Troubleshooting Messages Bonjour issues

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Level 1

69 points

Troubleshooting Messages Bonjour issues

Hello,

I have a friend staying with me, who also has a Mac (MBA). We wanted to share things over Bonjour using Messages. Both computers have Yosemite.

Neither of us see that other user on Bonjour using Messages. I have enabled Bonjour in Messages on both devices.

Are there certain steps I can take to troubleshoot why Messages over Bonjour is not simply working as one would expect?

Thank you...

Jonathan

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), 256 SSD, 1TB HDD, 8GB RAM, Matt

Posted on Jun 18, 2015 2:56 PM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

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209,841 points

Jun 18, 2015 3:08 PM in response to InspiredLife

Are you connected to the same local network? Does Bonjour work for anything else, such as file sharing or printing?

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Answer 2

InspiredLife Author

Level 1

69 points

Jun 18, 2015 4:40 PM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc,

File sharing doesn't work. Just tried it.

I have no printers set up, so can't test that.

Screen sharing works, although I suspect that's using another protocol entirely, yes?

Yes, we're on the same local network... same router, same subnet.

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

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209,841 points

Jun 18, 2015 4:48 PM in response to InspiredLife

If the firewall is on, turn it off in the Security & Privacy preference pane on both machines.

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Answer 4

InspiredLife Author

Level 1

69 points

Jun 18, 2015 5:03 PM in response to Linc Davis

The firewall is on. Is that not recommended? Does the OS X firewall not automatically allow its own apps and protocols to communicate and function correctly?

I'll turn it off, and see what happens.

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Answer 5

InspiredLife Author

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69 points

Jun 18, 2015 5:06 PM in response to Linc Davis

Okay. Firewall on other computer was already off. Have turned mine off too. Unfortunately it hasn't resolve the issue.

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Answer 6

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,841 points

Jun 18, 2015 5:41 PM in response to InspiredLife

Please verify:

1. Bonjour is active in the Accounts tab of the Messages preference window on both machines.

2. The other user is not listed in the Buddies window.

3. In the Shared section of the sidebar of a Finder window, you see the other machine.

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Answer 7

InspiredLife Author

Level 1

69 points

Jun 19, 2015 12:26 PM in response to Linc Davis

1. Yes

2. Not listed in either of the user's Buddies window

3. Nope. Even with File Sharing turned on, and folders actively shared... nothing shows up on either side.

Thanks for your help Linc.

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Answer 8

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,841 points

Jun 19, 2015 1:12 PM in response to InspiredLife

Bonjour problems affecting more than one device are likely caused by the router. If possible, test on another network. Otherwise, check the router's documentation for a setting that would affect either "Bonjour," "multicast DNS," "service discovery," or "IPv6."

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Answer 9

InspiredLife Author

Level 1

69 points

Aug 4, 2015 10:18 PM in response to Linc Davis

An update on this:

Bonjour works fine over another router/network. So it would appear to be the router I am using. It's an odd no-brand (OEM) router, and I've found no reference to it AND bonjour on Google searches. Looks like I might be stuck with this issue for now.

Will ask the ISP who supplied the router what they suggest.

Cheers.

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Answer 10

Aug 7, 2015 1:20 PM in response to InspiredLife

More info.

Bonjour items (other computers) are supposed to show in the Finder's Side bar under Shares as has been said.

Most routers would allow local traffic (Data to flow around your LAN).

To show up in the Side Bar as a share port 5353 on the UDP Protocol should be open.

The Account in iChat or Messages also uses this (it is the discovery port as it were)

The Account goes on to use port 5297 and 5298 (both on UDP and the 5298 also on TCP).

This info comes from here Using iChat with a firewall or NAT router - Apple Support

See Note 2 at the bottom in particular.

Do either of you have additional software like Little Snitch that acts like a firewall in certain actions ?

This also might help. http://blog.spikie.info/osx-10-10-yosemite-how-to-disable-bonjour-service-advert ising-without-disabling-dns/

The Advertising of Bonjour can be turned Off. (it is mDNS and is linked to everyday DNS).

The link explains it used to be listed as Multicast and is now a Discoveryd item in

LaunchDaemons

The article lists the old Knowledge Doc item (Apple Instruction here:http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3789) that are not longer there.

However it might be it was "disabled" under an earlier OS version and has not been updated to be On again.

9:20 p.m. Friday; August 7, 2015

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

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