Roon Core MAC Address Not Showing in Modem Configuration

Support ARC: Port Forwarding Help
1

Roon Core Machine

Version: 2.8
Model: sonicTransporter

Networking Gear & Setup Details

  1. Who is your internet service provider?
    AT&T Fiber

  2. Please list the make and model of your modem and router?
    AT&T WiFi Gateway BGW320-500 as modem, connecting to
    TP-Link AC4000 Archer A20 as wifi router

  3. Do you have any additional network hardware, like additional routers or managed switches?
    No

  4. Does your network have any VPNs, proxy servers, or enterprise-grade security?
    No

Connected Audio Devices

SonicTransporter outputs via UltraRendu, which otputs to DAC and then to McIntosh C50 + Pass Labs X250.1

Description of Issue -

What is the exact port forwarding error message you see in the Roon Settings → ARC tab?

Roon ARC was unable to securely access your Roon Core

I recently switched from Comcast to AT&T for broadband. While Comcast allowed me to use my own cable modem, which I configured on my own, AT&T wants me to use their wifi modem, the BGW320-500, which I cannot turn into a passive bridge or dumb down in any significant way. I turned off wifi on the BGW to use my wifi router, a TCP AC4000 (Archer A20), as the main home network hub. All my devices are linked to the TCP via either wifi (PCs, Macs, phones) or wired (Roon Core, Roon Endpoint, gaming, streaming).

I have configured the AT&T BGW320-500 to allow for NAT/Gaming configuration and created a port forwarding service for Roon ARC, using port 55000 and giving a global range of 55000-55002. When activating the rule, the BGW320 asks what device needs it, and has 3 options: the first one is my wifi router, a TCP AC4000, which is listed as Archer A20, and the other 2 are machines that I do not recognize but must be my PC and Mac that access the network. My problem is that I do not find the IP address or MAC address of my Roon Core, i.e. my SonicOrbiter, that I know from both Roon and the SonicOrbiter configuration page. If I activate the port forwarding rule by choosing Archer A20, Roon can find and connect to the Core. However I am afraid that by doing that, I am allowing the entire wifi router to be discoverable and to use the port, as opposed to only the Roon Core. I am afraid that this creates unnecessary risks, as anything that is connected to my wifi router will in principle be exposed.

I already consulted a number of posts here, including this very helpful one: Roon Arc can't connect to Core via BGW320-505 / AT&T. However I cannot solve my issue, unless I give port forward access to the wifi router as described above. Is there any way to make the BGW only allow Roon Core to use the port? I cannot find any way to manually input the IP address of the Roon Core, or indeed the MAC address - I only find the devices that the BGW thinks are active on the network directly in a drop down menu, and the Core is not included.

Thanks

Luca

3

There should be an actual error message in a box on the right of that, along with a copy button. Please copy & paste it here

4

This is the error message:

{
“ipv4_connectivity”: {“status”:“NetworkError”,“status_code”:504,“error”:“error: Error: ETIMEDOUT, response code: undefined, body: undefined connected? undefined”},
“external_ip”: {“actual_external_ip”:“108.aaa.bbb.ccc”,“actual_external_ipv6”:“null”,“router_external_ip”:“192.168.1.66”},
“status”: “status”: MultipleNatFound
,
“natpmp_autoconfig”: {“server_ip”:“192.168.0.1”,“found_natpmp”:true},
“upnp_autoconfig”: {“server_ip”:“192.168.0.1”,“found_upnp”:true}
}

5

See here:

image
image1741×1264 229 KB

image
image1697×1046 127 KB

From:

6

@Luca_Di_Mauro, I also use AT&T Fiber using a similar configuraiton as your network. I use an older AT&T gateway, disabled its WiFi, and and connect it to an ASUS mesh system as my router.

For ARC to work correctly in this configuration, you need to create two sets of port forwarding rules:

  1. From the BGW320, create a port forwarding rule to the Archer A20, using the LAN IP address of the A20 and the port number shown in Roon’s ARC settings page.

  2. From the A20, create a similar port forwarding rule, this time to the LAN IP address of your Roon Core computer, and using the port number show in Roon’s ARC settings page.

7

Hi Robert - thanks a lot for the reply. I tried to configure port forwards but for both routers, I am not able to specify an IP address, only the port. For the BGW, I can specify the device, which is recognized as the Archer router. For the Archer, I can create a port forwarding rule but see no way to say what the address/device should be.

I have configured an IP passthrough for the BGW, which I understand is the closest equivalent of setting it in bridge mode. So the BGW passes through and takes the IP of the Archer - which eliminates the double NAT issue, apparently without even turning off the BGW’s firewall, so there seems to be some additional protection.

The problem seems resolved with the IP passthrough. After rebooting the BGW and then the Archer, Roon ARC now works. Thanks all for the help!

8

This topic was automatically closed 36 hours after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.