I imagine the audio protocol is a major reason, they must be doing something far fancier than basic HTTP. Wouldn’t surprise me if they establish a separate connection from server to client as part of it but maybe it’s bidirectional.
Discovering my phone is a red herring. The app already asks for IP address if it can’t initially connect. Multiple connections is also not really an issue, they can easily cap the number of external clients.
Are there any published details on their audio protocol? I’m sure if they have it’s very high level but my inner nerd is curious.
Good day to you. Just to share I always leave my laptop on 24/7, so I can always play music on my mobile when I’m home. But I want to access outside, not a home network. Anyone can help me share the configuration of how to access roon in the different networks? From roon application and router configuration, which config needs to change? I’m using a Linksys router. Kindly advise sharing configuration video or any tutorial.
I agree. This service is beautiful BUT I can only use it in my house. If you loose Wifi, all zones are off… Really guys?? I dont understand the purpose of this. I’ve wanted this for years. I have been using Plex and it is excellent! If you have unlimited data, I stream 24/96 FLAC all day long and chromecast too at work. That’s the whole point. I have 40k songs and first cant get over I have to pay to listen to it outside of a computer or a hand held BUT to pay to listen to it in your house?? Get Plex, Chromecast Audio - get a DAC with SPDIF Input and whatever you hook up a FIIO DAC or Cambridge or whatever, it’s $150-$500 for the Chromecast + DAC to do 32/384 or 768… OR in my car, Plex to a Bluetooth LDAC and I get 32/96 and charge the device maybe once a quarter for an hour each way commute… So, what I am missing?
An update to my original post. I recently purchased the Synology RT6600ax router. I set up the VPN solution that comes with it, took less than a minute. I am working remotely on my Windows 10 machine and connected to my home network via Synology VPN. To my surprise Roon works just like at home. I am listening to my library on my laptop while away from home. The Roon software detected the local audio output on laptop.
I don’t know whether this has been mentioned already but for automatic endpoint discovery I suspect that Roon is using multi casting where each device responds to a subnet level ‘shout out’. For this to work over VPN requires specific configuration and m’cast forwarding over VPN - MBONE capability. Not dissimilar to what Sky do in the UK with SkyQ and Sky Mini boxes which cant be VPNed from different subnets. The earlier post where the Apple Mac had it’s system output discovered over VPN is probably because the computer had specific knowledge of the Roon Core and as such wasn’t reliant on multi casting to discover the endpoint - there was already a Unicast connection and the Apple computer could simply advertise the presence of the audio out.