Dell Latitude 7400 i5-8265U 1,6GHz 8GB RAM 64-bit Windows 10 Pro 21H2 build 19044.2728
Networking Gear & Setup Details
Roon has worked for more than 1 year without issues via the wired network.
Connected Audio Devices
Hifi Rose RS201E and Hifi Rose RS250A
Number of Tracks in Library
1167 tracks + Qobuz subscription
Description of Issue
After having used Roon for more then a year without issues, Roon now stops playing music every few minutes.
I have connected 2 different streamers (Hifi Rose RS201E and RS250A) via the wired and wifi network, I have used local files and Qobuz streaming, but Roon stops playing music in each configuration.
I’m using Roon version 2.0 build 1234 64-bit.
I have a hifi shop, so I need Roon to work for my demonstrations.
I hope the cause can be found soon.
Try enabling a local output on the laptop and playing local files from the laptop / attached storage to the local laptop zone. This would take the network out of the equation nearly completely. If this works, you know where to look.
When this happens, what does the Playbar on Roon’s user interface do? Does the Play icon change to the Pause icon, or does it carry on playing, but no music comes from the Zone?
As mentioned in my explanation, I have tried with local files and Qobuz streaming.
My laptop and both streamers are attached to the same network switch, so there is hardly any network (just 2 Ethernet cables to the same switch).
Using Wifi, more of the network is used. But the result is the same. Roon stops playing music.
What I am saying is play local files AND play to the local output. Then there is no network involved at all, as opposed to playing, e.g., Qobuz files to the local output.
Finding problems means ruling out possibilities piece by piece, starting with the simplest. Regardless of whether one believes it makes sense. If we knew for sure what makes sense and what does not, there would be no problem to solve in the first place
It takes 5 seconds to set up. And it may just happen to play fine, then you can focus on the network. Or it does not play, then you know for sure it’s not the network. Either way you will have ruled out something.
During playback, the pause icon is visible. The music stops, while the cursor keeps moving. A few seconds later, the streamer gets disconnected and the “Select and audio zone”-button appears. A few seconds later, the connection with the streamer is restored and I can manually start the music again. A few minutes later, this repeats.
I am currently using my laptop to control Roon.
I am not using my mobile phone as remote.
I used either Wifi (with the Ethernet cable disconnected) or wired (with the wifi of my laptop off).
The combination of the laptop wired to the network with the streamer connected via wifi, yields the same behaviour.
Right - so music playing to remote Zones gets disconnected. What happens when you try @Suedkiez 's suggestion of playing to the laptop speakers, i.e. use the System Output configured as a Zone?
My laptop was now connected via Wifi to the internet.
When connecting the laptop directly to the streamer via USB, there is no issue.
Music keeps playing like it should.
The issue seems to occur over the network (wifi or wired).
OK, that’s a good step forward in diagnosis. Can you tell us more about your network - make and model numbers of your router and any switches in use?
Both the laptop and 2 streamers are connected to the same 16-port Gigabit TP-link TL-SG116 desktop switch.
Between the router (provider model) and the 16-port TL-SG116, there is an 8-port TP-link Gigabit desktop switch TL-SG108. So both switches are the same brand, just 8 or 16 port models.
As the issue seems to be occurring when laptop and streamer are on wifi and when wired as well, it leaves 2 possibilities:
You happen to have 2 independent network problems, one on wifi and one with cables/switches. It’s not impossible but maybe not most likely.
The issue is in a component that is common to both networks. This seems to leave something network-related in the laptop, the router, or something in the streamer.
Focusing on case 2:
Reboot the router, laptop, and streamer, then try again
Try a different streamer
Try a different laptop
Try without the router in the chain, just using a switch that is wired to laptop and streamer, playing local files from the laptop
In short, simplify to the minimum until it works, then add back piece by piece
In the meanwhile, Dell inspected my Latitude laptop and found no issue.
Good news.
I just tested another streamer of a different brand and the issue does not occur.
Unfortunately, I had tested with 2 different streamers of the same brand with the same firmware.
It seems the mutual firmware of both streamers has the issue.
So there was no problem with Roon, nor the network, nor my computer.
I really appreciate the professional support you have given me.
Thanks a lot!
I’m glad you found the right direction without too much hassle.
By the way, Roon staff has Roon logos as their forum user pictures. @Geoff_Coupe is a fellow user and volunteer forum moderator (recognizable by the star) and I’m just a dabbling user who likes helping out. It’s great that we managed to take some load of official support
