HandyCafe Docs
it-admin

Network Settings

The Network Settings category configures the communication ports and authentication key used between the HandyCafe server and all client PCs on the local network.

Ports

HandyCafe uses three separate ports for different types of communication. All port values must be in the range 1 to 65535 and must not conflict with each other or with other services running on the server.

TCP Port

  • Default: 5001
  • Purpose: Main command and response communication between the server and clients. All session control messages (start, stop, extend), status updates, menu pushes, and configuration sync travel over this port.
  • Protocol: TCP with binary encoding and cryptographic authentication.

File Port

  • Default: 5002
  • Purpose: File transfers between the server and clients. Used by the File Sync feature to push files (game updates, configuration files, software) from the server to client PCs.
  • Protocol: TCP-based chunked file transfer.

UDP Port

  • Default: 5004
  • Purpose: Screen streaming for the remote desktop feature. When an administrator views a client's screen from the server console, the video frames are transmitted over this port.
  • Protocol: UDP for low-latency, real-time streaming.

Connection Key

The connection key is a shared secret password used for cryptographic authentication. Every message between the server and a client is signed with this key to prevent unauthorized devices from joining the network.

  • All client PCs must be configured with the same connection key as the server.
  • If you change the connection key on the server, you must update every client's configuration to match. Clients with a mismatched key will fail to authenticate and will not appear in the server console.
  • Use a strong, unique key. Avoid default or easily guessable values.

Connection Wizard

Click Connection Wizard in Network Settings to open a dialog for connecting client PCs without typing the server address or connection key by hand. The dialog has three tabs.

Found on the Network

Lists stations that are announcing themselves on the local network but are not yet connected. Each row shows the hostname, MAC address, IP address, app version and why it is not connected (fresh install with no server address set, has settings but cannot reach this server or already registered under a saved name). A station without a saved name gets a yellow warning and shows the address it announced from. That address is the only thing confirming which physical machine sent the announcement.

Click Connect on a row to send this server's address and connection key to that station. The delivery is encrypted and arrives on the station's next announcement, usually within a few seconds. The announcement itself is informational only. It does not create a pending request and does not raise an alert.

A last scan timestamp and a Refresh button sit above the list. The list also polls automatically every few seconds.

Pending Requests

The same approve, reject and block queue described in Client Settings for a client that lost its configuration and is asking to reconnect.

Pairing Code

Generates a 6-digit code an administrator can enter on a client PC to connect it, together with the download link for the client installer and the manual connection details (server address, port, connection key) for typing in by hand. The code and the three onboarding steps are described in First Setup Wizard.

Opening the Wizard from the Main Screen

A button with a badge appears in the main toolbar whenever there is a pending reconnect request or a station announcing itself on the network. Clicking it opens the pending request queue if a request exists. Otherwise it opens the Connection Wizard on the Found on the Network tab.

Daily Reminder

If no computer has been connected yet, HandyCafe opens the Connection Wizard automatically once a day as a reminder. The reminder dialog has a do not show again checkbox next to the Close button, visible only when the dialog opened on its own. It is hidden when you opened the wizard yourself, since there is nothing to dismiss in that case.

Turning the reminder off is permanent until you turn it back on. Use the toggle labeled Show the daily reminder until a computer is connected in Network Settings to re-enable it.

Important Notes

Changing ports or the connection key requires action on both sides:

  1. Update the values in the server's Network Settings and save.
  2. Restart the HandyCafe server application.
  3. Update the corresponding values in every client's configuration.
  4. Restart the client application on each PC.

Firewall rules: Ensure that your network firewall (both the server's OS firewall and any hardware firewalls) allows inbound and outbound traffic on all three configured ports. Blocked ports will prevent clients from connecting or streaming.

LAN requirement: The server and all client PCs must be on the same local area network (LAN). HandyCafe uses mDNS for client discovery, which operates within a single broadcast domain. Clients on different subnets or VLANs may not be discoverable without additional network configuration.