"Unable to connect to <IP address>: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it" message when rendering with Backburner

Autodesk Support

Oct 8, 2023

Products and versions covered

Issue:

When connecting to a Backburner Server on a render node in conjunction with Maya or 3ds Max, the following error occurs (3ds Max version shown):

3ds Max Job Assignment Dialog

Connection Refused - Service Not Installed on Host Computer

In the Backburner Server log (with both 3ds Max and Maya) an error line then displays:

Unable to connect to <IP address>: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.

When using Maya, some instances may have two errors appear:

No connection can be made because the target machine actively refused it
Error sending on UDP. An address incompatible with the requested protocol

Causes:

Backburner requires a physical IP address for the render node. Submitting a job via remote access login software (such as Windows Remote Desktop), which utilizes a dynamic or temporary IP address will not work.

In addition, to connect to the Backburner Server, various network ports need to be open fully, which having a temporary IP address does not allow.

Solution:

Submitting Jobs from 3ds Max and Maya:

If Backburner is required for rendering and the "connection refused" issue persists, try the following:

Use a dedicated (static) IP address or machine name to connect to the render node receiving the error.
- Note: If a remote login program utilizes a dynamic IP address, please refer to an IT specialist to change the login access from the Manager to the Server to a physically-based IP address.
Make sure all required ports are accessible by Backburner, as outlined in this article: Backburner Network Rendering Port Configuration for 3ds Max and Maya

Submitting jobs from Maya:

If getting a "connection refused" error, coupled with a "cannot create job" message, try the following:

Reset the Maya user preferences using the steps provided in Reset Maya to Default.
Make sure that in the Backburner Options window (Render > Create Backburner Job) the correct name for the computer running the Backburner Manager is set to either the IP Address or Host Name.
Before submitting the job, open the Maya Script Editor (Window > General Editors > Script Editor) to check any errors.
In the Create Backburner Job window, set the port number 7347.
Now, submit the job.

Note: Backburner is a legacy 32-bit application, and is not formally supported by Autodesk for Maya network rendering, or nor is it certified to work under Windows 10.

For 3ds Max and Maya network rendering, other 3rd-party network render manager solutions may be preferable. See: Network render management software for render farms using 3ds Max and Maya

Products:

3ds Max; Maya;

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