Connecting multiple PC's to the same client

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DasHHat2
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Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:35 pm

Connecting multiple PC's to the same client

Post by DasHHat2 »

My main PC is set up as the 'local' client, its details cannot be changed. The other PC in the study is connected using the same username and is folding successfully.
Is it possible to monitor the study PC from my main one by adding it as a client?
I tried to do this by changing the port the study PC uses by 1, and then adding the new credentials into my main PC, but then FAHcontrol in the study can't connect. I assume it's because I haven't changed the clients actual port, just what the control is looking through. I'm worried they are doing the same thing as they are both working on the same project and one PC is being wasted.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks
Zagen30
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Re: Connecting multiple PC's to the same client

Post by Zagen30 »

Welcome to the forum, DasHHat2.

Yes, you can monitor (and control) any number of clients from a single instance of FAHControl.

Have you made sure to specify the study computer's IP address or name when trying to add the client in your main computer's copy of FAHControl? FAHControl always labels the local computer's copy of the client as "local," but a separate computer needs to use the IP address or computer name (e.g. "John's Computer"). I've had more success using the IP address than the computer name, but the computer name does work some of the time.

If you change the port number on a client, I believe you need to restart that client for the change to take effect. Also double-check if you added a password to any of the clients; it's not required for remote monitoring, but if you did use one all external connections to that computer's client will need to have it entered.

To find the IP address, go to Start->Accessories->Command Prompt, then enter "ipconfig" without the quotes. If the computer has a wired connection, it should be listed under "Ethernet adapter Local Area Network" or something like that.

As for whether or not they're working on the same WU, look at the "PRCG" field in each computer's copy of FAHControl. If the set of numbers is not exactly identical, then everything's good and they're working on separate Work Units.

EDIT: To clarify, each Project will have hundreds of thousands of WUs over the course of its life. Each Run is a different starting conformation for the protein in question, while the Clones are different trajectories within a Run. The Gens are the timesteps; every PRC starts at Gen 0, and when it finishes, it's returned, the servers generate the WU for Gen 1, that's sent out, and the process continues for a long time. You may run hundreds of WUs from the same project, but as long as the whole PRCG number is never the same, you're not doing repeat work.
Last edited by Zagen30 on Sat Jun 16, 2012 6:58 am, edited 2 times in total.
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gwildperson
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Re: Connecting multiple PC's to the same client

Post by gwildperson »

Welcome, DasHHat2.

Multiple clients will not be working on the same PRCG.

In most LANs, the IP addresses are assigned dynamically, which means if you restart computers/routers the IP address is liikely to change. Use the computer name instead of the address or you may have to change the connection to get it to work again.
compdewd
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Re: Connecting multiple PC's to the same client

Post by compdewd »

Actually multiple clients can be working on the same PRCG (see links). It is just extremely rare for the same person to get both

viewtopic.php?f=55&t=21423
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=21817

The second thread should tell you why this happens
bruce
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Re: Connecting multiple PC's to the same client

Post by bruce »

One of those cases is on a server which has had many problems. The server associated with the other is not known so it might have the same cause. In any case, multiple clients will not be working COOPERATIVELY on the same WU. They're really separate WUs, as far as the clients are concerned.
compdewd
Posts: 165
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Hardware configuration: [1] Debian 8 64-bit: EVGA NVIDIA GTX 650 Ti, MSI NVIDIA GTX 460, AMD FX-8120
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Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Re: Connecting multiple PC's to the same client

Post by compdewd »

Okay, my bad for misunderstanding :oops:
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