Complex network problem

[John Duncan]

This just in from a friend:

"Hi John

I appear to have a network problem that I hope you can advise me on as I know next to nothing about network speeds.

My HDX-SSD has streamed high res wav files without any problem until yesterday. .

Now it stutters. A flac 24/192 is fine so I'm thinking perhaps it's the ability of the network to deliver large files.

Over Christmas I hooked up our av equipment and a sonos that may has caused the issue.

Our house Is cat5 wired. So it runs like this.

Virgin router (wireless off) > Apple time capsule providing wireless coverage > Ethernet cable to a netgear 1gb switch into which is plugged NAS, HDX, Sonos, apple express (to extend wireless coverage upstairs) and the AV room.

The AV room is connected to another gb switch into which is plugged the AV receiver, Apple TV, Sky HD box and finally the BlueRay player.

Phew!

Would it improve deliver to the naim if I plugged it and the nas into the time capsule, (before the first switch) ?

The QNAP 412 has 2 Ethernet sockets. Would it help if I used both of them?

Or do you think it's something non network related?

Thanks in advance for any light you can shine on this subject."

That's a helluva network and it might take me a while to draw it out so I can see where the problems might be, but if anybody can spot something obvious, do chip in... 🙂

It took a second reading to realise that the issue lies with 24/192 WAV, whereas 24/192 FLAC works.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Did he update the "audio station" ( is called like that in Synology don't know the name in QNAP) ?

A few months ago I've update the audio station in the synology NAS and couldn't stream hi res until the next update provided by them...

 

[John Duncan]

Dunno, have added it to list of questions to go back to him.

 

[hammill]

1. Check the NAS to see what cpu and memory usage is when streaming. If it looks high, see if fixed by reboot.

2. If nothing from 1, would disconnect everything apart from the NAS and streamer. If that works ok, add devices back one at a time until

You identify what is causing the problem. If NAS and streamer still exhibits the problem when nothing connected could be NAS software problem

I doubt using second NAS port would help as they would both be on the same network if I understand the configuration correctly

 

[John Duncan]

Oddly enough 2) is almost exactly what I recommended so far, though I did suggest remove the Sonos first in case that was doing some add pinging stuff.

How might one do 1) ?

 

[omnibeard]

My HDX-SSD has streamed high res wav files without any problem until yesterday. .

So what changed yesterday? Presumably if everything was working prior to yesterday (was the Sonos working fine up until then?) then something must have changed.

Firmware update of anything in the chain? Have any cables changed?

Rapid cycling of electricity on/off (power cuts or on purpose) can lead to router resets, and perhaps of other kit too. Sounds mad but it has happend to me, and ended up once with some strangely assigned IP addresses, or Airport Expresses losing settings I had altered in order to extend wireless networks and screwing up my network completely as a result.

Hammill's advice is good - a simple case of eliminating possible causes. Reboot everything.

I don't know the router in question but with most you can log in and see connected clients, so could check this as/when bits of hardware are added to or taken away from the network, checking that each part is recognised and keeping an eye out for any conflicting IP addresses, although probably unlikely. Also keep an eye on everything being in same IP range.

Mostly though I would be trying to work out what changed yesterday.

 

[hammill]

Oddly enough 2) is almost exactly what I recommended so far, though I did suggest remove the Sonos first in case that was doing some add pinging stuff. How might one do 1) ?

Adminstration app

Select System status then system information

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Did he figure out what the problem was...?