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Dumbing down a managed Cisco Switch - need tuneup Advice


eggzlot

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I got a feeling I may be having some issues with my network as certain C4 tasks work like 75-90% of the time but sometimes they just do not execute and I am scratching my head.  Fairly sure the coding is fine, so I want to look at the network.  When I first got Fios about a year ago their tech set up the internet connection using their router, left my switches in place, and my network became super unstable.  I replaced the Fios router with my previously used router linksys e3000 and things seemed to go back to normal.  But over the course of the last few months there are too many inconsistent things going on, so I wonder if I need a network tuneup.

Linksys E3000 > Cisco SG300 > Cisco SG220 is the main backbone.  I have a few Ubiquiti AP's providing Wifi, the Linksys e3000, the Fios box and the 2nd linksys router (N750 I have For a separate fios network for the cable boxes) all have wifi turned off.

I followed these instructions @Cyknight posted several years ago:

 

Detail: If using a managed network switch (not recommended or supported) you must dumb down the switch as much as possible. Settings like Spanning Tree and Flow Control may not affect a Control4 system however we would recommend that any settings listed below be disabled to ensure proper network communication.

-Spanning Tree

-Flow Control

-QoS (Quality of Service)

-PaGP (Port Aggregation Protocol)

  • Leaving these protocols on currently interferes with Control4 gear (and other consumer gear including Apple Airport/Appletalk) and can cause slow or non-responsive systems.
  • These protocols are not necessary for a home networking environment

-IGMP Snooping (or any other Multicast Filtration of any kind)

  • Our IP devices do not register to receive multicast from a managed switch correctly.
  • With IGMP Snooping enabled you may not be able to see IP devices show up in System Manager and with this setting enabled you will also have a hard time getting all the IP devices to identify properly.

There may be several other settings which need to be altered to achieve functionality, and we've seen some managed environments where no matter what the integrator has attempted, a functional system cannot be achieved.
The above settings are the most commonly known culprits for causing network communication issues with a Control4 system.

 

That said - my current dealer admitted he is not a Cisco guru, but was told that Spanning Tree should be enabled if Sonos, Tivo or a few other sources are in use, and I am using Sonos.  So right now I have Spanning Tree on - today I looked and one switch had it on, one had it off.  the older switch had it on, so I turned it on with the newer switch.  I could easily turn it off if needed.  Maybe I need some new firmware on the switches - could that be an issue?

Would not mind some suggestions or maybe paying for someone's time to remotely dial in if needed.  Really want to make sure this is all up to speed and in line before I start other troubleshooting.

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Linksys E3000

Issue 1

 

Quote

was told that Spanning Tree should be enabled if Sonos, Tivo or a few other sources are in use

By Whom? now.

Actually Sonos could be issue two - I'm going to guess all or most of them are wired AND they haven't beeen set to shut off WiFi completely (not a normal option). Sonos can cause some pretty major broadcasts strorms that can paralyze a network.

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18 minutes ago, Cyknight said:

Issue 1

 

By Whom? now.

Actually Sonos could be issue two - I'm going to guess all or most of them are wired AND they haven't beeen set to shut off WiFi completely (not a normal option). Sonos can cause some pretty major broadcasts strorms that can paralyze a network.

Because I have a lot of settings on the linksys are there better linksys where I can easily move settings?  I toyed with the ubiquiti and I wanted to like it but I couldn’t do port forwarding without knowing shell scripts and stuff.  Maybe I can find a workaround for the port forwarding because I know it’s not the safest option. Also have a few items with DHCP reservations etc.  I’ve also had this linksys since day 1 of this install and only really noticing these issues over the last few months  it’s cheap to replace so I’m not married to it  

my sonos network consists of 2 sonos connects, 2 sonos play 3, 1 sonos play 1 and a sonos bridge.  The connects and bridge are hardwired. The play radios are wireless.   I’m doing home remodeling soon and fairly sure I’m going to hardwire speakers in every room and ditch sonos and move to c4 100%. I use pandora and SiriusXM so now both are supported.  But I use announcements as a doorbell and right now need to the sonos announcement feature to get the doorbell on some of those play radios.  At this point I’m assuming I’ll have sonos for another 4-6 months.  I’m also afraid to open my sonos app because it almost seems to force me to update the OS and then my old Sonos/c4 driver will break.  So I’m holding on - hopefully for another few months til I can hardwire those speakers everywhere.  

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52 minutes ago, eggzlot said:

are there better linksys

Yes, things that aren't branded linksys quite frankly.

53 minutes ago, eggzlot said:

I couldn’t do port forwarding

Good! Stop port forwarding

Quote

the connects and bridge are hardwired. The play radios are wireless.

If you have a bridge, shut off wireless (permanently on those. Goolge Sonos wireless off persistent and you'll find out how. Won't require or use the sonos app at all, yes stay away from there. I suspect that may help if not eliminate the issues.

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4 hours ago, Cyknight said:

Yes, things that aren't branded linksys quite frankly.

Good! Stop port forwarding

If you have a bridge, shut off wireless (permanently on those. Goolge Sonos wireless off persistent and you'll find out how. Won't require or use the sonos app at all, yes stay away from there. I suspect that may help if not eliminate the issues.

Ok tnx.  So shut off wireless on the bridge. What about the connects?  All 3 are hardwired.  

Should i disable spanning tree on the switches?  I only see how to globally turn spanning tree on or off. I’m sure I can click around to figure out how to do it port by port. But if it’s not needed for c4 I can disable globally   

Lastly how does one get around port forwarding?  What are the other options?

as always appreciate the help!

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39 minutes ago, eggzlot said:

Ok tnx.  So shut off wireless on the bridge. What about the connects?  All 3 are hardwired.  

Should i disable spanning tree on the switches?  I only see how to globally turn spanning tree on or off. I’m sure I can click around to figure out how to do it port by port. But if it’s not needed for c4 I can disable globally   

Lastly how does one get around port forwarding?  What are the other options?

as always appreciate the help!

No LEAVE wireless on the bridge, shut it off one the connects that are wired. Sorry that post came out a bit scrambled Use the bridge as your one wired AND wireless device.

Disable globally - and why do you need to port forward? Nothing should NEED it.

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14 hours ago, Cyknight said:

No LEAVE wireless on the bridge, shut it off one the connects that are wired. Sorry that post came out a bit scrambled Use the bridge as your one wired AND wireless device.

Disable globally - and why do you need to port forward? Nothing should NEED it.

Turned off the Wifi on the connects.  Wifi is still on for the bridge and the 3 various Play radios.

Disabled Spanning Tree Globally

As far as port forwarding....I used to have a different NVR so I had port forward cameras to see them on an app.  I now have Blue Iris, so I guess I can shut down those old ports.  Blue Iris is at port 81 so that still needs to remain open, correct?  Lastly not sure if you have played with Netplay but you put your camera IP addresses in there and you can populate them on TVs, etc.  so I have 192.168.x.x:ZZ in that screen so you can see my cameras.  If I did not port forward how would they be visible using this product?  That something to ask @videostorm?  May be a noob question but I only have so much networking expertise.  I also had to forward some ports I believe to create a subnet of sorts so I can ditch the Fios modem but still get live guide data to my cable boxes: http://www.dslreports.com/faq/16077

Thanks again!

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13 minutes ago, Cyknight said:

Port Forwarding is opening ports to the internet, not locally.

ok thanks, just updated 1 on netplay and removed the :XX and seems to work fine.  I'll double check to see if Blue Iris can function the same way.  Some of my cameras on Netplay are port forwarded to 554 yet I do not see that one even open on my router.  was a long time ago this was all set up so not too fresh in my head.  Assume I need to leave 81 open for Blue Iris, correct?

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6 minutes ago, eggzlot said:

ok thanks, just updated 1 on netplay and removed the :XX and seems to work fine.  I'll double check to see if Blue Iris can function the same way.  Some of my cameras on Netplay are port forwarded to 554 yet I do not see that one even open on my router.  was a long time ago this was all set up so not too fresh in my head.  Assume I need to leave 81 open for Blue Iris, correct?

Only if you are using remote access app, if it iven needs it for that. There's DDNS services for a good reason, port forwarding just isn't good (or safe) practice.

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4 minutes ago, Cyknight said:

Only if you are using remote access app, if it iven needs it for that. There's DDNS services for a good reason, port forwarding just isn't good (or safe) practice.

i have a DDNS URL.  wonder if I am not using it properly.  I still have to put in that URL then :81 to get to Blue Iris on a Browser on a PC. 

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On 12/10/2017 at 1:20 AM, Cyknight said:

No LEAVE wireless on the bridge, shut it off one the connects that are wired. Sorry that post came out a bit scrambled Use the bridge as your one wired AND wireless device.

Disable globally - and why do you need to port forward? Nothing should NEED it.

I followed these instructions and now my Play 1 and play 3 do not work.  I can go into c4 and start the feed but no music comes out.  I pick pandora.  Pick my channel.  Then nothing. 

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2 hours ago, Cyknight said:

Add one Connect back to the wifi and try it that way

yep both plays now work.  so need to keep one connect on?  I wonder if the bridge is not functioning properly?  When I look in Fing I can clearly see the Sonos Bridge is on, has an active IP address and everything.

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18 hours ago, Cyknight said:

Sounds like it may not be - might even make sense to just try it with the bridge off. And yes keep one Connect still with WiFi on - it'll act as the connection point for the Plays.

ok thanks - wifi is on one connect, off on the other and the bridge I just unplugged from the wall.  now lets see how it works for 24-48 hours - thanks again

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  • 3 months later...

Spanning tree is a loop prevention function, some Things to know would be

 

it can take 50 seconds (or more in a larger network) for spanning trees ports to start passing traffic

if you create a loop in your network without spanning tree to manage it, you can get an issue called a broadcast storm that will slowly build (usually) but eventually take down your network, so if you find your network gradually fails, and is better after a reboot, look for and remove the cable creating the loop. 

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