The error message is saying that something failed when the Roon Server attempted to use uPnP to set a port forwarding rule.
I believe other people have used uPnP with Orbi routers without issue so you could try rebooting the Orbi router to get uPnP working or toggling uPnP support off and then back on.
However, it is possible that you have another issue as well. The CenturyLink Modems are not strictly Modems (which are pure bridge devices). They are, in fact a router with a modem build in connected (internally) to the WAN port of the router. Hence, with the CenturyLink router and the Orbi router, you have two routers in your network.
When connecting your Orbi router, how did you configure your CenturyLink router? Ideally you will have put it into “Modem Only” or “Bridge” mode so that all of it’s router functionality (and WiFi) gets disabled leaving only one LAN port working (which you attach to the Orbi router’s WAN port). This makes the CenturyLink behave like a pure modem and leaves all router functionality to the Orbi.
If you have not done this, then you will have a double NAT situation and uPnP will not be able to configure a port forwarding rule.
If you have the double NAT situation, then there are basically four options to get Roon ARC working.
- Set the CenturyLink router to Modem Only or Bridge Mode
- Set the Orbi router to be a pure access point
- Set up double Port Forwarding
- Use Tailscale (supported by Roon) or another similar VPN service such as Wireguard to avoid the need for Port Forwarding.
Note: The first three options do not work if your ISP uses CG-NAT (which behaves a bit like another router - but one that you have no control over). If this is the case, then you will have to ask your ISP to provide a non-CG-NAT solution that supports Port Forwarding or you will have to use the fourth option - Tailscale or other VPN.
I will describe the four options above assuming that you do not have CG-NAT on your ISP connection.
Set the CenturyLink router to Modem Only or Bridge Mode
In the absence of CG-NAT, this is the best solution. I believe it is possible to do this on the CenturyLink router but I don’t know the details - or the exact terminology that they use.
If you can’t configure a modem only mode (lor equivalent), it is possible to get close to the same functionality by disabling WiFi on the CenturyLink, making sure that the only device connected to the Century link is the WAN port of the Orbi router and then putting the Orbi router into the DMZ of the CenturyLink. This is the only situation that you should actually use a DMZ on a home network, It is still safe because, although you have opened up Orbi router to attack, the Orbi is designed to operate in this unprotected environment and in turn provides the required security to the rest of the network.
Set the Orbi router to be a Pure Access Point
This solution means that all router functionality (NAT, Port Forwarding, Firewalls, DHCP etc) is performed by the CenturyLink such that all that the Orbi does is bridge WiFi to ethernet and provide a few extra ethernet ports.
Set up Double Port Forwarding
For this solution, both routers are fully operational but you manually configure a port forwarding rule on each router. Because the port forwarding rules are explicitely created, it is best of you also create appropriate DHCP port reservations on each of the routers. DHCP reservations have the same benefits as static ip addresses but they are easier to manage in some situations.
On the CenturyLink router:
- Set up an explicit port forwading rule to forward TCP connections on the ARC port (55000) to the WAN side ip address of the Orbi router (the one obtained from the CenturyLink router by DHCP which should not start with 192.168.1 (if it does that is another issue that has to be rectified).
- Set up a DHCP reservation on the CenturyLink router so that your Orbi router is always issued with the same IP address.
On the Orbi Router:
- Set up an explicit port forwading rule to forward TCP connections on the ARC port (55000) to the ip address of the Roon Server (192.168.1.38).
- Set up a DHCP reservation on the Orbi router so that your Roon Server is always issued with the same IP address.
Use Tailscale
Instructions for setting up tailscale can be found in the article (and the linked articles) at: