iphone keynote remote will not connect

same problem here, sometimes it works with ad hoc network, most of the times I have to unpair and pair again and hope it works.
i would say 1 in 4 tries succeeds...

Did you disable your firewall as per http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3325

Doesn't it seem a bit outrageous that Apple recommends disabling a firewall completely to get one of its products to work without bothering to specify which ports are required to be open? Not best practices, to be sure. Would like to know what ports are actually needed for this.

I think it's completely outrageous.

I did a bit of digging though. It seems that when one enables iPhone/iPod remotes Keynote will pick a "random" TCP port to listen on and then advertise this port via Bonjour as "KeynoteAccess". A work-around for "turn off the firewall" would be to find what TCP ports Keynote (lsof -P -i TCP) is listening and update the firewall to allow the KeynoteAccess port. The only issue is that Keynote seems to open a different port every time it loads.

George

George, thanks for checking. That's so not acceptable. One is using this system in a public environment and you're supposed to disable your firewall completely to use it? I think I'll stick with the arrow keys. Or my old phone with bluetooth & Saling Clicker.

Hi Guys -

I could be wrong, but it's not that bad (nor "unacceptable"). I'm at a major University, where I need to use the ad-hoc network trick for my class keynotes. At first, I couldn't connect:
1. Ad-hoc network on Macbook with password
2. Airplane mode on iPhone
3. Network select to connect the iPhone to the Macbook (enter password)
4. Start Keynote Remote and establish a new link (by entering 4 digit code in Keynote).

All that and I would keep getting an error message in the Keynote Remote.

The fix was: to go to my System Preferences and KEEP the "set access for specific devices and applications" (NOT "allow all incoming connections") - but to change my Keynote application (listed in the window) to "Allow incoming connections."

Now, I have no problems. My baby is still secure with her firewall set - just allowing Keynote Remote to talk to Keynote.

Michael

Did this fix allow you to use the remote while connected to the university network? Or are you still on your own ad-hoc (and without wireless internet)?

No - I don't have access to the University network. But as I'm in class giving the lecture, I really don't need it. I also don't think I've ever needed to access the network - for files and such - during a lecture that I'm using the remote.

When I use the remote, its usually an information giving lecture - all keynote, with me walking around. When I need to show them something on the laptop, I'm usually right up there the whole class and do not need the remote - and hence don't need the ad-hoc network (and go without a network connection).

I have had similar issues. Trying to create a peer to peer network, if I work and work on it I can sometimes get it to work. I see keynote remote for the iphone a waste of .99. If I'm giving a presentation it has to work all the time. I just can't understand that if I do the same thing again that it doesn't work. Anyone out there with any clear instructions on setting this up and have it work?

The instructions are fairly clear in the helpful post about creating an ad-hoc network and setting the application firewall. I've found that doing that sometimes works. But I completely agree that when you get up in front of scores of people, it has to work all the time.

Steve Jobs would see that heads rolled if he had to fiddle with his network and pairing at one of his "keynote presentations."

In short, this networking problem makes it too unreliable for professional use. Apple should ease up on bluetooth connectivity for the iPhone, which would be the sensible way for this app to work. At the very least as a secondary network if the (faster) wifi connection cannot be established.