mConnect and BubbleUpnP do not discover MinimServer

[Pepsican]

(15-03-2024 18:50)simoncn Wrote:  If you haven't changed the NAS configuration since it was last working properly, I think it's more likely to be an issue with the TP-Link switch or access points.

Can you install a control point such as Linn Kinsky or Kazoo on a PC or laptop directly connected to the TP-Link switch? This would enable you to test a setup without a wireless connection to the control point.

Yes, this possibly the switch or the APs. It can't be much else. I installed Linn Kazoo for Windows and the PC is directly connected to the switch. Here is what I observe:
- Eventually, the connection to MinimServer will appear
- It is always slow and other devices, like my streamer, are picked up faster. MinimServer is last
- After the first boot of Kazoo, it eventually found MinimServer, but every time when I start the application, initially Minim is not found and under settings it is flagged as "unavailable".
- On one occasion that I tested this for longer, after about 45 minutes, MinimServer disappeared from Kazoo. The radio stream that was running continued, but MinimServer was gone from Kazoo.

So, the issue is at least the switch, but is possible that the same configuration error is also in the APs.

Would it help if I attach or send the configuration file of the switch?

[simoncn]

Please attach this file and I will look at it to see if there is anything that appears to be relevant.

I am sorry to say that I had a similar bad experience with a TP-Link router that I purchased some years ago. I could not find any way to fix it so I had to replace it. I hope this does not turn out to be your situation.

[simbun]

(17-03-2024 15:24)Pepsican Wrote:  Yes, this possibly the switch or the APs. It can't be much else. I installed Linn Kazoo for Windows and the PC is directly connected to the switch.

I take it Kazoo didn't discover BubbleUPnP server running on the Android phone?

[simoncn]

(17-03-2024 15:24)Pepsican Wrote:  I installed Linn Kazoo for Windows and the PC is directly connected to the switch. Here is what I observe:
- Eventually, the connection to MinimServer will appear
- It is always slow and other devices, like my streamer, are picked up faster. MinimServer is last

When Kazoo starts, it sends a UPnP M-SEARCH multicast message and other UPnP devices should respond immediately. Also, each UPnP device sends a UPnP NOTIFY multicast message to all other UPnP devices from time to time.

From your description, it sounds like NOTIFY messages are getting through but M-SEARCH messages (or responses to these messages) are not getting through. The ohNet UPnP stack used by MinimServer sends NOTIFY messages a bit less frequently than some other devices, which explains why MinimServer shows up last. MinimServer would show up immediately if M-SEARCH requests and responses are working correctly because MinimServer would send an immediate M-SEARCH response back to Kazoo.

[Pepsican]

(17-03-2024 22:26)simbun Wrote:  

(17-03-2024 15:24)Pepsican Wrote:  Yes, this possibly the switch or the APs. It can't be much else. I installed Linn Kazoo for Windows and the PC is directly connected to the switch.

I take it Kazoo didn't discover BubbleUPnP server running on the Android phone?

Well...I hadn't paid attention to that. So when I just started Kazoo, it was, to my surprise, there! And within seconds it also picked up MinimServer.

[Pepsican]

(17-03-2024 23:35)simoncn Wrote:  

(17-03-2024 15:24)Pepsican Wrote:  I installed Linn Kazoo for Windows and the PC is directly connected to the switch. Here is what I observe:
- Eventually, the connection to MinimServer will appear
- It is always slow and other devices, like my streamer, are picked up faster. MinimServer is last

When Kazoo starts, it sends a UPnP M-SEARCH multicast message and other UPnP devices should respond immediately. Also, each UPnP device sends a UPnP NOTIFY multicast message to all other UPnP devices from time to time.

From your description, it sounds like NOTIFY messages are getting through but M-SEARCH messages (or responses to these messages) are not getting through. The ohNet UPnP stack used by MinimServer sends NOTIFY messages a bit less frequently than some other devices, which explains why MinimServer shows up last. MinimServer would show up immediately if M-SEARCH requests and responses are working correctly because MinimServer would send an immediate M-SEARCH response back to Kazoo.

Is there a way to increase the frequency of NOTIFY? It could be a workaround? Is there a way we can check this? With Wirehark for example?

[Pepsican]

(17-03-2024 19:03)simoncn Wrote:  Please attach this file and I will look at it to see if there is anything that appears to be relevant.

Uploaded in anonymised format. I will also open a forum post over at TP-Link to check how to config the switch with IGMP on and IGMP Snooping off.

[simoncn]

(18-03-2024 11:54)Pepsican Wrote:  Is there a way to increase the frequency of NOTIFY? It could be a workaround? Is there a way we can check this? With Wirehark for example?

This is not possible with ohNet. The ohNet developers think the network should not be "flooded" with messages in an attempt to compensate (but only partially) for a basic fault in how the network implements the UPnP protocol. I think this is a reasonable position for them to take.

Yes, it is possible to check this with Wireshark. If you can capture all messages to and from the control point and to and from MinimServer when you start the control point, I will look at the capture file or files and tell you what is happening. I would need about 60 seconds of messages.

[Pepsican]

(18-03-2024 13:21)simoncn Wrote:  

(18-03-2024 11:54)Pepsican Wrote:  Is there a way to increase the frequency of NOTIFY? It could be a workaround? Is there a way we can check this? With Wirehark for example?

This is not possible with ohNet. The ohNet developers think the network should not be "flooded" with messages in an attempt to compensate (but only partially) for a basic fault in how the network implements the UPnP protocol. I think this is a reasonable position for them to take.

Yes, it is possible to check this with Wireshark. If you can capture all messages to and from the control point and to and from MinimServer when you start the control point, I will look at the capture file or files and tell you what is happening. I would need about 60 seconds of messages.

See the attached file. Here is what I did.
- restart the PC and kill as much traffic going to the NAS as possible (think Synology Drive, Windows File Explorer and its network shares, etc)
- start WireShark with filter "ip.addr=192.168.22.16"
- start Kazoo
- capture for some minutes. I could see NOTIFY messages

Initially not much was happening so I poked the bear a bit by telling Kazoo to "Rescan Network" under Settings. That sparked a flurry of activity.

I do see some odd IP addresses appearing that are not my subnet. No idea where for example 224.0.0.251 or 239.255.255.250 point to.

Edit: to be clear - 192.168.22.43 is the PC and 192.168.22.16 is the NAS. The subnet is 192.168.22.0.

Edit 2: Those strange IP numbers are IANA reserved IPs for Multicast. Any IP between 224 and 239 is reserved for that purpose. Just for those who don't know, like me.

[simoncn]

(14-03-2024 21:21)Pepsican Wrote:  I updated the network last week. As MinimServer is a vital app for me, I checked it immediately and there are problems. So, they are there from the start. Also, the entire network was rebooted multiple times during its configuration.

Just double-checking, did this network reboot include powering the Synology off and on?

Also, you could try installing MinimServer on your hard-wired PC to completely eliminate the possibility of an issue with the Synology.