iTunes streaming probs

ZV Yoda

Hoping somebody can help me fix some iTunes streaming issues I’m having. I’ve tried on the Apple forum a couple of times, but no joy. I am aware of the various streaming issues & have read through lots of the other threads on the Apple support forum.

My set up is:
• HTPC is mid-2010 Mac Mini running Lion
• 2 x ATV2
• Airport Express(for wireless music streaming to home hifi)
• Airport Extreme (for n-wifi)
• Various IOS devices
• 25Mb UPC broadband
• All software is latest & greatest verison

We use iTunes and/or Frontrow to play/rent/buy/stream. The wife & kids find it all very easy to us, so I’m not really keen on messing around with new software like Boxee/XBMC/Plex.

For the most part, everything works seamlessly. But, the following issues occur often enough for it to be a real pain:

1. Regular dropouts when streaming content directly from IOS devices to Airport Extreme. It seems to cause a conflict with the wi-fi in the IOS device & the signal drops. What is strange is that if I use the "Apple Remote" app to stream from the Mac mini to the Airport Express & it never drops out (never, ever!).
2. When streamlining content from the Mac mini to the ATVs/IOS devices, it often can't find the "Mac mini library". I then have to wake the mini by hitting the space bar (even though it is set to “never sleep”). This only works half the time. Finally, I end up having to re-start iTunes on the mini.

Anybody having similar issues? The setup is 95% perfect for our needs, but these probs are very frustrating.

Thanks

ZV Yoda

Mods - this may be more suited to the Apple Media Devices board. If so, please move accordingly. Thx

ZV Yoda

Anybody any ideas on this?

PogMoThoin

I know nothing about Apple's but you cannot have 2 wireless devices in a house without careful channel planning so they don't interfere. Set one to channel 1, the other to 11 to avoid any overlaps.

Voodu Child

What model/gen of Airport extreme? Is it capable of simultaneous dual band or just regular one-or-the-other dual band?

ZV Yoda

Voodu Child wrote: »

What model/gen of Airport extreme? Is it capable of simultaneous dual band or just regular one-or-the-other dual band?

The Airport Extreme is the latest version... dual band. It works perfectly most of the time, it's just that I get annoying dropouts from time to time.

Re having 2 wireless devices (routers)... it is possible to have 2 devices... there's a mode in Airport Utility that gives a few options for connecting the Express & Extreme. I have my Express set up in "bridged" mode. This extends the overall range of the wireless signal (I use wifi in our garage & the Express has boosted the signal quite a bit).

Carter P Fly

Regardless, as already said, you need to have the two bridged devices on non overlapping channels or you have issues like what youre describing.

Voodu Child

Your setup is made more complicated by the fact that both your routers may be dual band or simultaneous dual band. Your reply above didn't clarify which. There's an important difference.

Either way it complicates things because both devices are potentially trying to broadcast on both bands (2.4GHz and 5Ghz) or else switching back and forth depending on connected clients. When they're on 2.4Ghz they're also potentially switching between single and bonded-channels (bonded channels are a bad idea on 2.4GHz but most devices have it set by default) and also switching between 802.11n and mixed mode.

All this switching and fighting for free airspace could potentially be causing the dropouts. I know if I leave my router on auto 20/40Mhz it will drop all clients temporarily when switching. Its better to just leave everything on the 2.4GHz band on 20Mhz width (ie non-bonded).

Ideally you need to manually configure the whole thing yourself rather than leaving everything on 'auto'. To do that you need to know the capabilities of every device.

Also be aware that a wireless extender will basically half the throughput of anything going through it.

keithclancy

IMO Wireless is rubbish for streaming, could be the neighbours cordless phone or the microwave causing the problem.

Get a cheap set of Powerline adapters and you won't experience the problem.

ZV Yoda

The prob seems to have sorted itself out in the past week or so. There's been a couple of updates to Airport utilitiy & iTunes, so maybe they helped. Thanks for the comments.