iPad app behind my router

[chkptco]

Has anyone to get the iPad app to work with their own router? I'm forced to use my own wireless router due to the 2wire being placed in my basement and not having enough coverage to reach my upper floors. It looks like the app is using multicast to connect to the stb. Has anyone tried to configure igmp/pim to get the iPad app to work from a network other than thr RG?

[JefferMC ACE - Wizard]

You could try turning your router into an access point by connecting it using a LAN port instead of the WAN port and turning off DHCP.  You'd need to disconnect and reconnect all your devices to they'd get a new IP address from the RG.

I'm not sure this would work, but it should.

[drfalkn]

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JefferMC wrote:

You could try turning your router into an access point by connecting it using a LAN port instead of the WAN port and turning off DHCP.  You'd need to disconnect and reconnect all your devices to they'd get a new IP address from the RG.

I'm not sure this would work, but it should.

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I have my Linksys router set up as an access point, using DHCP from the RG, and the iPad app still can't see the receivers when connected to the Linksys.  The ony way I have been able to get the iPad app to work is to set up a second wireless network using the RG, then connect the iPad to the new network.  So I have 2 wireless networks, and move the iPad back and forth as needed.

[JefferMC ACE - Wizard]

I don't know what protocol(s) the Uverse Connected Apps use to locate the STB's.  It may be that they either multicast IP or some sort of non-IP 802.11 protocol.

[scootermini]

I was just able to get this working behind a Cisco PIX firewall (probably more advanced then you need, I keep it between my home wireless and the ATT LAN & reciever). Yes this can work, but you need a device either supports multicast (udp on address 239.255.255.250 port 1900) or specifically supports the SSDP protocol. I'm not sure how or how well consumer devices support SSDP but hopfully this helps.

[mwseifert]

Can you post the configuration details on this?  My LAN sits behind a Cisco ASA 5505.  If you got it working with your PIX, I imagine I might be able to do the same.

[chkptco]

scootermini....any chance you can share your running config on the PIX?

I have a couple of "non-consumer" routers/firewall i'd like to get this working with.

[eboettn]

I too want to know how to do this. I'm using an Untangle router behind the U-verse Gateway, and just got the new iPad, which can't access the STB since I'm using a different router. Would love to find a solution.

[mwseifert]

After much messing around, I actually have a working configuration for the iPad app with my Cisco ASA 5505 (the next-gen PIX). I'll post the config lines I added. I must admit that in my messing around, I haven't had to time to determine which of these lines are crucial, and which ones might be unnecessary. Nevertheless, without further ado....

Notes:

1) The U-verse RG is 192.168.1.254 on its inside network.

2) The Cisco ASA is configured for DMZPlus mode in the U-verse RG firewall. Given that, the IP address of the Cisco's outside interface is actually the public IP, even though the RG's internal network is routable from behind the Cisco.

3) My Internet network (and wi-fi AP, and iPad) is behind the Cisco. The U-verse STB's are out on the RG's 192.168.1.0/24 network and directly connected to the RG's switch.

4) On my Cisco ASA, I named the list "acl_out".  If you already have a different access-list assigned to the outside interface, you can use that instead.

Here are the config lines. Feel free to update my config if you find a better one:

multicast-routing

access-list acl_out extended permit ip any host 239.255.255.250

(* note, I've wondered if I should instead change "any" to "192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0" because I'm running DMZplus...not sure)

access-group acl_out in interface outside

mroute 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0 outside

pim rp-address 192.168.1.254 bidir

(* note, if this command it necessary, the "bidir" seemed to be the key to making it work)

For those on other routers, what I'm telling the Cisco ASA is to turn on multicast routing, allow access from the outside to the multicast IP 239.255.255.250, route multicast requests to/from 192.168.1.0 via the outside interface, and set up the RG as a "Protocol Independent Multicast" routing neighbor to the Cisco. Curiously if I do a "show pim neighbor" it doesn't show any on the ASA, but otherwise, this config seemed to make the whole thing work.

You'll know it's working in the iPad app if when you go to settings and tap "Receivers", it prompts you to tune your STB's to channel 9301 for setup.  You'll need to do this with each STB that you want the iPad to connect to.  A couple of my STB's needed reboots due to provisioning errors, but afterwards I got everything set up and I have to say, it's kinda neat.  Happy trails!

[mwseifert]

UPDATE:

I updated my access-list line to:

access-list acl_out extended permit ip 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0 host 239.255.255.250

...and it still seems to work fine, and may be more secure if you're running your router under DMZPlus mode.

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

Thanks for posting your solution to help others.

[dougbee]

Any thoughts on doing this with a consumer router (Cisco e4200) running alternate firmware (TomatoUSB 1.28.0500.5MIPSR2Toastman-RT-N-Ext) - it does support Wireless Multicast Forwarding.

My config is similar:

RG on 172.16.0.1

Cisco e4200 connected to RG in DMZPlus mode, on 172.16.0.2

Though my receivers (2 by coax, 1 directly via Ethernet to the RG) get addresses from the RG on 172.16.1.x, even though they are configured to be part of the "Private 172.16.0.0" pool)

Any starting points to investiagate would be great.

[btorrenga]

Can someone help me set this up under suse linux?  I have never had to route multicast packets before.

[oz_1 ACE - Wizard]

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btorrenga wrote:

Can someone help me set this up under suse linux?  I have never had to route multicast packets before.

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What exactly are you wanting to do ? Are you using the RG or another router 

I use Ubuntu 12.04 there is no need to change anything to allow access to the web other than the usual correct encryption and password for wireless.

[btorrenga]

I want to use the iPad app on the subnet controlled by my suse router which has its ip served from the RG in DMZ+ mode.  To do so, I must enable multicast routing between the suse router and the RG. Otherwise the app cannot locate the STB.  I do not know how to enable multicast routing in suse.  Does anyone know how to do so, similar to the above post, but under suse?

[JefferMC ACE - Wizard]

I do not believe that the mulitcast routing has anything to do with the iPad's communications with the STB.

The problem is that when you've got your own router serving your Wireless network via the DMZplus configuration, routing into the IPTV 192.168.1.0/24 subnet isn't happening.  I'm not sure that you can configure the RG to route traffic from the DMZplus into the rest of your network (or vice versa).

[btorrenga]

The above post indicates multicast routing resolves the issue. However, I have a Linux based router running suse, unlike the posted solution.

[JefferMC ACE - Wizard]

I do see that is part of the configuration.  And, to be honest, I do not know exactly what protocols or addresses the application uses to communicate with the STB.  Maybe we can get someone who has wiresharked the protocol to let us in on the secret.

I am still waiting on an SDK for Android devices.

[btorrenga]

I am guessing telling the LAN router that the RG is a protocol independent multicast neighbor is the trick.  The app broadcasts to  its subnet asking the uverse RG where the STBs are on the network.  Usually this will fail if your app is on a different subnet, but the above post indicates if your router considerably the RG to be a protocol independent multicast neighbor, then broadcast packets may be routed to the RG and vice versa.  That's my guess.  It seems to be protocol agnostibroader harps this acts as some sort of all purpose broadcast relay, but I don't know.  That is my guess.

Please chime in if anyone knows how to setup a protocol independent multicast neighbor under lineup Linux.

[scootermini]

The U-verse box & the ipad do use SSDP protocol (239.255.255.250 group address) to see each other. The Suse box likely see's this protocol and propogates it accordingly (without routing multicast).