Get connected

This section describes how several users can connect to the same Mixer server using a LAN or through the Internet.

Tip

It is recommended that you try Mixer locally before you attempt to connect on a network.

Whatever the network type, one user will have to create a server that the other users can connect to.

On a LAN

Host a Server

Open the Mixer panel in the 3D editor, check that the Host text box contains localhost then click on the Connect button.

Connect to localhost

If you are using Windows and starting a server for the first time, the firewall will prompt you to allow access for Python like in the image below.

../_images/firewall.png

Important

Make sure to allow access for private networks.

Your machine is now hosting a Mixer server and the panel changes to :

../_images/create-room-localhost.png

The server is now ready. Find out the IP address of your machine and communicate it to the other participants.

Connect to a Server

Start Blender and open the Mixer panel in the 3D editor.

In the Host text box, replace localhost by the IP address of the machine that hosts the server,, which is 192.168.0.48 in the example below, then click on the Connect button.

../_images/connect-ip.png

The panel now lists the room created on the server. Click on Join Room.

../_images/join-room.png

You are ready to collaborate with your colleagues or friends.

On the Internet

With a hosted VPN

VPN software like Hamachi, Zerotier and others can be used to execute a Mixer session over the Internet. The overall process is as follows:

  • all participants:

    • download, install and start the VPN software using the VPN software instructions

  • one participant:

    • creates a VPN network using the VPN software instructions

    • starts Blender, open the Mixer panel, leaving localhost in the panel Host text box, then click Connect to create a server

    • finds the VPN address of his machine and communicate it to others

  • the others:

    • connect to the VPN network using the VPN software instructions

    • start Blender, open the Mixer panel and fill the Host text box with the VPN address of the server.

Hamachi

Follow this tutorial to easily install and configure an Hamachi server:


If the connection to the server fails, see the networking FAQ.

Other VPN software

Mixer has been reported to work successfully with other VPN software:

With port forwarding

Collaborating over the Internet without a VPN may require to setup port forwarding and is more involved.

On the network that hosts the server

The user who creates the server must setup a TCP port forwarding rule on his router:

  • on the machine that hosts the server:

  • on the router:

    • find the public IP v4 address of the router using the router administration tool or http://whatismyip.host/. You will need to share this address with other participants Say you found the public IP v4 address of your router is 203.0.113.17

    • setup a TCP port forwarding rule to the machine that hosts the server (192.168.0.10 in our example), and the TCP port used by Mixer (12800 by default).

    • check or edit the value of the public forwarded port:

      • If the public forwarded port can be set to 12800, use this value. This setup creates a TCP port forwarding rule from 203.0.113.17:12800 to 192.168.0.10:12800.

      • If the public forwarded port cannot be set to 12800, configure it to a permitted value, say 9090. This setup creates a TCP port forwarding rule from 203.0.113.17:9090 to 192.168.0.10:12800

On the other users locations

Start Blender and open the Mixer panel in the 3D editor.

  • In the Host text box, replace localhost by the public address of the router on the server location, (203.0.113.17 in our example).

../_images/connect-port-forward.png

  • If the public forwarded port is not 12800:

    • Open the Mixer preferences using the Mixer panel title bar setings icon

    ../_images/open-preferences-internet.png

    • in the Port text box type the public forwarded port number, 9090 in our example

    ../_images/preferences-internet-port.png

    • close the preferences windows

  • in the Mixer panel, click on the Connect button.

You are ready to collaborate with your colleagues or friends.