Media Server over Powerline - Crazy Issues

[ChopperLinc]

Frustrated with the speeds of my wireless network in streaming video, I recently purchased three ZyXel PLA4205's and one 4225.

Media Server:
Windows XP PC running XBMC (I've tried three different ones) connected to PLA.

Media Receivers:
WD TV Live connected to the 4-port 4225.

Samsung BD-C5500 connected to 4205

Router:
Cisco E-3000 UPnP enabled, plugged into 4205.

My issue is this: If I connect the server to the router via the wireless connection, the clients will recognize it. If it's connected to the PLA, the clients will not see it, regardless of how they are connected. On the flip side, if I connect a client to the router via wireless and the server is still wired through PLA, it will recognize. Just not when they are all on PLA.

The server and all clients have strong internet connections when connected to PLA and all lights on the PLAs are green, so the signals are getting to/through the router to the net, but the UPnP/dlna does not seem to be working between clients.

Has anyone had any experience with this issue? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ChopperLinc]

Update

So I got home from work and plugged the server and the WD TV Live directly into the router. Still nothing. So, I don't think the problem is the PLAs.

Is there something additional I need in XP to make this work, or could it be a problem with my router?

Thanks

 

[JoeJoe]

I use the same Zyxel powerline networking devices as you, I have no issues with them.

Maybe you don't have them all on the same encryption key, did you set them all up to use the same key?
Use the push button method, no software required.

I use mine with a Qnap server or two, a PS3 (dlna), a Roku, Boxee box (smb), cameras, and a bunch of other devices.

 

[overdrive31]

UPnP doesn't need to be enabled on the router unless you want to share your stuffs on the internets. I would turn it off, all devices behind the router will cooperate just fine with one another, unless you need it for game hosting online.

I see the powerline adapters have their own QoS and VLAN features, you might try disabling such.

 

[ChopperLinc]

Not the Powerlines

Thanks for your responses. As posted above, I used direct cabling last night to the router from the Server and from the WD TV. Still no love.

At this point I can only assume it's either something with the XP machine setup, or my router.

I'll look in to the VLN and QoS. All the acronyms are starting to make me dizzy!

 

[overdrive31]

Try connecting server directly to WD TV, may need a crossover cable if one of them doesn't support auto crossover, to rule out the router.

You say you tried three different ones... windows xp and media server bundles? Have all acted in the same manner? Would have to say it most likely is the media server bundles themselves or windows xp.

I wonder, do the clients keep a cached IP profile for when it did function once. Since each time you switch from wired to wireless a device gets a different IP. Say it worked once when the server was wireless, but at that time the client was only wired, once you swap to wireless on the client it now has a different IP. Now since a possible cached profile of the server IP when using wireless it prevents it from being used with the new client IP, but once you change the IP of the server now by using wired a new profile gets created and it functions. You may need to reboot everything when changing wired to wireless or vise versa.

 

[ChopperLinc]

Yes, I tried three different media servers on the XP machine. XBMC, Serviio, and Plex.

I'll have to dig around and see if I have a crossover cable to rule out the router.

I doubt it's the IP caching issue. I've reset both devices and even uninstalled the software and reinstalled

Thanks for the suggestions.

I've seen this issue in a few PS3 forums, but nobody had any answers. I'll try to keep posting follow ups so that there is a record for anyone else that may run into it.

 

[overdrive31]

Uncheck Filter Multicast under Security -> Firewall on the E3000

Have read others having the same symptoms, it's strange that this feature of the router is described only as enabling/disabling internet multicast streams and not for local network, although they say filtering of multicast as being their problem for local media streaming issues and precisely the fix for what you happen to experience.

I would have suggested it sooner, but trying to help others in the past with the suggestion and having got zero feedback.. just could not merit it as supportive advice.

UPnP relies on multicast or else it falls back to broadcasts which can take much longer for devices to detect. XBMC wiki states it does not support multicast(info is from 2007 so could be the wiki has not been updated if it now does support it), and if the clients do not respond to broadcasts, to try entering the XBMC server IP manually into each client.

 

[ChopperLinc]

Again, thank you for the response.

I looked at the router and Filter Multicast is unchecked, and has been the whole time. Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, the WD TV Live doesn't support entering a manual address for the media server.

I'll keep plugging away and report back.

 

[overdrive31]

Put DD-WRT or Tomato on that E3000 and see if there is a change if you can't rule it out with a crossover cable.

Doesn't explain why two other media servers would not work, but have read that UPnP is disabled by default in XBMC apparently.

 

[overdrive31]

In the past, I have found many Windows XP clients to block ping by default(might have been a SP3 update), I am guessing MS wanted to protect those that receive public IP addresses by making them hidden to port scans. Why couldn't they have just made it block ping only when using a public IP, then allow ping when using private IP? I do not know why this would cause one wired and the other wireless to work, but prevent wired on both from working. Maybe there are keep alive packets that respond when used with wireless, but not without ping when used with just wired.