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The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => D-Link Storage => DNS-320 => Topic started by: KOTS85 on June 17, 2012, 10:13:56 AM

Title: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: KOTS85 on June 17, 2012, 10:13:56 AM
Ever time i stream a movie to my Boxee Box it Freezes up and stops. The NAS and the Boxee are both connected to the router via Cat6 cables. I have tried Samba, NFS, and UPNP and it happens on all of them. Any help would be appreciated.

This is my current setup:

DNS 320: Firmware 2.02, 1 Seagate Barracuda 2TB Drive (Model # ST2000DL001-9VT1)

Router: Belkin N750 DB

Boxee Box
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: JavaLawyer on June 18, 2012, 05:02:00 AM
I've read instances where NFS completely froze on older NAS, but never SMB.  :-\

Can you navigate the directories of your Movies/Shows/Music through the BB without issue? When you stream media from your DNS-320 to NAS does the BB literally freeze or is the stream choppy? Are you using the latest BB firmware?

As a test, can you successfully stream media to a local PC on the same network?

Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: KOTS85 on June 18, 2012, 06:56:13 AM
I've read instances where NFS froze on older NAS, but never SMB.  :-\

Can you navigate the directories of your Movies/Shows/Music through the BB without issue? When you stream media from your DNS-320 to NAS does the BB literally freeze or is the stream choppy? Are you using the latest BB firmware?

As a test, can you successfully stream media to a local PC on the same network?



1) I can navigate my way through the directories.

2) The video will 1 of 2 things.
   a.  It will stop for about 2 to 3 second and appear to be buffering. (after it resumes it will play really fast 
   for how ever long it was buffering)
   b.  It will freeze for about 5 to 10 seconds, then the BB will take be back to the menu.

3) The BB is using the latest firmware.

4) I just tried streaming to my laptop, and I am getting a similar results. The video will stop for 5 to 10 seconds, and then it will continue playing.
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: JavaLawyer on June 18, 2012, 07:04:46 AM
Try disabling all of the other optional services on the DNS-320 (e.g. FTP, iTunes, uPnP AV, DHCP, NFS, etc.), all of which will cumulatively add substantial overhead to the DNS-320 and can impact performance.
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: KOTS85 on June 18, 2012, 08:05:39 AM
I turned off all other services. The samba share is the only thing running, and I and still having the same problem.

Before I got the DNS-320, I was running the same harddrive in an external enclosure attached to my laptop via usb. I could stream to my BB and Xbox 360 just fine over my wifi network. So the issue must be the NAS, i just cant figure out what.



Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: JavaLawyer on June 18, 2012, 08:40:22 AM
Were you using the same router when you tested the HDD in the external enclosure? Is there a QoS engine in the Belkin router that could be throttling things down? Did you change any router settings recently?

I'll invite one of our resident router experts to join in this thread. . .
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: FurryNutz on June 18, 2012, 08:49:17 AM
Some things to try:
Turn off ALL QoS or Disable Traffic Shaping on host router.
Setup DHCP reserved IP addresses for all devices ON the host router.
Ensure devices are set to auto obtain an IP address.
Enable uPnP and Multi-cast Streaming if the host router has this option.

Wireless Installation Considerations (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=48327.0)
What wireless modes are you using on host router?
Try single mode G or N or mixed G and N?
Channel Width set for Auto 20/40Mhz or try 20Mhz only.
Try setting a manual channel to a open or unused channel.
What security mode are you using? Preferred security is WPA-Personal. WPA2/AES Only. Does it happen if you turn off wifi security temporarily?

What Wifi speeds are supported on host router?
What wired speeds are supported on host router?
Does the boxee hang if wire connected using LAN?
Try adding a external Gb network wired switch between the router, NAS and Boxee and test.
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: KOTS85 on June 18, 2012, 10:42:54 AM
@JavaLawyer

1) Router is the same
2) Qos is off
3) no recent changes to the router settings


@FurryNutz
 
1) QoS is turned off
2) DCHP reserves IPs forever
3) All devices are are using dchp
4) UPnP is turned on
5) The boxee is wired to the router via a CAT6 cable
6) I am going to pick up a switch later today, and see if that helps.
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: JavaLawyer on June 18, 2012, 11:28:38 AM
Please post back after you add the switch.  ;)
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: KOTS85 on June 18, 2012, 02:55:48 PM
I picked up a switch, and that solved the problem. Thanks for the help. Do you guys know why it worked by any chance ?
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes (RESOLVED)
Post by: FurryNutz on June 18, 2012, 03:40:43 PM
The switch removes any additional router processing and management from the line and allows a more direct wired connection between devices yet still getting internet when needed. Enjoy
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes (RESOLVED)
Post by: afarnedi on June 21, 2012, 09:56:43 AM
The switch removes any additional router processing and management from the line and allows a more direct wired connection between devices yet still getting internet when needed. Enjoy

just a quick one...how do you use the switch? is it to be placed between router and any other device such as boxee box and dns320? if yes, is it enough if I connect only the dns to the switch and the boxee box direct to router?
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: FurryNutz on June 21, 2012, 10:21:24 AM
Yes, place switch between router and all other wired devices. Enjoy.
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes (RESOLVED)
Post by: JavaLawyer on June 22, 2012, 05:38:09 AM
just a quick one...how do you use the switch? is it to be placed between router and any other device such as boxee box and dns320? if yes, is it enough if I connect only the dns to the switch and the boxee box direct to router?

No, you should connect the Boxee Box and DNS-320 directly to the switch. Then connect the switch to the router. The point of the switch is to provide an uninhibited pipeline for streaming data from the DNS-320 to the Boxee Box without going through the router or any other devices.

Using this approach, devices connected to the router can access the Internet or perform large data transfers among each other with 0% impact to the data stream between the DNS-320 and Boxee Box. As an analogy, consider the switch your own private road to drive from "A" to "B", and there will never be traffic because no other destinations are on the road except "A" and "B".
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes (RESOLVED)
Post by: afarnedi on June 28, 2012, 12:20:40 AM
No, you should connect the Boxee Box and DNS-320 directly to the switch. Then connect the switch to the router. The point of the switch is to provide an uninhibited pipeline for streaming data from the DNS-320 to the Boxee Box without going through the router or any other devices.

Using this approach, devices connected to the router can access the Internet or perform large data transfers among each other with 0% impact to the data stream between the DNS-320 and Boxee Box. As an analogy, consider the switch your own private road to drive from "A" to "B", and there will never be traffic because no other destinations are on the road except "A" and "B".

Hi,
I did as you suggested that is DNS and Boxee connected directly to the switch together with other devices such as Ps3 and my desktop PC; well, in this case Boxee is performing not very good, a lot of buffering playing 1080p movies but if I connect DNS directly to router and all other devices to the switch everything is perfect...according to what I read in this tread it makes non sense...what do you think could be the problem?
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes (RESOLVED)
Post by: afarnedi on June 28, 2012, 12:26:53 AM
Hi,
I did as you suggested that is DNS and Boxee connected directly to the switch together with other devices such as Ps3 and my desktop PC; well, in this case Boxee is performing not very good, a lot of buffering playing 1080p movies but if I connect DNS directly to router and all other devices to the switch everything is perfect...according to what I read in this tread it makes non sense...what do you think could be the problem?


BTW my switch is a dlink DGS 1008D
Title: Re: Streaming to Boxee Box Freezes
Post by: JavaLawyer on June 28, 2012, 05:12:35 AM
You're using a good GB switch. My first thought at this point is to examine your cabling. Poor cabling can substantially impact throughput performance.  Are you using Cat6 cables? Damaged or improperly shielded cables will hamper network performance. You may want to try using new Cat6 cables on the DNS-230 and BB.

During your testing, when you moved your devices from the switch to the router (or visa versa) were the same cables connected to the DNS-320 and BB or did you move the devices and use different cables? If so, you may want to try moving the devices along with the cables they are currently attached to and measure performance  ???