Apple iTunes Home Sharing Help

[Jyoshiki]

Hello, everyone! I've been an avast! user for nearly two years now, and while I love the program and haven't had any problems with it, I'm now coming across a little something that's making me incredibly frustrated.

I recently bought an iPad and I'm trying to set up home sharing for iTunes. However, no matter what I do, I just can't seem to get it to work properly with my current settings.

I'm using the latest version of avast! Internet Security (6.0.1367). Windows firewall was disabled a long time ago, so I use avast! exclusively for my firewall and virus protection. Due to a nasty virus infection I got a few years ago, I've upped my security to "Public/High risk zone" just to be on the safe side. I should note that if I switch to "Home/Low risk zone", I am able to use home sharing without any problems whatsoever. However, I want to be able to keep my current settings rather than having to switch back and forth every time I want to use home sharing.

I haven't been able to find much information here on the forums, so I'm reaching out for some help; the only other topic I found listed the ports that iTunes uses to communicate between copies of iTunes, but I already added packet rules to allow connections to and from those ports. Also, I've made sure to list the iPad's IP as a friend in the Expert Settings > Friends menu.

In "Packet Rules", I made two new rules: the first, named "iPad", is a TCP in/out connection that uses the local port 3689; the other rule, named "iPad2", is a UDP in/out connection that uses the local port 5353. By reading through my firewall logs, I was able to see what the iPad's remote port is, so I put that number in the "Remote port" boxes of both new rules I created, and I put the iPad's IP address in the "Address" box.

However, this still didn't work. After I created the new rules and tried the home sharing again, according to my firewall logs, avast! was still blocking the iPad. Even though the "Public/High risk zone" setting says that it will not allow any incoming connections to take place, shouldn't it allow connections from trusted IPs, no matter what the security level? This is what's confusing me - I've made sure to tell avast! that my iPad is a friendly computer, so why is it still actively blocking the iPad?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!

[ady4um]

May I suggest editing ("modify") you first post? Change the subject so to include "iTunes".

About the problem, try changing web shield -> "...well known browser only".

I'm not saying this is the ideal setting for you, so this is not so much a recommendation, but rather a first place to look into, so to narrow down the problem.

If that setting is useful as a workaround, then maybe we can find some other settings (instead of this one) that could solve the problem and still be adequate for you.

Please report back.

[Jyoshiki]

Thanks for the reply.

The only web shield setting I saw like that was in its main settings, the "Scan all traffic from well-known browser processes only" option. It was unchecked, so I checked it, but unfortunately, that didn't work either. avast! is still blocking the iPad.

What I did notice, though, was that the iPad's remote port changed from the number that I had put into my packet rules, and actually changes each time it tries to connect to my PC. I went back into the rules I made and removed the remote port numbers from them, but that didn't make a difference.

[ady4um]

I'm not sure that the Windows "Public" connection setting will let you share any files, but avast should be able to let you share under Windows "Home" connection type.

Maybe someone else, more experienced, is able to find what is exactly wrong with so many details and changes you described already.

[Gargamel360]

From what I remember of AIS, Public/High Risk was a setting more intended for public wi-fi spots.   It is total overkill to use it in a home setting.

I used the medium setting (I think it was labeled "work" or something like that?) for the year I had it with no probelms.

[spg SCOTT]

There is a setting within the firewall settings that mentions internet sharing:

I am copy/pasting from another thread (hoping the location is still the same - I don't use AIS)

Firewall -> Firewall Settings -> Expert Settings. Under Preferences select 'internet connection sharing mode'.

You could try this and see if it helps

[Jyoshiki]

I did have that box checked, yes; unfortunately, it still didn't make a difference. avast! still blocks the iPad.

Eh, it looks like that whether or not an IP is listed as friendly, and no matter what packet rules you define, it will still be blocked for whatever reason. I suppose what I'll have to do is just switch between modes when I feel like turning on home sharing, since there doesn't seem to be another workaround with my current settings. It is a little annoying, but I'm not going to change them permanently; I like the feeling of extra security (whether or not it's "overkill" ) and have not gotten infected in the two years I've been using the program.

Thanks anyway, though; I do appreciate the help.

[Gargamel360]

I like the feeling of extra security (whether or not it's "overkill" ) and have not gotten infected in the two years I've been using the program.

Everyone likes that feeling, and its great that you have not been infected.   But if this is a desktop sitting behind a router, you are getting 0 benefit from this setting, and possibly problems. 

The FW should have a Friends list also.  You might try adding the IPad to that.