CC not Connecting to Calibre

[flyfisher33]

I just purchased Calibre Companion on my Asus Transformer. I tried to load a book from my Calibre library (W7, 64). I started the wireless connection and then tried "send to device." However, Calibre doesn't recognise the tablet as a device. I also tried "content sharing" via a USB connection to the PC--same result. Help appreciated.

[theducks]

2 Steps needed (in General. Basic)

In Calibre: Connect-share:'Start Wireless Device connection'
In CC: Connect as Wireless device


This assumes:
You are on the same PHYSICAL network.
Your host (Calibre) is on a Wired segment. Wireless to Wireless may need special router configuration)
Your firewall(s) Allow connection

There are other tips in the stickies above for various other configurations

[flyfisher33]

OK, I had performed the 2 recommended steps before asking. However, I'm not sure what you mean by "PHYSICAL" network. As stated in my original question I tried both "wireless" (i.e., the tablet was not plugged into the desktop) and "content sharing" (with the tablet wired to the desktop). Nothing.
I allowed the connection when the firewall originally objected. What is a "Wired segment"?

[flyfisher33]

Shite! While I had allowed Calibre through the firewall, when I went to the settings in W7 I found that the magic box on the left wasn't ticked, only the first box on the right. Ticked the left box and now all is smiles. Thanks.

[chaley]

EDIT: I see that you got things working, and that the problem was indeed the usual reason. Glad you sorted it.

I am leaving all the stuff I already typed below in case it helps someone else who comes along.

==================

The usual reason that CC cannot connect to calibre is the firewall or anti-virus on the computer running calibre blocking connections. Some AV programs are more aggressive than others, such as ESET, avast, and and malwarebytes. So the first questions:

1. Have you gone through the steps in the CC FAQ Calibre Companion won’t connect to calibre. What do I do??
2. What anti-virus, firewall, or "internet security suite" are you running?
3. Are you running Trusteer Rapport, something pushed by many banks?

The second-most common problem, becoming more and more common, is wifi routers enforcing "Wireless Isolation" or "Guest Mode", both of which prevent devices on wifi from seeing other devices on the network while allowing internet connections. Are either of these enabled in your router?

The third-most common problem is dual-band routers where the device is connected to one band and the computer hosting calibre is connected to another. Some wireless routers require explicit setup to permit connections between bands.

The fourth-most common problem is related to problems 2 and 3, where devices connected by wifi cannot "see" devices connected by a cable. If the computer running calibre is connected by cable to the home router then you might be having this problem. Usually it goes away if you disable guest mode and enable cross-band connections.

Questions in addition to the ones above:

1. If the device and the computer running calibre are both connected by wifi, are they using the same SSID (network name)?
2. Do the device and the computer running calibre have the same ip address, ignoring the 4th group? Example: 192.168.20.4 and 192.168.20.1 pass this test because they are the same except for .1 and .4. The addresses 192.168.21.6 and 192.168.20.1 do not because 20 does not equal 21.
3. Assuming the content server is enabled, can a web browser on the same computer running calibre see the books via the content server?
4. If the above works, can the web browser on the device see the content server? If the answer above is yes but the answer here is no then something on your network is blocking connections.

More later once we hear back from you.

[flyfisher33]

Thank you Chaley, I hope that was a cut and paste. Even though it's now working, I have all the "roadblocks." I run MSE, Malwarebytes Pro, and Trusteer Rapport. Nevertheless, what I still don't understand is why, when I physically connect the two devices (tablet and PC), the books wouldn't transfer. Surely the firewall has no effect there?? If you could answer in one or two lines (so as not to waste your time) I'd be grateful.
Paul

[chaley]

Originally Posted by flyfisher33

Thank you Chaley, I hope that was a cut and paste. Even though it's now working, I have all the "roadblocks." I run MSE, Malwarebytes Pro, and Trusteer Rapport. Nevertheless, what I still don't understand is why, when I physically connect the two devices (tablet and PC), the books wouldn't transfer. Surely the firewall has no effect there?? If you could answer in one or two lines (so as not to waste your time) I'd be grateful.
Paul

Some was cut and paste but much wasn't, because we are always learning. I was just ready to hit the "post" button when I saw that you had solved the problem. Next time there will be more available for ^C and ^V. I also am trying to find a way to put some of the newer knowledge into our FAQ without making things even more confusing and difficult.

I am very pleased to hear that you are running Trusteer Rapport and that CC can connect. We have a fair amount of anecdotal evidence that Trusteer might cause problems, and hearing of a case where it doesn't is reassuring.

I confess to some surprise that Malwarebytes Pro isn't creating more difficulties. We had a case where a user upgraded from free to pro and everything stopped working. Perhaps they have fixed it, or perhaps we didn't get quite all the info in the other case.

MSE has never been a problem for us. Knock wood.

OK, to your question. TBH I am not sure what you are asking. Are you asking why CC couldn't transfer books when the device is connected by cable? If so, the answer is easy: CC uses only wireless and cannot use a USB connection. Or are you asking something else?

[flyfisher33]

The simple answer was the one. For whatever reason I assumed that's what "content sharing" was all about.
Now to understand why CC won't give me the Kindle app as an option for viewing a .mobi file. Likely because it's one I created myself and, while it opens fine in Calibre, likely doesn't presently meet all the criteria.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by flyfisher33

Now to understand why CC won't give me the Kindle app as an option for viewing a .mobi file. Likely because it's one I created myself and, while it opens fine in Calibre, likely doesn't presently meet all the criteria.

Take a look at our FAQ answer Using Kindle for Android with Calibre Companion. The bottom line is that amazon books must be in a particular folder ("kindle" works). By default, calibre does not put books in subfolders so that won't be a problem unless you have changed calibre's save template.

We aren't happy with CC not being able to open books in Kindle for Android, but Amazon doesn't permit more. That is one reason I use Moon+ to read .mobi files instead of K4A.

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by chaley

I confess to some surprise that Malwarebytes Pro isn't creating more difficulties. We had a case where a user upgraded from free to pro and everything stopped working. Perhaps they have fixed it, or perhaps we didn't get quite all the info in the other case.

i run Malwarebytes pro with all real time checks enabled on my pc with the calibre library and I run the free android version of malwarebytes on the tablet - no issues.

MB is a well behaved program in my experience; no reason for it to interfere with book transfers. If it decides to scan the outgoing epubs that should be fine, and there's no reason for a connection to CC to fail it's "malicious website" . Most AV only scans incoming fiiles anyway, not outgoing ( expcet maybe for email attachments)check

[flyfisher33]

Thanks again. Some of that FAQ isn't the easiest to understand, likely because I use the tablet so infrequently. Its sole purpose is to give me some idea what books I create in InDesign are going to look like in several formats. The difficulty with the "kindle" folder is that the files are named in some impenetrable fashion so I can't tell what's what.
Paul

Originally Posted by chaley

Take a look at our FAQ answer Using Kindle for Android with Calibre Companion. The bottom line is that amazon books must be in a particular folder ("kindle" works). By default, calibre does not put books in subfolders so that won't be a problem unless you have changed calibre's save template.

We aren't happy with CC not being able to open books in Kindle for Android, but Amazon doesn't permit more. That is one reason I use Moon+ to read .mobi files instead of K4A.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by flyfisher33

Thanks again. Some of that FAQ isn't the easiest to understand, likely because I use the tablet so infrequently. Its sole purpose is to give me some idea what books I create in InDesign are going to look like in several formats. The difficulty with the "kindle" folder is that the files are named in some impenetrable fashion so I can't tell what's what.
Paul

The odd names are Amazon downloaded books or Amazon freebies. The are named with their ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number). Kindle for Android (K4A) does not require that files have those names. Unless you changed the send template in calibre, files sent through CC will be named "Title - Author.mobi".

If you open CC's settings, go to Formats and Folders, then tap on the "mobi" line, you will be given a directory browser that will let you tell CC to store mobi-format books in the kindle directory. Once you do that then K4A will be offered as a reading app in CC. You will still need to find the book in K4A's library, but that won't be hard if you don't have many books.

[cybmole]

kindle fire does the same odd names thing with documents. I was trying to figure out last night why some files apparently in cloud drive documents would stubbornly not download, btu others would, and learned that
1. KF syns its docs record with cloud only wehn it feels like it - so changes made by using PC to log in to cloud folder we not visbel on KF - maybe they will show ups eomtime today
and
2. docs are downloaded to a very obscure location ( NOT into the olcal folde called documents) and are given gobbledy gook names.
I concluded its far better to put any wanted docs i nto calibre & use CC, or put hem into drop box & fro there into a local folder known to adobe reader.

Amazon seem to delibaratly obfuscate the who area, and I don't think their design copes with you going in with other apps to move, rename , delete, stuff. I think that is jhy some foles now stubbornly refuse to download, I get "cannot connect to sever" but I think that really means "that file is not where we thought it is so we can't find it " !

in the same obscure android/data/amazon.com.xxxx... folder where I eventually found a test pdf that amazon had downloaded as a document from cloud, I also found over 100 empty folders all with gobbledygook names, I think it creates a sub folder for each doument, and does nto clean up after itself.