The Helium Streamer can be accessed from any computer on your private network or over the Internet, granted that there is no hardware or software firewall blocking it, and - in the case of access over the Internet - port forwarding has been set up correctly. It can also be used as a back end for the mobile apps for iOS and Android. Please follow these short steps in order to test whether you will need to configure a firewall or router manually or if Helium Streamer can do it for you.


First we need to verify that Helium Streamer has been correctly installed and configured to run locally on your computer.


Is Helium Streamer running?

Does the Helium Music Streamer Launcher's Status label says Running? If not, please see the Helium Streamer status label doesn't say "Running" article.


1. Test local access

The purpose of this test is just to verify that the Helium Streamer runs and is accessible from the computer where it is installed. This test will work disregarding if there are any firewalls or other software blocking access to this computer so it is a good starting point.


To test local access, on the General page in the Helium Streamer Launcher, under the Web browser access section, please click on the link next to the Address on LAN (it will look something like http://192.168.0.10:3030 - but with your specific address).


This will launch your default web browser and load up the Helium Streamer interface. If you receive any kind of error message, please have a look in the troubleshooting section to see whether there is any help available for this specific error.


If all works you should see the Helium Streamer interface and will be able to log in, browse and play music. Please make sure that playing music works by browsing or searching for a track and double click it to play. If you get an access denied error when playing tracks, please consult the Access denied when playing tracks section.


If playing works, you can continue to point 2 below, Test home network access.


2. Test home network access (LAN - local area network)

The purpose of this test is to check whether there is any software that blocks access to the computer where the Helium Streamer is installed.


To perform this test you will need an additional computer in your home network, or a different mobile device (phone, tablet or similar) that is connected to your home WiFi.


To test home network access on another computer or mobile device please fire up your favourite web browser (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera or other). Please notice the address that shows by the Address on LAN label (something like http://192.168.0.10:3030 - but with your specific address) on the General page in Helium Streamer Launcher. Type in this address in the address field in the web browser and hit ENTER.


If the Helium Streamer interface loads up you're good to go to the next step, point 3, Testing Internet access.


If there is a problem reaching the Helium Streamer using this method there is likely some software on the computer where Helium Streamer is installed that is blocking the access to the computer. This can be a third party firewall-, antivirus- or antispyware software. Please reconsider which application that might interfere with the Helium Streamer and see whether you can either give access for the Helium Streamer or temporarily deactivate the software to see if you can access it then.


3. Testing Internet access

Before you can access your music from outside of your home you need to make sure that everything in step 2. Testing home network access (LAN - local area network) above works.


To make streaming work from outside of your home there are some conditions that needs to be fulfilled:

  • You need to have a publicly available IP address to your network. Most ISP's offer this by default. You can see your public IP address on the General page in Helium Music Launcher (look after Address over the Internet).
  • Your router needs to forward incoming traffic so that Helium Streamer can receive it. If your router supports UPnP (or NAT-PMP if you use Apples AirPort) this can be done automatically. If not, this step needs to be done manually.

Automatic port forwarding

Helium Streamer is configured to try automatic port forwarding by default. You should try to access the Helium Streamer from outside of your home by using the external IP address (Address over the Internet).


Manual port forwarding

If automatic port forwarding did not work you will need to configure this yourself.

If you are familiar and comfortable with configuring routers you can just make sure that incoming traffic on the port that the Helium Streamer is running on is forwarded to the computer where Helium Streamer is installed. 

If you are not used to configure a router, please go to http://portforward.com and find instructions for your router there. Make sure that you open the correct port (as displayed on the General page in the Helium Streamer Launcher).

If you find it hard to remember an IP address while away from home you can use a free DNS service such as No-IP  (http://www.noip.com/free) to get your own address such as streamer.no-ip.info.


If there is a problem reaching the Helium Streamer using this method it's likely one of these problems:

  1. You haven't configured the router to route traffic to the computer where Helium Streamer is installed correctly.
  2. Some software on the computer where Helium Streamer is installed that is blocking the access to the computer. This can be a third party firewall-, antivirus- or antispyware software. Please reconsider which application that might interfere with the Helium Streamer and see whether you can either give access for the Helium Streamer or temporarily deactivate the software to see if you can access it then.