rpcinfo Fails

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Level 1

125 points

rpcinfo Fails

A programming project requires me to learn how to use RPC. Step 1 -- build an RPC client and server -- is done. When I fire up the server and try to check that it's up...

spamguy:~ spamguy$ rpcinfo -p localhost
rpcinfo: can't contact portmapper: RPC: Remote system error - Connection refused

A lot of people on the Internet are having this problem. But, unlike them, (1) I'm running a Mac and not Linux, and (2) I'm not under a firewall, and (3) I'm sure the portmapper is running, double-checked via portmap start.

Any suggestions for what's next? Thanks.

1.83 GHz Intel MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.7), 1.5 GB RAM

Posted on Apr 25, 2007 11:12 AM

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Answer 1

Jun T.

Level 4

2,191 points

Apr 26, 2007 11:49 AM in response to William Oram

(3) I'm sure the portmapper is running, double-checked via portmap start.

What do you mean by "double-checked via portmap start"?
Are you really sure portmap is running? Did you check by "ps -A"?

I have never used RPC on MacOSX, but in MacOSX (at least in Tiger) portmap is automatically started by launchd "on demand" when a server tries to register with portmap. You need not (or should not?) start portmap by yourself, I guess.

See /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.portmap.plist.
http://developer.apple.com/macosx/launchd.html

PowerMacG4, PowerBookG4, iMac(C2D) Mac OS X (10.4.8)

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Answer 2

Apr 26, 2007 3:58 PM in response to William Oram

Usually the portmapper listens on the following ports:

sunrpc 111/udp # SUN Remote Procedure Call
sunrpc 111/tcp # SUN Remote Procedure Call

so something like

sudo lsof -i :111

should let you know that the portmapper is listening. On my system.
nothing is listening on port 111 for udp or tcp.

another way

netstat -anf inet

Andy

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Answer 3

Jun T.

Level 4

2,191 points

Apr 26, 2007 10:17 PM in response to William Oram

ps -A executes properly.

What do you mean by "executes properly"? Forgive me if this is a silly question for you, but did you confirm that portmap was running by "ps -A | grep portmap"?

How do you start portmap? Is it started by launchd? or do you start it manually? In the default configuration of Tiger, if you start portmap manually, it quits immediately with messages like
<pre>portmap[26834]: PID 26825 started this second instance of portmap (the first
instance may not be running, as it launches on demand via launchd), exiting!</pre>

PowerMacG4, PowerBookG4, iMac(C2D) Mac OS X (10.4.8)

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Answer 4

William Oram Author

Level 1

125 points

Apr 26, 2007 2:11 PM in response to Jun T.

ps -A executes properly. This is the first time I've had any issues with ports on this computer (excluding my very brief fling with firewalls), so rpcinfo's acting up is all the stranger.

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