LOOQS MeeBox Router User Manual
LOOQS
MeeBox Router MB201
User Guide
Copyright | FCC Notice
Copyright © 2009 RRC bv. All rights reserved.
MeeBox and LOOQS are trademarks of RRC bv. Other trademarks are the property of their
owners. Specifications subject to change without notice.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
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Table of Contents
Part 1 - About Your MeeBox .............................................................................. 6
Safety Precautions ...................................................................................................... 7
Specifications .............................................................................................................. 8
What’s in the Box ........................................................................................................ 9
Product Exterior ......................................................................................................... 10
Front ....................................................................................................................................... 10
Rear ........................................................................................................................................ 11
Note for Macintosh users ......................................................................................... 12
Part 2 - Setting Up Your MeeBox ..................................................................... 13
Setting up the network ............................................................................................ 14
Step 1: Prepare Your Computers ...................................................................................... 14
Step 2: Connect your MeeBox to Your Cable or DSL Modem ................................... 15
Step 3: Connect Your Computers to your MeeBox ...................................................... 16
Step 4: Configure Your MeeBox’s Network Settings ..................................................... 16
Step 5: Check Internet Connectivity ............................................................................... 17
Adding user accounts ............................................................................................. 18
Part 3 - Using Your MeeBox ............................................................................. 19
Using your MeeBox as a UPnP media server ......................................................... 20
Copying files into the media folder ................................................................................. 20
Managing the media server ............................................................................................. 21
Understanding scan options ............................................................................................. 22
Enabling/disabling the media server ............................................................................... 23
Using your MeeBox as an iTunes server ................................................................. 25
Enabling the iTunes server .................................................................................................. 25
Copying music to your MeeBox ....................................................................................... 25
Using your MeeBox as a network storage device ............................................... 26
Accessing a share in Windows ......................................................................................... 27
Accessing a share in Mac OS X or Linux ......................................................................... 27
Mapping a share to a drive letter (Windows only) ....................................................... 28
Accessing a second internal hard drive ......................................................................... 28
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Using external storage devices .............................................................................. 29
Using a USB drive.................................................................................................................. 29
Using a USB memory card reader .................................................................................... 29
Sharing a USB printer ................................................................................................ 31
Adding a shared printer to your computer .................................................................... 31
Printing to a shared printer ................................................................................................ 33
Managing users, groups, and shared folders ....................................................... 34
Why create user accounts, groups, or additional shared folders? ........................... 34
Creating, modifying, and deleting user accounts ....................................................... 35
Creating, modifying, and deleting groups..................................................................... 36
Creating, modifying, and deleting shared folders ....................................................... 36
Using the BitTorrent client......................................................................................... 38
Working with torrents .......................................................................................................... 38
Using the web photo gallery application ............................................................. 40
Using other preinstalled web applications............................................................ 41
Part 4 - Advanced Topics ................................................................................ 43
Accessing your MeeBox remotely .......................................................................... 44
Setting up Dynamic DNS .................................................................................................... 44
Using the web file browser ................................................................................................. 44
Accessing files on your MeeBox remotely using FTP ..................................................... 45
Accessing files on your MeeBox remotely using Secure FTP ....................................... 47
Setting up a website ................................................................................................ 49
Uploading website files to the server ............................................................................... 49
Editing web server configuration files .............................................................................. 50
Forwarding incoming connections ........................................................................ 51
Introduction to port forwarding ........................................................................................ 51
Choosing a port forwarding method .............................................................................. 52
Creating and editing port mapping rules ...................................................................... 53
Creating and editing port triggering rules ...................................................................... 54
Creating a Virtual Private Network ........................................................................ 56
Enabling OpenVPN and generating client keys ........................................................... 56
Installing the client certificate and key on your computer ......................................... 57
Starting and using OpenVPN on your computer .......................................................... 58
Adding a second internal hard drive .................................................................... 59
Installing the second hard drive ....................................................................................... 59
Verifying and formatting the second hard drive .......................................................... 60
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Creating a RAID array ........................................................................................................ 61
Managing storage devices ..................................................................................... 63
Viewing storage reports ..................................................................................................... 63
Using the disk utility .............................................................................................................. 63
Managing a RAID array ..................................................................................................... 64
Updating your MeeBox’s software ......................................................................... 66
Accessing your MeeBox’s command line interface ........................................... 68
Executing commands with elevated privileges ............................................................ 69
Product Registration ................................................................................................. 70
Warranty .................................................................................................................... 71
Copyright ................................................................................................................... 74
Licensing .................................................................................................................... 75
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User Guide LOOQS MeeBox Router
Part 1
About Your MeeBox
Congratulations on acquiring your MeeBox Router, the most versatile
media server in the world.
Before you begin using your new MeeBox, please read the following pages
to familiarize yourself with important facts about the product.
Safety Precautions
Please read these safety instructions and precautions carefully before using your MeeBox.
Use a grounded electrical outlet.
Place the server where there is good ventilation. There should be at least three
inches of clearance on all four sides.
Do not place the server where it could be exposed to high temperature or direct
sunlight.
Do not put wet or heavy objects on top of the server.
Do not install or leave the server, its power cable, or LAN cables in areas of heavy
foot traffic.
Do not install the server in areas of high humidity (bathrooms and areas exposed to
rain or splashing water).
Keep the server out of reach of infants and young children.
Use only good quality cables.
Place the server on a level and stable surface.
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Specifications
Product name:
LOOQS MeeBox Router MB201
Storage:
One or two 3.5" SATA hard disk drives
Processor:
300-MHz ARM9 32-bit RISC CPU w/ 24KB L1 cache
Memory:
128 MB DDR SDRAM / 16 MB Flash ROM
Network interfaces:
1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN port
4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports
802.11 b/g Wi-Fi
Expansion ports:
2 x USB 2.0 (support drives, printers, memory card readers)
External drive
support:
FAT32, NTFS, XFS, ext2, ext3
Internet services:
HTTP, WebDAV, FTP, SFTP, Telnet, SSH, POP, SMTP, Samba,
OpenVPN
Dimensions:
40mm x 435mm x 210mm HWD
Weight:
2.5kg (lbs) with 1 HDD
Power:
Adapter input: 90–200V AC, 50/60 Hz
Adapter output: 12V DC, 3A
Max power consumption: 24W
Certifications:
FCC Class B, CE, MIC Class B
Operating
temperatures:
0°–40° C (32°–104° F)
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What’s in the Box
MeeBox media server
AC adapter
power cord
Ethernet cable
mounting screws for second internal drive (except two-drive models)
Setup CD
User Guide
Quick Start Guide
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Product Exterior
Power Button
Press to turn your MeeBox on. Press and hold for at least
one second to turn your MeeBox off.
Wireless LAN Status Indicator
Lights up when there is activity on the wireless network.
HDD Activity Indicator
Blinks when the internal hard drive is being accessed.
USB Status Indicator
Lights up when a USB device is attached.
Internet Status Indicator
Lights up when your MeeBox has a valid WAN connection.
Front
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Rear
WAN Port
Connect your broadband modem or primary router here.
LAN Ports
Connect wired clients here.
Factory Reset Button
Using a thin object such as a straigtened paper clip, push
this to reset all settings to factory defaults.
USB 2.0 Ports
Connect external USB drives, memory card readers, and/or
a USB printer here.
DC Input
Plug the external power supply in here.
Antenna Mount
Screw your MeeBox’s antenna in here.
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Windows
Mac OS X
http://meebox/
http://meebox.local/
http://meebox:8090/
http://meebox.local:8090/
MeeBox (for FTP or SFTP)
MeeBox.local
MeeBox (for Telnet or SSH)
MeeBox.local
Note for Macintosh users
Important!
When accessing your MeeBox’s admin interface or web applications from a Mac OS X
computer, the hostname you use is slightly different from the one used on Windows.
Throughout this user guide, wherever the instructions refer to the hostname MeeBox,
please substitute the hostname MeeBox.local.
The table below gives Macintosh equivalents for Windows addresses and hostnames
referred to in this user guide.
Note: The .local suffix is not necessary when accessing your MeeBox through SMB. To
access your MeeBox’s network shares, you can use the network path smb://meebox/ or
smb://meebox.local/ interchangeably.
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Part 2
Setting Up Your MeeBox
Setting up your MeeBox is easy. The following pages will get you up and
running in a jiffy.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Setting up the network
These instructions assume you will use your MeeBox as your internet gateway (there is no
other router between your MeeBox and your cable/DSL modem).
Step 1: Prepare Your Computers
Configure each of your computers to obtain an IP address automatically (using DHCP).
The instructions below are for computers running Windows XP. If your computer runs
another operating system, please refer to your OS’s network documentation.
1. On the Start menu, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network Connections.
2. If the computer will connect to MeeBox wirelessly, right-click the Wireless Network
Connection icon, and then click Properties. Otherwise, right-click the Local Area
Connection icon, and then click Properties.
3. On the General tab, find the box labeled This connection uses the following items and
scroll down the list until you see Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Double-click Internet
Protocol (TCP/IP).
4. Make sure the options Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server
address automatically are selected (see Figure 1), and then click OK.
5. Click OK to close the connection properties window.
Note: If your Internet connection uses Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE), you
must disable the PPPoE login window, since PPPoE login will be handled by your MeeBox
from now on. If your Internet connection does not use PPPoE, you can skip these
instructions.
1. On the Start menu, click Control Panel, and then double-click Internet Options.
2. On the Connections tab, select Never dial a connection, and then click OK
(see Figure 2).
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Step 2: Connect your MeeBox to Your Cable or DSL Modem
1. Turn your modem off.
2. Plug one end of the supplied Ethernet cable into your modem’s Ethernet port and the
other end into the WAN port on the back of your MeeBox (see Figure 3).
3. Connect your MeeBox’s AC adaptor to the power port on your MeeBox and plug the
adaptor into an electrical outlet.
4. Turn your modem on. Wait until the modem’s Internet light is steady before continuing.
5. Turn your MeeBox on by pressing the power button on the front.
Figure 3
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Figure 4
Step 3: Connect Your Computers to your MeeBox
Connecting through an Ethernet cable
1. Plug one end of an Ethernet cable (Cat 5 or higher) into one of the four LAN ports on
the back of your MeeBox, and plug the other end into your computer’s LAN or
Ethernet port (see Figure 3).
2. If the computer is off, turn it on.
Connecting wirelessly
1. If the computer is off, turn it on.
2. Using your wireless network browser, locate and connect to the wireless network
named MeeBox.
Step 4: Configure Your MeeBox’s Network Settings
1. On a computer connected to your MeeBox, open a browser window. In the address
bar, type http://meebox:8090/ and press Enter.
2. Log in with username ―admin‖ and password ―meebox‖. You will be prompted to
change the admin password. After doing so, click Network in the menu on the left side
of the page (see Figure 4).
3. Change the network settings as necessary, and then click Save. In most cases, you
can leave the WAN mode set to Dynamic IP (your MeeBox will obtain an IP address
from your modem) and leave the LAN IP and SSID at their default settings. However,
you should enter a wireless key to enable wireless network security.
Note
It is highly recommended to enter a wireless key to enable wireless security. If you do not
enter a wireless key, your MeeBox’s network will be accessible by anyone within wireless
range.
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Step 5: Check Internet Connectivity
After you finish the setup wizard, make sure your computer (which is connected to your
MeeBox) can connect to the Internet. Try visiting a Web site in your browser. If you cannot
access the Web, you may need to change your MeeBox’s network settings. To do so,
open your web browser, go to http://meebox:8090/, log in as ―admin‖ with password
―meebox‖, click MeeBox Settings, and click Network on the menu.
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Figure 5
Adding user accounts
If you will be sharing your MeeBox with others, you should consider creating an account
for each user. This lets you control how much disk space each user can use and which
shared folders each user can access.
1. In your web browser, go to http://meebox:8090/ and click MeeBox Settings.
2. Click Advanced Settings, then click Management, and then click Users (see Figure 5).
3. Under Add/Edit User, enter a username, a password, and (optionally) a description in
the provided fields.
4. If you want to limit how much internal disk space the user can occupy, select Enable
disk quota and enter the limit in MB.
5. Click Save.
6. Repeat steps 3–6 for each user you want to create.
Later, if you wish, you can create shared folders (called shares) and decide which users
can access each one. You can also create groups of users, allowing you to grant or deny
access to specific shares for several users at once. For more information, see Managing
users, groups, and shares.
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Part 3
Using Your MeeBox
Your MeeBox offers a wealth of functionality. This chapter will help you get
the most out of the product.
Tip
Different UPnP media players and adapters have
different ways of setting up access to UPnP
media servers. However, in general, your media
player should be able to “see” your MeeBox
media server as long as it is connected to the
same network. (If you have the router version of
MeeBox, the media player should be in your
MeeBox’s network.) Your MeeBox media server
will be identified as “meebox” in your media
player’s user interface.
Using your MeeBox as a UPnP media server
Your MeeBox can stream media files (video, audio, or photos), wirelessly or through
Ethernet, to any UPnP-AV compliant media player or digital media adapter that is on your
local network. Examples of UPnP-AV media players or adapters include LOOQS
MeeCeiver, LOOQS MeeFrame, XBMC Media Center, and Windows Media Player (running
on Windows Vista or Windows 7). If you have a MeeCeiver, for example, you can stream
movies from MeeBox to MeeCeiver wirelessly and watch them on your TV.
The UPnP media server in your MeeBox will serve any media files that are present in a
special folder on your MeeBox’s internal hard drive. On Windows clients, the path of the
folder is \\meebox\public\media. On Mac OS, the folder’s path is
smb://meebox/public/media. You can also access the media folder using FTP or SFTP at
the path /mnt/ide3/public/media.
The media folder contains three subfolders: audio, photos, and video. Any media files you
place in the media folder or any of its subfolders will be available to UPnP media players
on your local network.
The subfolders audio, photos, and video are there for your convenience only. You do not
need to use them. Even if you put all your media files directly in the media folder, or in
other subfolders of the media folder that you create, the media server will recognize and
serve them without problems. If you wish, you can rename the subfolders as desired, or
even delete them. However, please do not rename or delete the media folder itself.
The media server checks for new files in the media folder (and its subfolders) every five
minutes by default. You can change the refresh interval using the media server’s admin
interface (see Managing the media server, below). If you wish, you can also add other
folders on your MeeBox to the media server’s database, so that files in those folders will
also be available to UPnP media players on your network.
Copying files into the media folder
You can copy media files from your computer into the media folder using the same
methods you use to copy files to other locations on your MeeBox. For details, see Using
your MeeBox as a network storage device, below.
For example, to access the media folder through Windows’s built-in networking:
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Figure 6
1. On the Start menu, click Run. The Run dialog box opens.
2. Type \\meebox and press Enter.
3. Double-click the public folder. If you are prompted for login credentials, enter your
MeeBox username and password.
4. Double-click the media folder. Copy media files into this folder or one of its subfolders.
Managing the media server
You can manage various aspects of the UPnP media server through its browser-based
management interface. To access the management interface, in your web browser, go to
http://meebox:8090/ and click Media Server. (Figure 6 shows the management interface
as it appears the first time you open it.)
From here, you can see the list of media files that have been found by the media server;
see which folders on your MeeBox are being scanned by the media server; add or
remove scanned folders; change the scanning interval; and more.
Listing found media files
Media files that have been found by the media server are listed when you click Database.
The media server automatically organizes media files into virtual folders named Audio,
Photos, and Video. Along with the physical folders monitored by the server, these are
shown in the folder tree on the left side of the window. (Note that the virtual folders do not
correspond to the similarly-named subfolders of the media folder. Even if you delete the
physical subfolders, these virtual folders will remain.)
The Audio virtual folder contains virtual subfolders such as Artists and Albums that
automatically organize your music collection. To expand a folder, click the plus sign to the
left of the folder’s icon.
Adding a folder to be scanned
1. Click Filesystem.
2. In the folder tree, navigate to the folder you want to add and select it.
3. Click the button.
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4. Set the following options as shown (see Figure 7):
Figure 7
Scan mode: Timed
Scan level: Basic
Recursive: (selected)
Include hidden files/directories: (unselected)
Scan interval: 300
5. Click Set.
The selected folder will be immediately scanned for media files.
Stopping a folder from being scanned
1. Click Database.
2. Click the plus sign to the left of the icon labeled [Folders].
3. Select the folder you no longer want to be scanned.
4. Click the button.
Changing a folder’s scan interval
1. Click Database.
2. Click the plus sign to the left of the icon labeled [Folders].
3. Select the folder whose scan interval you want to change.
4. Click the button.
5. Set the Scan interval as desired.
The selected folder will be immediately re-scanned.
Understanding scan options
These are the options available when you click the button after selecting a folder for
scanning.
Scan mode
None: The folder will not be scanned again. (Use this option if you want to temporarily
stop a folder from being scanned without removing it from the database.)
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Timed: The folder will be scanned at regular intervals determined by the Scan interval
setting.
Inotify: This option is not used.
Scan level
Basic: Files are scanned for metadata (such as ID3 tags in MP3 files) only once, when first
added to the database. If a file’s metadata later changes, the change will not be
detected.
Full: Files are rescanned for new or changed metadata at every scan.
Recursive
If this option is selected, any subfolders of the selected folder will also be scanned (with
the same settings).
Include hidden files/directories
If this option is selected, any hidden files or subfolders (i.e., those whose names begin with
a dot) will be included in the scan.
Scan interval
The number of seconds between rescans. A value less than 180 (three minutes) is not
recommended, as the system performance of your MeeBox may be adversely affected.
Enabling/disabling the media server
Your MeeBox’s UPnP media server is enabled by default. The media server should have
very little impact on system performance when it is not actively being used, so it is safe to
leave the media server enabled all the time. You can, however, disable it if you wish.
To disable the media server:
1. In your web browser, go to http://meebox:8090/ and log in as admin.
2. Click MeeBox Settings.
3. In the menu, click Features.
4. Clear the check box under Enable UPnP media server, and click Save.
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