No luck with Roon ARC

Support ARC: Port Forwarding Help
1

Hi folks,

I lost Arc when moving from a conventional land-line based internet to wireless, which was necessary. Added to this was the installation of a TO-Link Deco system, and I think this has worked together to destroy a connection.

The message I get is:

{
“ipv4_connectivity”: {“status”:“NetworkError”,“status_code”:504,“error”:“error: Error: ETIMEDOUT, response code: undefined, body: undefined connected? undefined”},
“external_ip”: {“actual_external_ip”:“80.aaa.bbb.ccc”,“actual_external_ipv6”:“null”,“router_external_ip”:“80.aaa.bbb.ccc”},
“natpmp_autoconfig”: {“server_ip”:“192.168.68.1”,“found_natpmp”:true},
“upnp_autoconfig”: {“server_ip”:“192.168.68.1”,“found_upnp”:true}
}

I’ve checked up on this and cannot find it linked to a mesh system, so I wonder if anyone else has encountered a similar problem.

The core is a Nucleus Rev B.

Thanks in advance.

2

Who is your provider? And, Do you know if your Wireless Provider uses CGNAT?

3

Well, the provider is NextGenTel, based in Norway. I’ve just rung them but don’t seem to know whether or not they have CGNAT. When I was discussing the issue with them, they said it might be related to having a dynamic IP address, but recommended not having it turned to a static address because it’s a wireless internet package.

4

Hey @Jon_Baxendale,

Sorry to hear about your issues with Arc! Here are a few next steps for you to try:

  • Check for Double NAT
    • Log into your TP-Link Deco app.
    • Go to Advanced > Network Settings > IPv4.
    • If the Deco is in router mode, and your modem/router is also providing NAT, you’ve got double NAT — ARC can’t function through that.
    • Fix: Put the Deco system into Access Point mode (Settings > Advanced > Operation Mode) OR put your modem/router into bridge mode (only if you know how or your ISP supports it).
  • Manually Set Port Forwarding
    • In the Deco app:
      • Go to More > Advanced > Port Forwarding.
      • Manually add the ARC port (check Roon > Settings > ARC for the exact port number, typically something like 55000).
      • Forward it to your Roon Server’s local IP address.
  • Assign a Static IP to Roon Server
    • In your Deco app under Network > Clients, find your Roon Server and reserve its IP.
    • This prevents port forwarding from breaking due to dynamic IP changes.
  • Reboot Everything
    • Restart your modem/router, Deco units, and Roon Server to reinitialize the network configuration.

We’ll be on standby for your reply and results! :+1:

5

Hi @Jon_Baxendale,

This thread will close due to inactivity without a response. The new network topolog you’ve described contains two possible extra NAT layers that are blocking the ARC connection:

  1. the addition of the TP-Link Deco router (a second active router will create another NAT layer)

  2. the switch to a possible CG-NAT provider (NextGenTel). From a brief search, they have some accounts with pooled IP addresses, but others are still on dedicated IPv4 addresses. It seems you’ve already contacted them and they’ve recommend against the latter, but it remains a possibility.

From here, try placing one of the two routers (the TP-Link, if it’s the most recently installed) into AP Mode or Passthrough or Bridge mode. This should allow the primary router to perform DHCP and NAT, relegating this TP-Link unit to a wireless access point.

If that doesn’t work, you’re likely behind CG-NAT. In that case, please explore Tailscale for NAT traversal: https://help.roonlabs.com/portal/en/kb/articles/arc-and-tailscale-connect-to-roonserver-without-port-forwarding

If you’re still having issues, reach out in a new tech support request and we’ll reactivate this thread. Thanks!