C# 3.5 - Connecting named pipe across network

Question

What is the correct way to setup a named pipe in C# across a network?

Currently I have two machines, 'client' and 'server'.

Server sets up its pipe in the following manner:

NamedPipeServerStream pipeServer = new NamedPipeServerStream(
    "pipe",
    PipeDirection.InOut,
    10,
    PipeTransmissionMode.Byte,
    PipeOptions.None)
pipeServer.WaitForConnection();
//... Read some data from the pipe

The client sets up its connection in the following manner:

NamedPipeClientStream pipeClient = new NamedPipeClientStream(
    "server",
    "pipe",
    PipeDirection.InOut);
pipeClient.Connect(); //This line throws an exception
//... Write some data to the pipe

The 'server' machine can be accessed on the network by going to "\\server".

Whenever I run the program, I get a System.UnauthorizedAccessException that says "Access to the path is denied." The code works fine when I run the server and client on my local machine and attempt to connect to "." with the client.

Solution 1

It is not possible to used named pipes between machines.

"The WCF-NetNamedPipe adapter provides cross-process communication on the same computer"

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb226493.aspx

Solution 2

You need to set permissions on the NamedPipeServerStream so that the client will have permissions to access the pipe.

I would look at the SetAccessControl method of your NamedPipeServerStream.

Comments

[weismat]

This is Bizz Server, not Windows doc. msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365590(VS.85).aspx states that it should work!

[Robert MacLean]

That may be a WCF limitation. Named pipes in Windows (like the one the person is asking about) can work across networks. From: msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/… "Named pipes can be used for interprocess communication locally or over a network" There are some limitations - Local lans only (so the moment you hit a router it stops) - Older versions of Windows (like 2000) limit to 10 connections - Anonymous pipes are single machine only