Bridge Mode Multicast Apple Airplay

[Marshalleq]

There seems to be a problem with this, or I've not set it up properly. I've had it for a while and only just getting around to logging it.

My setup is 2xAC68U's. The first one is a router connected to a fibre connection and a NAS and serves as the Wireless access point for the apartment. The second is a straight bridge, connected to a Mac Mini only and utilises 5GHz Wireless AC only for this. 2.4 GHz is turned off on the second bridge router.

Running Asus Merlin firmware 378.54_2

There is an apple TV plugged into my stereo, connected by wireless and this doesn't have a problem the connection e.g. with netflix etc.

However, when playing music from the mac to the apple tv it works intermittently. The few times I've had success, it's been intermittent, or worked once and as soon as the music stops a reboot is neccessary of either the computer or the Apple TV. Connecting to the main access point using wireless improves things considerably, but this is a slower connection to the nice AC bridge I've set up as the mac only has wireless N and it should work through the bridge.

I have enabled the multicast settings in the WiFi part of the router. Have changed ODFM setting to 54 as I've read in some Cisco document that this is what apple likes. It seems to me that the router either has a bug, or doesn't have the capability implemented to do apple's airplay. This should really be working with the amount of Apple gear around these days I think (even if I don't like all of it, in fact those are the only two apple devices I'll own).

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks.

 

[david279]

Flash the new merlin build

 

[fiasko]

It's more or less know issue that Asus routers Birdge mode is not working properly. It affects also DLNA and Spotify connect in my experience. I had to chane the router to another brand to get the wireless Bridge working.

 

[Marshalleq]

Thanks flasko. I was half expecting that, but also considered that maybe the merlin builds might take it on as something to fix if it was known as an issue. Wouldn't be the first time a merlin fix found it's way back into the Asus code right?

david279, I had already read the change logs for those 'beta' builds and saw nothing about this issue, if you have something specific you know or something I must have missed, please advise.

Thanks.

 

[JohnNerd]

I'm running Merlin on an AC87U and DD-WRT on an AC66U in bridge mode. Neither Asus or Merlin FW works in bridge mode in my experience.

 

[david279]

Thanks flasko. I was half expecting that, but also considered that maybe the merlin builds might take it on as something to fix if it was known as an issue. Wouldn't be the first time a merlin fix found it's way back into the Asus code right?

david279, I had already read the change logs for those 'beta' builds and saw nothing about this issue, if you have something specific you know or something I must have missed, please advise.

Thanks.

Bridge mode is fixed for me now on the latest merlin. I have a RT-AC66U.

 

[Marshalleq]

david279. Can you please clarify, are you saying bridged mode with Multicast for apple airplay is fixed? Or are you saying bridged mode is fixed? I have no issue with bridged mode, other than multicast / apple airplay is broken and it sounds to me that you're talking about the former. As I said, this bug is not listed in the changelog and has been around for a significantly long time that I'd expect it would be listed if it had been fixed. I'll try flashing it over the weekend anyway, but would be good if you could clarify. Thanks.

 

[david279]

david279. Can you please clarify, are you saying bridged mode with Multicast for apple airplay is fixed? Or are you saying bridged mode is fixed? I have no issue with bridged mode, other than multicast / apple airplay is broken and it sounds to me that you're talking about the former. As I said, this bug is not listed in the changelog and has been around for a significantly long time that I'd expect it would be listed if it had been fixed. I'll try flashing it over the weekend anyway, but would be good if you could clarify. Thanks.

I don't have any apple device but before the update any google cast devices(2 Chromecast and Nexus Devices) connected to the bridge wouldn't show for my mobile devices. At all. Also my bubbleupnp server wouldn't cross the bridge. It all stopped at the bridge. Now everything works.

 

[followmsi]

Confirmed .. finally it works. Yes !

The latest Merlin release ( RT-AC68U_378.55_0.trx ) fixed my problem.
I have had the same problem ... AirPrint was not working. ( MDNS issues in Media Bridge Mode ? )

This setup below works fine for me ..
RT-AC68U as Main Wireless Router ( Merlin Fork from john9527 - RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_374.43_2-13E1j9527.trx )
RT-AC68P in Media Bridge Mode using the 5GHz radio only. ( Merlin - RT-AC68U_378.55_0.trx )

Before both devices were on the John´s Merlin Fork. ( RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_374.43_2-13E1j9527.trx )

Now AirPrint works like a charm.
I guess AirPlay will also work fine now ..

Cheers

 

[Marshalleq]

Fantastic, thanks for providing that feedback. Interesting that this is not mentioned in any changelogs I've seen. Also great that you've listed the versions in case it reverts. I've been too busy to try it, but I'll just have to make the time now, two confirmed cases! Thanks everyone.

 

[Marshalleq]

I just wanted to add to this. This works for me in bridged mode, but has annoying audio glitches if in repeater mode. And I'd really like to use repeater mode. It 'appears' to be an issue, with the far router that is in repeater mode, rather than the near router which is just in access point mode. Am searching around, hoping there's some kind of obvious wireless tweak that got turned on and needs to be turned off.

I've updated to lastest firmware, erased defaults all sorts of things so far and nothing works except putting it back in media bridge mode. Of course I 'could' throw another access point off the back of it via wire while it's configured in bridge mode, but that's just stupid. It should work.

I also notice that all wireless devices are showing up as connecting via 'wired' which is interesting. I guess it really can't tell when it's a bridge.

 

[sfx2000]

My setup is 2xAC68U's. The first one is a router connected to a fibre connection and a NAS and serves as the Wireless access point for the apartment. The second is a straight bridge, connected to a Mac Mini only and utilises 5GHz Wireless AC only for this. 2.4 GHz is turned off on the second bridge router.

Running Asus Merlin firmware 378.54_2

There is an apple TV plugged into my stereo, connected by wireless and this doesn't have a problem the connection e.g. with netflix etc.

However, when playing music from the mac to the apple tv it works intermittently. The few times I've had success, it's been intermittent, or worked once and as soon as the music stops a reboot is neccessary of either the computer or the Apple TV. Connecting to the main access point using wireless improves things considerably, but this is a slower connection to the nice AC bridge I've set up as the mac only has wireless N and it should work through the bridge.

I have enabled the multicast settings in the WiFi part of the router. Have changed ODFM setting to 54 as I've read in some Cisco document that this is what apple likes. It seems to me that the router either has a bug, or doesn't have the capability implemented to do apple's airplay. This should really be working with the amount of Apple gear around these days I think (even if I don't like all of it, in fact those are the only two apple devices I'll own).

Let's step back a couple...

1) You say that the Mac Mini is on AP2 (AP2 as repeater), which AP is the Apple TV attached to? If your Mini supports 11ac, I'm assuming it's the latest revision, but just to be sure...

2) What OS on the Mac Mini, and I'm assuming you're using iTunes? If so, what version there?

3) What model of Apple TV - there are 5 different models - the 1st gen (big like a Mac Mini), the 2nd Gen, two variants of the 3rd Gen (and this is important, as the ATv3 Revision A is slightly different for AirPlay, Rev A is MD199LL/A if you look on the bottom), and the new ATv4

4) ATv3 Rev A prefers Point to Point, otherwise known as Apple Wireless Direct Link (AWDL for short)

5) Is the Apple TV at the latest revision? If ATv1/2, is it jailbroken?

ok, now moving over to the Access Points...

6) Multicasting - good, check to see what the IGMP settings are - IMGP Proxy should be off/false, IGMP Snoop should be on/true

7) With Macs - leave the 5GHz radio to Auto, they like that a bit better... don't worry, it'll still be an 11ac link

8) Set multicast rate, if possible, to 11 - works best there...

AppleTV's use Bonjour for discovery and service advertising - the connection is either peer to peer (as noted above) or over the network. Apple TV's are also Bonjour Sleep Proxies, so they cache Bonjour topology, and ATv3's can get a bit confused with version 7 of their firmware (ATv 7.x is same as iOS8), as they have a different Bonjour daemon (discoveryd vs. mDNSResponder). The Sleep Proxy function is specific to AppleTV's and Airports, not Macs or iDevices...

If you make a topology change on the network, similar to what you did going from Bridge to Repeater, then the ATv can get into a bad state - the way to fix it is to pull the plug from the wall, let it set for a bit, reboot the Mac Mini, once the Mini is back online, plug the ATv back in...

See where it goes...

 

[Marshalleq]

Hey, I'll get into detail a bit later as am otherwise occupied at present, but:

I have Mac Mini -> Switch > AC-68U in Access Point Mode ->Wireless Lync - > AC-68U in Bridge or repeater mode -> Apple TV. I'm not connecting my mac via wireless, not fast enough for me.

I did go round setting multicast and things before and yeah I did try resetting Apple TV as well. However the kernel errors are only appearing while in Repeater mode.

 

[sfx2000]

I did go round setting multicast and things before and yeah I did try resetting Apple TV as well. However the kernel errors are only appearing while in Repeater mode.

Interesting... so bridge works fine, it's just the repeater mode that is a problem...

What kernel error are you seeing, and where (on the primary, or the bridge/repeater)?

 

[Marshalleq]

Now I understand why you replied in the way you replied. I'd written the specifics around the kernel error etc already, but they're not showing up in this thread. I either didn't hit save or have accidentally put them in another thread. I will try track that down now.

However to answer your question, the Kernel errors only occur on the device that is set to repeater mode. The other devices don't seem to be saying much at all, even when set to debug output logging.

 

[sfx2000]

Now I understand why you replied in the way you replied. I'd written the specifics around the kernel error etc already, but they're not showing up in this thread. I either didn't hit save or have accidentally put them in another thread. I will try track that down now.

That's the risk you run of breaking a thread - and engaging others...

Be mindful of other people's time... seems like you have it sorted, so perhaps time to close this one.

 

[Marshalleq]

OK, I just pulled up my syslog server. The two obvious errors I am getting are:
1 - kernel: TCP.time wait bucket table overflow
2 - kernel: net_ratelimit: 900 callbacks are suppressed

I've read that point 2 can be related to syslog messages, however further reading seemed to indicate it probably doesn't apply in my case.

With point 1 - if it was something like torrent (which I do have running ATM), it goes to figure it would be a problem in both modes. I believe repeater mode essentially enables a bridge anyway.

Interestingly, it appears (yet to be confirmed) that I get more syslog entries coming through from the SIP device I have off the far (bridge mode) router, in bridge mode, than I do in repeater mode. This could indicate something not right with repeater mode, or a gap in my understanding as it is at present.

 

[Marshalleq]

Well, since I started this thread...
And since I think it's related in that the mode operates in one mode only, it may help someone else with same issue i.e. thread says it works, but mine doesn't, 'oh I've got it in repeater mode and that doesn't work apparently'.

 

[sfx2000]

Time Wait - These messages mean that TW buckets (TCP sockets in the TIME_WAIT state) hit their limit for the kernel memory.

Two trouble cases - these are well known in the linux community...

1) Per-system tw_count is greater than per-system max_tw_buckets limit

or

2) Per-VE counter is greater than per-VE max_w_buckets limit

So... check netstat and see what's up....

 

[Marshalleq]

Any idea why that would NOT be an issue in bridge mode?