Does the Soundbridge have special network needs?

[Tom_B]

mt-daapd/Firefly Version: 1359
Server Operating System: win xp home ver 5.1 sp2 2002
Server Hardware: Pentium PC, P4 3.40ghz
Client Device: iTunes 7.1 for Windows & firfly with flc files
Connection of clients: wireless Win through router (connection working),
Firefly Service 1.0 svn-1359 C:Program FilesFirefly Media Serverfirefly.exe
FireflyShell 1.0 svn-1359 C:Program FilesFirefly Media ServerFireflyShell.exe
RSP Output Plugin 1.0 svn-1359 C:Program FilesFirefly Media Serverpluginsrsp.dll
FFMPEG Transcoder Plugin 1.0 svn-1359 C:Program FilesFirefly Media Serverpluginsssc-ffmpeg.dll
WMA Transcoder Plugin 1.0 svn-1359 C:Program FilesFirefly Media Serverpluginsssc-wma.dll
Win32 Event Plugin 1.0 svn-1359 C:Program FilesFirefly Media Serverpluginsw32-event.dll

Soundbridge M1001

Web interface: yes (shows)
iTunes XML file: yes

Firstly:

Thank you for an excellent product. The set-up instructions with the Soundbridge were simple and clear. It was straitforward to download and set up firefly and associated programmes. So thank you for making it easy.

So here is my question:

Is the Soundbridge particularly sensitive to wireless network signal strength. It is clear that the Soundbridge needs areasonably good signal to make requests to the server and stream the music. I ask this because my house is constructed from dense concrete block and the wireless router will not reach the far rooms so it has been necessary to use a wireless repeater. Without the repeater the Soundbrige works ok, with the repeater it does not seem to be able to log on ( it can get the internet radio but not the firefly music server). Laptops are happy to log in from the same position. Does the Soundbridge need a particularly strong signal or is there some kind of setting change I might make? In the end I could set it up with a wired connection but it seems a shame not to use the full potential of a particularly nice gadget.

many thanks

Tom

[fizze]

Does the Soundbridge need a particularly strong signal or is there some kind of setting change I might make?

Firefly communicates with the SoundBridge via multicasts/unicasts. It seems that your wireless repeater does not repeat multicasts/unicasts.

Most wireless repeaters do have an option to specifically forward multicasts/unicasts. Check the configuration of your repeater.

Other than that, there is really no special network requirement. I am using a wireless repeater myself and the soundbridge is working fine.

[Tom_B]

Dear Fizze,

Thanks for your help. I am using a linksys WRE54E repeater and having logged in to it there does not appear to be a setting for unicast/multicast. The thing is that becausee of the shape of my house the repeater is to make the network extend to one side of the house to allow acces with laptop. With the repeater switched off the Soudbridge works fine, when the repeater is running on the SB gives a ‘no music libraries found’ message. THe SB is roughly the same distance from the repeater and the wireless router.
I will do some research to see if I can confirm the specification of the repeater and check on the unicast/multicast thing.

Tom

[fizze]

Ok, the linksys WRE54 normally should already forward all thats neccesary. Can you move the soundbridge closer to the repeater just to check wether its a wireless reception issue?

The multicast settings are under Security – Firewall in the webinterface, usually.

Also, the WEG54 is essentially just a Linksys WRT54g minus the 4port switch, so you might as well try and set the WRE54 to wireless-LAN bridge mode and wire the soundbridge to it.

If all that fails you might consider flashing it with a replacement firmware.
I have found the linksysinfo.org forums most helpful. Replacement firmware even improves stability and features, whilst remaining easy to configure (same webinterface). I f.i. am running HyperWRT thibor on 2 WRT54G without a hitch for more than a year now.

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