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[musicmahn]

Ugh feeling pretty down.
Using BubbleUPnP to create a DLNA media renderer for my Chromecast Audio and it's turning out spottier than I thought it would be

For one thing "Living Room Speaker" doesn't always show up when opening MC.  IDK if this is a BubbleUPnP problem or perhaps if I'm being impatient.
I sat there and waited and finally got frustrated enough to open Bubble on my NAS to see if it was running properly.  It actually showed an error for it's "internet connectivity test" but I don't think that matters to me running this on the LAN.  All said I did nothing at all and then my chromecast magically showed up on MC.  This is probably a good 5-10 minutes after I opened it.

So great, everything is back only when I go to play a song to "There: Living Room Speaker" nothing happens.  The track name and duration appears up top, play button turns to the pause button.  But the track stays on 0:00 elapsed and hitting the stop or pause button does nothing.
I just tried to play from my PC instead of the tablet and it gives me a "playback error/problem with DLNA connectivity".

Now I just restarted the BubbleUPnP server, restarted MC.  MC again isn't seeing the Living Room Speaker.  I picked up my phone and fired up Plex and started playing music so I know at a minimum the Chromecast is working fine.  Came back 30 min later and I see the Speaker.  For fun I closed MC down and started back up, only to sit there for 5 minutes and not see it pop back up.

Thoughts anyone??? 

[AndrewFG]

I suppose your system is not routing the UPnP SSDP M-Search UDP Multicasts or more likely the respective UDP Unicast responses, that would allow MC to quickly search for and discover your renderer. And so instead it is falling back on the SSDP NOTIFY UDP Multicasts that renderers also send from time to time.

Perhaps a setting on your router, or on the av/firewall software on your PC. In particular make sure that port 1900 is open.

Also, if you have more than one digital media server (instance) running on the same PC, it may be that the other(wrong) instance is receiving the UDP multicast or unicast messages.

[Scobie]

I have this setup and it generally works pretty well but every now and then it does drop off the ether.

I've found the problem is generally around the Bubble server being able to see the CC device. Of course if it cannot see the CC then it wont show up in MC. This will normally happen if there has been a network glitch inside the house somewhere.

So first thing I would check is to see whether Bubble actually lists the CC device as an available renderer.

What I need to do when it does not is kick my router. Sometimes just restarting the CC will work but no amount of Bubble/MC restarts will do the trick.

[musicmahn]

Well AndrewFG nearly spoke another language to me there lol.  I know how to open ports though so I will try 1900 as you suggest.

Scobie's reply makes me sad.  Every test I've done here the chromecast is sitting there set up on the Media Renderer tab in BubbleUPnP.
I first tried Musicbee in this journey and it was pretty horrible trying out this setup.  JRiver has been quite pleasing for awhile but now I'm facing some of the same hiccups.  Wondering if Roon might do a better job but I'm not as keen on their visual interface.

FWIW there is a Plex server library option that often comes up (which i never touch) and this also struggles to pop up in the way that the Chromecast does.  I just opened MC right now and neither are showing.

Feels like the Chromecast is a big issue here too and that MC would run better with it's official product or something else idk.
Plex works like a f'n dream but I just cannot accept the inability to tweak to my liking.
The struggle is real!  I want something that JUST works (NAS to CC using a tablet to trigger) like Plex but is beautiful and with endless options like JRiver


****OK so I'm trying to mess with the ports and realize maybe I just don't know what I'm doing
-In my Router I made a line tied to an IP addy and it currently says: Destination Ports 52199   TCP Any -> 52199
-In my Windows Firewall it appears I didn't have to pick an IP?  It's showing TCP 52199

Thing is I'm generally confused about IPs.  When I try to enter my NAS via Chrome sometimes I'll find that the bookmark I saved no longer works.  Through using a discovery software I learn that the end digits of the IP have changed and I need to then update my bookmark.
The IP I used above in my Router, I'm not sure what it points to or what I even intended it to point to in the first place??
Whatever the case, Plex sure as heck always knows where to find things???


****Another update.  Just left MC alone for an hour and come back to see Plex and the Living Room speaker.
I tried to play a song, I heard it connect to the Chromecast, the song show 5 seconds of playing (though i heard no music) and then stopped.
I've tried a few songs and same result each time.
?

[AndrewFG]

Well AndrewFG nearly spoke another language to me there lol.  I know how to open ports though so I will try 1900 as you suggest.

Try downloading the DMRA from my sig, and see if it discovers your renderer.

[Scobie]

Ok, if Bubble can always see your CC, then your issue is different to mine and as Andrew pointed out is most likely related to MC not seeing the Bubble/CC DLNA renderer.

Run the Analyser as he suggested and hopefully that will suggest a better DLNA config for Bubble/CC.

In my setup I have "Disable SetNext..." checked but all other controller options unchecked.

This is odd however:

When I try to enter my NAS via Chrome sometimes I'll find that the bookmark I saved no longer works

Do you mean the Bubble web interface or the NAS UI itself? 

[musicmahn]

Well to be clear sometimes it seems to be finding nothing but quite a long time.  Plex shows up as well as my Xbox One and this usually happens the same time my Chromecast comes up.  For the NAS I mean typing in the IP/Port and you get the whole interface to do what you need to do in there.  Synology I believe it's called DreamStation.  It's happened more than once that my bookmark grows stale and I'm having to update it with the IP/Port address

Anyway downloaded the WhiteBear and it's finding nothing







I see that this 5 seconds thing is an issue people have seen since MC24 as well.
Maybe a firewall thing idk.  I'm just all confused I can see a list of all the IPs and wonder which need ports open for what idk
And how is it that for a couple weeks I had this working pretty well every time I tried it.  I've changed nothing in that time

[Scobie]

I would guess that whatever issue is affecting MC is the same one that is affecting Whitebear; the Bubble/CC renderer is not always visible on your network.

Given that Bubble can always see the CC, it looks as though the issue is being able to see the Bubble Server.

Are all components on your private network, is the LAN IP address of BubbleUpNP reachable from the workstation running MC and do you have "Create a DLNA renderer" checked on the Bubble Renderer options?

[RoderickGI]

To fix the Bookmark going stale, set up "IP Address Reservation" in your router so that the IP Address of your NAS never changes. Search the forum for how to do the "IP Address Reservation". You could use a URL instead of an IP Address to get around this issue, but "IP Address Reservation" is recommended. It may fix the issue with your Renderer not appearing in MC.

Once you have "IP Address Reservation" setup, reboot everything in your network associated with this issue, including the router, PCs, Chromecast, etc.

The 5 seconds playback, but with no volume, is just DLNA not working. It tries to play for 5 seconds while it tries to communicate with the Renderer, and then stops when communication fails.

In Whitebear, tick the "Usse Windows Discovery" in the top right corner and see if it finds your Renderer.

[AndrewFG]

Anyway downloaded the WhiteBear and it's finding nothing

This confirms what I said in my previous post..

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,122760.msg850114.html#msg850114

There are two mechanisms to discover devices in UPNP as follows..

1) the Control Point actively sends an M-Search broadcast and the renderer device responds
2) the Control Point passively waits for the renderer to send an occasional Notify Alive message

Evidently, in you case, mechanism 1) is failing, but 2) is working. This means you have an obscure issue with your router, Lan topology, or firewall. It is certainly NOT something to blame MC for.

PS try googling for “enable upnp on router”..

[musicmahn]

"Are all components on your private network, is the LAN IP address of BubbleUpNP reachable from the workstation running MC and do you have "Create a DLNA renderer" checked on the Bubble Renderer options?"
I believe all the answers to these are YES.

Static IP is that what I'm going for with the "IP Address Reservation"?  When I look at my NAS in the router it says (like everything else) that the DHCP Connection is set to expire in 945 minutes.
When I click edit on the line for the NAS I see an option to click "Static Lease Type".  Is this what I need to do?
Sorry i did search the forum here and there were a bunch of lines that had me reading all kinds of stuff lol

*Use Windows Discovery is not helping with WhiteBear

Aw I'm sorry if it seemed I was coming down on MC!  I surely suggested both Bubble UPnP and definitely USER error that could be the culprit lol.
What baffles me is that this was working so well for a time.

UPnP seems to be ok in my router?:







Any rough steps of what ports should be open and where would really help too.
I have ports in my windows firewall, ports in my router, IPs for the NAS for my PC running the library, for my Chromecast, TCP/UDP......my head is spinning!

Thanks for the help all I hope I can figure this out and really appreciate the care

[JimH]

Ports 52100 to 52200 should be open.  So should 1900 (for SSDP).

Your router manufacturer probably has good instructions.

[musicmahn]

I googled "ssdp actiontec mi424wr" and i'm not seeing any direct info about it. 
How is this different than normal port fowarding?

OK I had only 52199 for TCP any open in my router and with my inbound rules of Windows Firewall.
What IP should these point to?  The PC that runs the library?

[JimH]

It would be good to read this:
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Network_Access

At the bottom, there are some useful links.

If you're trying to connect from outside your network, you need to set the router to do port forwarding.  Check their site for instructions.

On a LAN, port 1900 needs to be open in each device's firewall(s).  So do ports 52100 to 52200.

[AndrewFG]

^
Look, I think all this stuff about the ports on MC are probably not relevant.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think you have said that a) the discovery of your renderer is slow, but that b) once it has been discovered, you can play to it without problems? Is that correct?

If so, then your issue has nothing to do with routing of the UPNP TCP / HTTP command and control protocols. It means the ports 52xxx are already working just fine. It also means that your devices all have IP addresses that are routable on your LAN.

Furthermore, the fact that MC can discover your renderer, but only slowly, means that your LAN is routing the UPNP SSDP NOTIFY ALIVE commands (on port 1900) from your renderer to MC.

But the fact that MC (and the DMRA) cannot find your renderer, means that either a) the UPNP SSDP M-Search request (on port 1900) is not being routed from the PC on which MC or the DMRA are running to the renderer, or b) the renderers UPNP SSDP ok response to that query is not being routed from your renderer to the PC.

In other words, there is probably one very specific thing that your router is not routing. So look in its settings for anything that relates to UDP Multicast or Broadcast or Monocast routing or forwarding etc.

Also it would help to know the topography of your LAN; could you post a hand drawn sketch of what devices are connected to what, by means of which boxes, routers, modems, and so on?

Also: do you have anything else running on your PC that may be “eating” the renderers UPNP SSDP ok response? If so try stopping that.

[JimH]

Furthermore, the fact that MC can discover your renderer, but only slowly, means that your LAN is routing the UPNP SSDP NOTIFY ALIVE commands (on port 190) from your renderer to MC.

I think that's a typo.  Port 1900?

[AndrewFG]

^
Yup 1900 indeed.

[RoderickGI]

On this separate issue, the Bookmark going stale.

When I click edit on the line for the NAS I see an option to click "Static Lease Type".  Is this what I need to do?

Yes, I think that is probably the correct setting area. Some routers do call "IP Address Reservation" a "Static Lease Type". In fact my current router does.

Basically, if the settings in there ask you for an IP Address and a MAC Address, then that would be the correct area to set up.

[musicmahn]

Well my peeps, I just opened on my router port 1900 (TCP to my PC that runs the MC library?)

DLNA stuff came up quick as can be and I just played a song

Was that really it?
I will pray (and test the heck out of it tomorrow when I get to house cleaning)
Thanks so much I hope to report back more good news!!

[Scobie]

yes sounds like it, although how it worked at all without it is abit of a mystery.

[musicmahn]

Well, the issue came up for the past two days.
Checked everything, nothing has changed?
Day 3 I opened up JRiver and up pops all the DNLA and I'm listening to music now
Head scratcher

[musicmahn]

Well, after a good number of months of playing quite flawless.....I'm getting issues again.  We lost the power one time about a month ago and that's the only "change" that's happened to my setup.  I'm not sure the timing of how long this has been going on though.

Anyway my problems are:
-Sometimes cannot play tracks at all...I get the 5 second countdown and then nothing
-Sometimes after this countdown nothing happens, until another 10 seconds or so later the song starts playing
-Sometimes I get it going and it will play a few tracks only to just stop after a given track
-It feels like sometimes there is added silence to the end of a track before the next one starts (though I am not watching my screen to be sure of it - I will have to check on this to be sure)
-Sometimes I will get it playing and with a flash all of the other tracks in the playing now list disappear - the ones I had already played and the ones that were upcoming

I've tried rebooting my PC, restarting bubbleUPnP

What kills me is that plex works just flawless pulling off of my NAS to the Chromecast Audio. 
I just don't want to use it - JRiver fits all my needs aside from this DLNA issue


Thanks for reading this

[JimH]

Gizmo and JRemote2 both support Chromecast.  Might be worth trying.

[musicmahn]

Neither would work with my PC or windows tablet though
Everything looks great and it honed to my navigating preference when it is up and running fine.
Any advice of things to try or look for would be great.
Thanks

[musicmahn]

Might there be anyone that can revisit this one?  I'll admit I'm probably terrible with opening ports etc. but somehow have managed to achieve what I've needed in the past.  Maybe if it's spelled out a bit more I could see something I'm missing?

It's strange to me that this is not an all or nothing issue.  If I CAN get music to my receiver in my current state (albeit very very poorly) what is holding it up from working fine??