Logic / VE Pro Does Not See Mac Mini on Network

[plowman]

I have a new network: one Mac Pro (10.6.7) and one Mac Mini (10.7.1). That's it. There is no router box. Just a cable from one to the next. The connection has been established, files dragged and dropped, screens shared. 

Briefly, I got VE Pro within Logic 9.1.4 to acknowledge the Mac Mini. But when i tried to connect them, I was told that the versions of VE Pro were not similar. I upgraded both computers to VE Pro v4.1873. 

Now VE Pro within Logic does not acknowledge the Mac Mini at all. 

In other threads, Cyril and macaramian have noted that one must connect via a "manually" setting. VSL, is that true? Why does VE Pro not acknowledge a network that is otherwise fully functioning?

Is a router needed with this kind of direct connection? 

[DG]

1. I assume that you are using version 8783, not what you typed.
2. Have you updated eLicenser on both machines?
3. Have you set a fixed IP for both machines?

DG

[Cyril Blanc]

You have to use the manual I have done on my site www.cyrilblanc.fr in the Mac area

[plowman]

Deep gratitude to you both. I've had some success this morning. 

I updated the eLicenser on the Mac Pro, so both are identical versions: 6.3.1.1068.

Yes, DK, you were right. I mis-typed. My VE Ensemble version is v.4.1.8783. Cyril, I have done what your tutorial said, though I have not yet broached the firewall issue. I am very unknowledgeable here, and I'm not sure where to go or what to do to affect firewall settings.  

Now embarrassingly, I was not typing the IP address in the slavehost name. This morning I have been able to create instances from the Mac Pro on the Mac Mini, play and hear them. But last night, briefly, the pre-loaded mac mini instance appeared by default (though the version differences made it impossible to connect).

I thought once the network was in place, all unconnected instances on all computers appear as "Available Instances" in the Server interface within Logic for immediate selection. Right now, each time I need to type in the server name (series of numbers) and the identical name of the instance on the Mac Mini to make a connection.  

Lots of newbie missteps here. Thanks for your patience. 

[Cyril Blanc]

if it is working this means your FireWall is either not set or is set OK

The Firewall setting are in "security and privaty" in system pref or you may have an independant software like "Netbarrier"

[plowman]

Thanks Cyril.

Well, I am in that familiar situation where I solved the problem and I don't know how or why, having thrown so many permutations at it, I cannot recreate or recall them. 

Some of the day was spent with a router added, at which point the Mac Mini showed up immediately in the Mac Pro Server Interface window within Logic. But my Internet signal was lost on both computers. 

I removed the router (fished from the basement, about seven years old), reverted to a direct connection between Pro and Mini, went back to the "manually" setting, copying what the Using DHCP configure gave me according to Cyril's list. Immediately the Mini showed up in Logic / VE Pro. It's a different IP than I had been given yesterday.

As an emerging Mac Mini farm is likely, I would welcome any router switching device suggestions for a buy I consider inevitable. I don't know if the old one caused the internet issue, but it is first place I'll start trouble-shooting. 

[Cyril Blanc]

On the Macpro you can connect one Ethernet port to the router and the other directly to the Macmini so you have 1 gigabit reserved for VSL