Stream Interruption

[mmain]

Hi

I have a problem with streams being interrupted whilst viewing video. I had thought this may have been down to wireless networking, but I am also seeing the same problem on my wired network.

I have Twonky Server 6.0.34 running on a Linux server, feeding WDTV Live players (2) and a WDTV Live Hub. The Twonky Server log file shows no recorded entries at the times when the streams are interrupted. I have tried stripping down the .ini file to the bare minimum, switching off auto rescanning, increasing buffers, but the problems persist. The only good thing about the WDTV units is that they are able to restart wherever they lose the network, but on viewing a 1h 40m video recently I had to restart 4 times during the viewing, which is far from ideal.

Any suggestions where I should start looking?

Many thanks

[parnott]

Been running Twonky on a Linux server with connected WD TV lives for several years. Never seen what you are describing.

Must be something happening on your Linux server (non-Twonky related) or your network. Look at the Linux system log and the logs of all other services you are running on Linux to see if there is any correlation with the stream interruptions.

[Twonky_Rick]

Are you trying to play standard def, high def or Blu-ray quality videos?

- Rick

[mmain]

Thanks for the feedback, you have given me the incentive to continue pursuing this. I have taken your advice and carried out a series of network tests (simultaneously monitoring linux system log, setting up a ping window to the wdtv live unit, monitoring dlink wireless connectivity) whilst viewing a video file through to this crashing on the wdtv live unit(s). My conclusions, although the wdtv live units report a loss of networking, the ping results and dlink wireless indicate that the network is rock solid, no loss of packets whatsoever, in fact the wdtv live units in addition to establishing (and ultimately losing) a stream to the media server also set up smb streams to my samba shares and these are not lost, when the wdtv live units report losing the network. I have also proven that the Twonky Server is not at fault, having temporarily displaced this with MediaTomb, with repeatability of the problem with a different media server.

Worse still I have proven that my wdtv live units have the same problem accessing the wdtvlivehub unit as the media server i.e. not my linux server box. I can only assume that there is something at a protocol level on my network or firewall causing these wdtv live units a problem. I have tried a variety of wdtv live unit firmware revisions including the one released yesterday and they all yield the same results. Although only streaming audio, I have a pair of Roku Soundbridges streaming music flawlessly from Twonky Server.

I think it is safe to conclude that I need to start posting on the WD forums. If anyone is able to give me advice on the firmware revisions etc. in use that would be great.

[parnott]

I have used all firmware versions on my WDTV Lives (from 1.01 through 1.06.15) and have not had a problem streaming video from Twonky.

Does this happen with all video files or just some?

Have you tried Wireshark to monitor network traffic? It may show something that is not in the logs.

Another thought-
There have been reports that certain routers and NAS devices on a network are causing problems with the WDTV Live. The ones that come to mind are Virgin Media Super Hub (a Netgear router), Seagate BlackArmour NAS and some QNAP NAS.

[mmain]

This happens with all types of video file and at random. I have downloaded WDLXTV firmware and loaded this on both WDTV live units and have also changed all of the units to static IP rather than dynamic IP. My switches and router hardware is all Dlink. The problem persists. I am considering a fresh Linux install just to eliminate this from the equation. The fact that the WDTV Live units are failing when streaming from the WDTV Live Hub (as opposed to the Linux server) makes me think that it may not be the Linux box, although it is the gateway, DNS server and firewall for my home network.

[parnott]

. The fact that the WDTV Live units are failing when streaming from the WDTV Live Hub (as opposed to the Linux server) makes me think that it may not be the Linux box, although it is the gateway, DNS server and firewall for my home network.

Ah! That could explain a lot.

On a home network it is not usual to have a local server acting as a gateway, DNS and Internet firewall. It is more normal to have your router perform these functions. Not saying it cannot be done, but your Linux server first has to have 2 network adaptors (one for local traffic the other for internet traffic) and has to be very carefully configured.

The more normal home network connections would be-

Code: Select all

Broadband Modem
|
v
Router (doing NAT, DHCP, local DNS and forwarding, Gateway, Internet Firewall, etc.)
|
|\_> Server(s) (File sharing, Media sharing, Printer sharing, etc.)
|
|\_> Media Players (stream from server)
|
 \_> Other networked devices

If your Linux box is performing gateway, DNS server and firewall services for your local network then all types of Internet traffic (some benign others not) could interfere with your local network.

[mmain]

Many thanks for your continued assistance. My Linux box has dual cards, between the ADSL modem and the LAN. However, I think my problem is solved. On the LAN side everything was hooked up between a switch (Dlink DES-1008D) and a WAP/Router (Dlink DIR-655, but only using wireless and LAN ports not WAN), with a CAT5 cable joining these together. Frankly speaking I never gave any thought to which ports to use on the back of these devices, assuming they were all in principle 'as one' so to speak, everything was connected arbitrarily, laptops, printers, xbox and all the media devices I mentioned. Just as a last step before committing to the effort of reinstalling Linux, I moved all the WD devices (2 LAN, 1 Wireless already) and the Linux server onto the DIR-655 and moved everything else onto the DES-1008D. Low and behold everything is working a treat. I can only assume that something is not cascading between these units at some low level protocol, which the WD units need?