Routers and multicast discovery

[simoncn]

Some users have problems getting their control point (running on an Android or iOS device) to find MinimServer after the device has been sleeping. This is usually because their wireless router doesn't support multicast discovery correctly. With some routers, this problem can be solved by using a configuration setting to disable IGMP snooping or enable multicast forwarding. With other routers, there is no solution except to change the router.

Which router do you have? Does it handle multicast discovery correctly?

I will collate the responses and add a list of suitable routers to the MinimServer user guide. Many thanks!

[NickD]

Actiontec V1000H here. Once I disabled IGMP snooping all was well.

[stampie]

Asus RT-N56U. I also have IGMP snooping disabled

[the_bat]

..and worse than that, some routers work correctly for a while and then receive a firmware update that breaks multicast discovery. This happened with the Asus DSL-AC68U. It's now working correctly again and hopefully they'll remember to test it for future updates.

[Cebolla]

Indeed, same sort of UPnP discovery issues with older firmware in BT Home Hubs.
Thankfully, I now have a working BT Home Hub 4 Type A (firmware/software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.130.1.26.1.1) - doesn't have any IGMP snooping nor multicast fowarding settings.

A common issue with some wireless routers, is that the wired connected UPnP supporting devices can see other wired connected UPnP devices and similarly wirelessly connected UPnP devices can see other wirelessly connected UPnP devices, so UPnP discovery seemingly working ok. The problems comes with these routers having UPnP discovery failing accross the wired/wireless portions of the network, such that the wired UPnP supporting devices can't see the wirelessly connected ones and vice versa.

Incidentally, you need to make sure you are testing with a true UPnP control point on the wireless Android or iOS device, rather than relying on the streamer supplied app. This is because some manufacturers' control apps do not communicate via UPnP and are just remote controlling the streamer via some proprietary mechanism. In these cases it is the streamer itself that is communicating with the UPnP media server, not the remote control app. With both streamer and UPnP media server connected by wire (as they usually are) to the network you won't be testing if the router has any UPnP discovery issues between wired & wirelessly connected devices.

[the_bat]

Yep - not propagating the appropriate multicasts between the wired and wireless halves of the router was exactly the problem with the Asus.

[Peter@57m]

.
ASUS RT-N66U

Enable IGMP Snooping set to Disable

I have this router set as a wireless access point only

Cisco WRT-610n

Filter Multicast is not checked, so disabled. This allows multicast forwarding

I have the wireless functions of this router disabled so it acts only as a wired router

[Peter StreamMagic]

(06-11-2015 11:53)simoncn Wrote:  Some users have problems getting their control point (running on an Android or iOS device) to find MinimServer after the device has been sleeping. This is usually because their wireless router doesn't support multicast discovery correctly. With some routers, this problem can be solved by using a configuration setting to disable IGMP snooping or enable multicast forwarding. With other routers, there is no solution except to change the router.

Which router do you have? Does it handle multicast discovery correctly?

I will collate the responses and add a list of suitable routers to the MinimServer user guide. Many thanks!

ASUS RT-N66U IGMP snooping , 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio disabled.
Ubiquinti Unifi UAP-LR access points 3x in Zero-Handoff Roaming mode creating one Wi-Fi network.
Netgear proSAFE GS105 and GS108 switches.

Do not use TP-link TL-SG105/SG108 switches http://www.tp-link.us/products/details/?model=TL-SG105 these models support IGMP snooping!
This function can not be disabled in these models.

[bruemmer]

Feedback from Germany:
My router Fritz!Box 7490 (from the German company AVM) only works correctly with the outdated Firmware 6.30. Actual Firmwares 6.50 or 6.51 lead to problems as mentioned above.
Fritz!Box doesn't have any IGMP snooping or multicast forwarding settings.

By the way: is there already a list of suitable routers within the Minimserver user guide? I did not find it because in case AVM will not be able to fix the problem in future I will have to switch to another router.

Rainer

[Peter@57m]

(08-11-2015 22:25)Peter@57m Wrote:  .
ASUS RT-N66U

Enable IGMP Snooping set to Disable

I have this router set as a wireless access point only

Cisco WRT-610n

Filter Multicast is not checked, so disabled. This allows multicast forwarding

I have the wireless functions of this router disabled so it acts only as a wired router

UPDATE

Now using Ubiquiti UniFi AC-LR as wireless access point instead of ASUS.

Default is IGMP enabled and have not had to change this yet. Been running for 2 months.