Wait, how can you get the receiver to work at all when you can't get the server software running properly?

The remote won't do anything until the receiver is up and running and connected to the server. You sure the remote is DOA and it's not just that it isn't connected to the server?

In any case, try the following:

1) Remove the batteries and leave them out of the remote for a couple of minutes. Then put them back in. That might reset the firmware in the remote and make it work?

2) Do you have a video camera or a digital camera with an LCD display? Sometimes those will show infrared light pretty clearly in their images. Look at a known-good remote through your camera and see if you can see its LED blinking when a button is pressed. Then try the same thing on the Rio Receiver remote. If you see it blinking, then it's at least working and you can start looking elsewhere for troubleshooting steps.