Cannot connect to a remote computer: Agent is offline

Problem: Remote computers do not appear in the list in SoftActivity Monitor, show as offline (red icons), or you cannot connect to the monitored computers.

Try the following possible solutions:

1. Make sure you have installed Agent software (Client App) on the monitored computer. This can be done remotely from SoftActivity Monitor or locally.
2. Selected “Show All Agents” in the Agent list toolbar and click <All Agents> group. Otherwise, some Agents can be filtered out from the list and not show up.
3. If the computer is missing from the list, click Search Network for New Agents and wait a few seconds for it to appear. Also check that the “Search network for new Agents” option is enabled in Options – Other tab. Keep in mind that this feature only works within the local network segment and may be unreliable in some environments.
4. Close and re-open SoftActivity Monitor app. Then try connecting to the remote computer again by double-clicking it in the list of the left.
5. The Monitor app automatically detects and adds Agents located on the same IP subnet to its list. However, if the Agents are on a different subnet, you will need to add them manually.
   • To do this, use the Agent’s DNS hostname (preferably the Fully Qualified Domain Name, or FQDN, which includes the domain name) rather than just the computer name.
   • Alternatively, you can use the Agent’s IP address, although this is not recommended as IP addresses can change. Only do this if the IP is static.
   • Once you have manually added an Agent, the Monitor should establish communication with it, and the Agent should appear as online in the list.
6. Check if Agents and/or Monitor is not blocked by antivirus software. If you have any antivirus product installed we recommend to add SoftActivity Monitor to Ignore/Exclusions list. Then reinstall the program. Instructions for popular antivirus products
7. Run the following command in PowerShell to troubleshoot connection with the IP address or dns host name on the remote computer:
   Test-NetConnection -ComputerName IP-ADDRESS -Port 15163 -InformationLevel Detailed
   It should return: TcpTestSucceeded : True
8. Open the Agent Properties, or switch the list to Details View, and check the IP address of the remote computer. This may be an IPv4 or IPv6 address. Verify that the address is correct by pinging the remote computer or using the Test-NetConnection command.
   • If the IP address is incorrect, the issue may be with your DNS server. When a hostname resolves to the wrong IP, SoftActivity Monitor cannot connect. You can temporarily fix this by entering the correct IP address directly, but using the hostname is recommended because the IP address may change.
9. Restart the remote computer or:
   restart Agent SamSvc service in Windows on the remote computer. You can do it from command prompt As Admin by typing:
   

   sc stop SamSvc
   sc start SamSvc

   or remotely from your computer (with Domain Admin rights):
   

   sc \\COMPUTER stop SamSvc
   sc \\COMPUTER start SamSvc

   
   In case you find no SamSvc service present on the remote computer, it means that Agent is not installed, or has been deleted by an antivirus. Add antivirus exclusion and install Agent to fix.
   
10. Repair Agent installation on the remote computer. To see any possible installation errors, run amagent.exe installation file locally on that computer. It can be found in this folder on your computer: C:\Program Files\SoftActivity\Activity Monitor\Agent.
    • You can also run agent repair remotely by right clicking the computer in the list and selecting Update/Repair
11. Check whether the Agent is being blocked by a firewall. Open Windows Firewall with Advanced Security and look for an exception rule named “AM Agent 5” that allows all communication for the amsvc.exe process. This rule is created automatically when Agent is installed.
    • Make sure the rule is enabled for all network profiles (Private, Public, and Domain), or at least for the profile currently in use. If you are using a third-party firewall, create a similar rule allowing amsvc.exe.
12. Check if SoftActivity Monitor app on the admin’s PC is not blocked by a firewall (rarely happens). In case it’s blocked, all Agents will appear offline and you will not be able to monitor any computers. Try disabling the firewall temporarily for a test.
13. Reinstall Agent completely. Uninstall it first by pressing Win+R and typing agentcmd /uninstall. Then reboot the computer and install Agent again by running amagent.exe installer. Pay attention to any errors and prompts from an antivirus
14. Rerun Test-NetConnection command to verify it returns TcpTestSucceeded : True
15. Contact SoftActivity Technical Support for assistance. Please provide the relevant network configuration details and the steps you tried.