this on my WHS, can you point me to some instructions? Did you install the Calibre program on the WHS?

[focus48]

Originally Posted by theducks

Did you use the Public (WAN side) IP of your router for the test. Not 192.168 whatever
Every router is different, which also make helping harder
On mine:
I have to define a 'Service' (a name, type and port)
Then I have to define a 'Rule', Enable it, set an 'Action' (when allowed)

It does work once you get it perfect

BTW 'Program'?? My router has a WEB interface

I have used Simple Port Forwarder to set up the port forwarding and tested it through there. It says the port is open.

The address I have with my Calibre is 10.1.1.3:3800 (password protected) and I still cannot get in outside my home wifi. (Using 3g connection via tablet). So when I go to browser I type in 10.1.1.3:3800 - is this the correct address or should I be using something different outside of my wifi network?

[Sefiriot]

That IP does look like it's for your internal (home wifi) network: check what your computer's WAN address is and make sure you are using that.

[focus48]

Originally Posted by Sefiriot

That IP does look like it's for your internal (home wifi) network: check what your computer's WAN address is and make sure you are using that.

Brilliant. Sorted. Thank you

[focus48]

Thank you to everybody who contributed to my solving this problem. It has been doing my head in and the answer (as always) was so simple.

I really appreciate your time in answering my thread.

All the best.....

:t hanks:

[MeSue]

Originally Posted by melmac

I would like to do this on my WHS, can you point me to some instructions? Did you install the Calibre program on the WHS?

Yes, you need to install Calibre on your server via remote desktop, point it to your library, and then set up Calibre server through the GUI. I changed the port number from the default and set up a username and password. After that you only need to run the "C:\Program Files\Calibre2\calibre-server.exe" for a headless server. I used NSSM to set it up to run as a service.

Since I do book management on my desktop computer, I also set up a batch file that runs nightly to shut down calibre on the server and restart it 150 minutes later. During the time it's shut down, a sync runs on my desktop to copy the library from my desktop to the server. I don't share the same library folder on my desktop and the server since the server keeps the database locked. It doesn't need the whole 150 minutes to sync the library, but I shut it down for that long to also allow WHS to release the database file long enough for DrivePool duplication to occur. Otherwise the file stays locked and Drivepool complains that it can't be duplicated.

The Restart_Calibre.bat looks like this (assuming you named the service "Calibre Server" when you create it in NSSM):

@echo off
net stop "Calibre Server"
timeout /T 9000 /nobreak
net start "Calibre Server"

Run the batchfile through Scheduled Tasks at the desired time.

I think I had to manually add the firewall exception on WHS 2011. On the router I had to forward the port I chose and then was able to access remotely at http://myname.homeserver.com:#### where 'myname' is the custom domain and '####' is the port where calibre server is running.

Periodically I update Calibre on the server via remote desktop just so it doesn't get too out of date.

I think that covers it. Good luck!