FAQ: Logging In and Connecting to the Server

Where do I get my Kinnexus username and password?

I've installed Kinnexus and obtained a username and password, but when I try to log in, I get a "network difficulties" or "server not found" error. What's up?

What is a firewall? How do I find out which one I have? Should I just turn it off or uninstall it?

After an automatic software update, any attempt to start Kinnexus results in a notice, "There are outstanding packs."

I changed my Kinnexus password on one computer, and now I cannot log in on another computer.

Where do I get my Kinnexus username and password?

Access to the Kinnexus system is controlled by your board, if you're using a real estate system, or by one or more system administrators in other installations. You must obtain a username and password from them, and they must configure your user account with the appropriate security rights. Telescan cannot give a new username to a new user or tell you your password if you forget.

I've installed Kinnexus and obtained a username and password, but when I try to log in, I get a "network difficulties" or "server not found" error. What's up?

Many support calls to Telescan are about this very problem, but you can usually solve it yourself. The following procedure is approximately what we use at Telescan:

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet. Test this by using your Web browser (such as Internet Explorer or Firefox) to go to a Web page. If it gets an error, the problem is likely with your Internet connection itself. (If you connect by modem, you must be dialed in. If you are, and it doesn't work, disconnect and connect again, then try again.)
2. Be sure you are typing your username and password correctly. (Try again, carefully!)
3. Make sure you have spelled the server name and the database name correctly.
4. Set your firewall to allow Kinnexus full access to the Internet, or to allow UDP traffic on port 1440. (Usually, allowing the Kinnexus program full access is easier.) Note that there are many different firewall software packages, and Telescan support personnel cannot see your computer screen and walk you through yours. Generally, you can start up your firewall package and look for "setup," "configure," or "customize," and it will take you where you need to go. You may need to consult your firewall documentation or call that company's technical support.
5. If none of this helps, contact your network administrator and tell him or her that you need Kinnexus to have access through the firewall.

If this doesn't help, either, call for technical support.

What is a firewall? How do I find out which one I have? Should I just turn it off or uninstall it?

A firewall is software often found on personal computers, and sometimes firmware built into routers, to block unauthorized communication between your computer and the Internet. This is increasingly important protection; it is not desirable simply to turn it off and leave it off, if it is blocking a program you want to use. Instead, you should configure your firewall to permit Kinnexus and other needed programs the access they need to the Internet. (You may want to turn it off for a few minutes to see if it's really the problem before you tinker with it, but remember to turn it back on.)

Frequently, the first time you run Kinnexus, or sometimes after a Kinnexus software upgrade, your firewall will alert you that it is attempting to access the Internet and ask if you want to allow this. The answer is, you do. Allow Kinnexus full access, always, to the Internet. (If you'd rather, simply open port 1440 for UDP in your firewall's advanced settings.)

Every firewall package is different; even different versions of the same package may have different interfaces. Sometimes Telescan support personnel can help you figure out your firewall, but please attempt to do so on your own before calling. See this article for specific instructions -- essentially the same instructions you'll get over the phone from Telescan.

To determine which firewall is installed on your PC, check your programs menu, look for something including the words "internet security" or "firewall." The most popular firewalls and Internet security suites among Kinnexus users are from:

• Norton (usually Norton Internet Security)
• McAfee (McAfee Personal Firewall or Internet Security Suite)
• Panda (at least some versions of Panda Antivirus include a firewall)
• ZoneAlarm (Internet Security Suite, Pro, or Antivirus)
• Windows XP's own built-in firewall (Service Pack 2 or later), which appears in the Control Panel, not on the Programs menu.

Ordinarily, when a third-party firewall package is installed on a PC, Windows XP's own firewall is disabled. But sometimes it is not. This may mean that two firewalls are running on your PC. In this case, you may want to turn off the Windows firewall and leave the other running and properly configured for Kinnexus.

After an automatic software update, any attempt to start Kinnexus results in a notice, "There are outstanding packs."

Ordinarily, after receiving a software update (pack), Kinnexus will close itself, apply the pack, and restart itself, warning you once in the process. However, if Kinnexus cannot update one or more of the files it attempts to update, the process will not complete. Starting Kinnexus will result in the outstanding packs warning.

This may happen if a Kinnexus process is still running on the computer or if a file Kinnexus wants to replace is marked "read only" in folder in which Kinnexus is installed. Follow these steps as necessary to correct the problem. After each step, if Kinnexus does not try to restart itself, try to start it manually. If the error persists, close Kinnexus and proceed to the next step.

1. Close any instances of Kinnexus which are running on your computer.
2. Using the Processes tab of the Windows Task Manager, select and end any "kxupdate.exe" or "kinnexus.exe" processes which may still be running. (Get to the Task Manager either by right-clicking in an empty space in the Windows task bar and selecting "Task Manager" on the menu, or by pressing ctrl-alt-delete on the keyboard and selecting Task Manager.) Close Task Manager. (Another way to accomplish this entire step is to reboot -- shut down and restart -- the computer.)
3. Most Kinnexus users are not using replication, but if you are (or accidentally installed it), a kxserver.exe process may be running. It cannot be stopped with Task Manager. Instead, go to the Windows Control Panel and choose "Services." (If that choice is not available, choose "Administrative Tools," then "Services.") Find the Kinnexus Server service and stop it.
4. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, go to the c:\kinnexus20 folder (regardless of version). If it does not exist, look for c:\Program Files\Kinnexus instead. (If you're using replication, look for c:\kxserver.) In the folder look for a file called "kxupdate.log." If it exists, open it and examine it. It may identify the specific file which the update process could not replace. If it does, find that file in c:\kinnexus20, right-click on it, and choose "Properties." If the read-only property is set, unset it and save the change. Close Properties.
5. If there is no kxupdate.log file, or if it does not identify a problem with a specific file, change the view type to "Details" (View | Details). Then right-click on one of the column headers and select "Attributes" to add the needed column to the display. Examine all the files in the folder. If any have the attribute "R" (which may be listed with other attributes, such as "A"), remove that attribute for that file using the process in Step 4.

If none of these measures solves the problem, call for technical support.

I changed my Kinnexus password on one computer, and now I cannot log in on another computer.

Passwords are stored locally and on the server. After a password change, it may be necessary to clear the database on another machine on which you have logged in previously. To do this, choose "Systems" at the login dialog, select the appropriate database in the "Available Kinnexus Systems" dialog, click "Clear," and answer "Yes" when asked if you really want to proceed. Close the "Available Kinnexus Systems" dialog. When you log in after this, you will go through a cold start.