I see in the API documentation the following from Roon Labs:
The big exception in [web browser] functionality is discovery. Roon’s discovery protocol uses UDP networking packets, and the web browsers don’t have access to that. To get around this, instead of using RoonApi:start_discovery() , you can use RoonApi::ws_connect({ host, port, [onclose] }) . You will have to pass the IP address or hostname, plus the websocket port of your Roon Core to this method, and optionally you can pass a callback to call upon disconnection (for retrying the connection). Unfortunately, this means your web app will probably need an input for the IP address of the Roon Core.
Wouldn’t ws_connect-like functionality for endpoints solve the whole VPN issue? If I am understanding correctly, if users were able to manually configure endpoints to find the core (like API users have to do for browser based implementations), then endpoints over VPN’s would function without any fuss of mDNS repeaters or layer 2 tunnels.
I, for one, would love to see this. I know there are others who would, too.
[This post is not about the API, it only references it.]
If you run a good VPN that is really transparent - like ZeroTier for example - it also transports the Roon discovery mechanism.
I have installed it on my NUC (Roon Core) and on my notebook and after enabling VPN on the notebook I can open Roon. I got asked to connect to a different core as via VPN my core has a different IP. I follow this dialog, get connected and can use Roon via VPN on this notebook. This means I also can use it as an audio device.
It would be great to have that functionality on my iPhone or iPad too. ZeroTier is also available on Apple devices but the discovery protocol for audio devices is blocked by iPadOS and iOS Sometimes I hate Apple for doing things like this. This means on iPhone and iPad I can see the Roon GUI but can’t playback on the devices output.
In my second home I have a streamer with Airplay. Using my MAC with ZeroTier I can stream audio from my remote Roon Core via the MAC to this streamer.
Thanks, @DrCWO . I suspect I will be going the ZeroTier root once I have my second network up and running. FWIW, nothing magical about ZeroTier. It just operates at layer 2, not layer 3, so there’s no issue of non-routable ip ranges.
Sometimes I hate Apple for doing things like this. This means on iPhone and iPad I can see the Roon GUI but can’t playback on the devices output.