IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have received this error, you are not using the latest RealPlayer. RealPlayer 8 Basic is a FREE, recommended update available for Windows 95/98/NT and recent Macintosh systems.
If your system meets the minimum system requirements, we recommend that you update your player now by clicking here and following the download and installation instructions.
Error #28 Server timeout. Server not responding.
There are several possible causes of this error message:
- Player may not be Configured Correctly
- Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is using a version of Squid Cache or Harvest Cache prior to 2.0.
Player may not be Configured Correctly
This error indicates that the Player was unable to connect to a RealAudio or RealVideo Server. If a RealAudio or RealVideo Server is down, you should try the link at a later time.
However, if the Player is not configured correctly, then that is another reason it will be unable to connect to the RealAudio or RealVideo Server.
If you received this message often while playing RealAudio or RealVideo files on an Apple Macintosh, you should download the most current version of the Player.
Try these steps to properly configure your system:
- Trash the RealAudio folder found inside the System folder within the Extensions folder.
- Using the Find command from the File menu in the Finder, search the hard drive for RealAudio and delete any other folders of the same name.
- Download the RealPlayer from our Website.
- Install the Player.
- Verify that you have the most current version of the Sound Control Panel.
- Verify that Playthrough is selected in the Sound Control Panel, Sound, Sound In, by choosing Control Panels from the Apple menu.
- Turn off the Network Software Selector Control Panel that came with the Apple System update 7.5.3.
Note: If you need MacTCP for older applications, Apple has provided a "Network Software Selector" Control Panel item; verify that OT (Open Transport) is selected when using the Player. If you do not need Mac TCP, you can remove both the Macintosh Control panel and the Network Software Selector.
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is using a version of Squid Cache or
Harvest Cache prior to 2.0.
If your ISP is using an outdated version of Squid Cache or Harvest Cache, they may interfere with UDP transmission. This problem is not common.
Squid Cache is derived from software developed on the ARPA-funded Harvest Project which developed the Harvest Cache. Both use Internet Cache Protocol Specification v1.4 (ICP) which describes the protocol to be used for exchanging information among caches, and for application programs that need guaranteed reliable transmission of binary objects.
You can receive RealAudio and RealVideo clips through HTTP. Within ICP, they are cached. The RealAudio and RealVideo data itself is coming over UDP (default configuration) and, under ICP, is not HTTP cacheable.
The default behavior for the Player is to receive RealAudio and RealVideo data packets through UDP. Squid Cache and Harvest Cache versions prior to 2.0 perform packet-filtering and, therefore, cannot receive UDP packets. If your system cannot receive UDP packets, set the Network Transport to TCP only. Refer to Setting Your Player to Receive Data through TCP only.
If the problem remains, contact your system administrator. They may need to upgrade to a more current version of this Web-caching software.
Setting Your Player to Receive Data through TCP only:
RealAudio Player 2.0:
- Select Preferences from the View menu.
- Click the Network tab in the Preferences windows.
- Click TCP in the Receive Audio Via box.
- Click the OK button.
RealAudio Player 3.0, RealPlayer 4.0, RealPlayer 5.0 :
Note: These versions of the Player should automatically detect if you cannot receive data through UDP and switch to TCP. In some cases, you may need to force the Player to default to TCP.
- Select Preferences from the View menu.
- Click the Transport tab in the Preferences windows.
- Click the Use Specified Transports box.
- Click the Specify Transports button.
- Check the Use TCP for all content option and make sure that the other options are unselected.
- Click the OK button in the Specify Transports window.
- Click the OK button in the Preferences window.