Controllerless Networks

Hi,

I have an IAP-104 in use with firmware 6.2.0.0-3.2.0.2_37229 and I have a question about the AirGroup feature.

The IAP is configured with two SSID's (one Guest and one Employee).

The Employee SSID is on 2.4GHz and 5GHz (Band steering: prefer 5GHz) and the Guest SSID is only on the 2.4GHz band.

The IAP is not configured in a separate VLAN, it is part of the complete network with wired attached devices like an AirPrint capable printer and also an AppleTv.

On both SSID's I have configured the following:

Broadcast filtering = ARP

DTIM interval = 1 beacon

Multicast transmission optimization = Enabled

Dynamic multicast optimization = Enabled

DMO channel utilization threshold = 90%

When the AirGroup feature is tuned off then AirPrint and AirPlay is working fine via the wireless network.

When I enable the AirGroup feature (with enabled AirPrint and AirPlay options) then AirPrint and AirPlay is not working anymore.

Does this make sense?

I thought that the enabled Broadcast filtering and Multicast optimizations would kill the Bonjour and AirPlay functionality via Wifi and that the AirGroup feature was introduced to overcome these limitations?

Kind regards,

Rene.

I have found out that AirGroup seems to be working, but it takes some time for the Aruba IAP-104 to detect the AppleTv.

After detecting the Apple-Tv then the IAP-104 starts sharing that device.

This is leading me to the next challenge;

There is also an AirPrint compatible device connected to the wired LAN.

Without AirGroup enabled this device is detected by my iOS devices without any problems.

When Airgroup is enabled, the AirPrint device is not detected by the IAP-104 and therefore not available for my iOS devices anymore.

Does anyone know how to overcome this?

Is it possible to force a discovery from the IAP-104?

And how about TimeMachine backups while AirGroup is enabled?

It seems that Macbooks are not able to detect the TimeMachine storage on the network anymore.

I know that the Macbooks need Bonjour to detect the storage, but that seems not supported by AirGroup.

Kind regards,

Rene.

do the devices show up in the different show commands you can use? the airplay "server" and "clients"?

bonjour uses mDNS, airgroup is sort of a mDNS router, so it should work in principle. with the controller you can define different airgroup services, perhaps there is a limitation on just airprint and airplay with instant.

No, the AirPrint device does not show up when I check in command-modus, only the AppleTv does show up.

It would be nice if the IAP could do some Bonjour scanning by itself, this could speed up the detection a lot I think.

I have opened a support-case and learned so far that TimeMachine is not supported by AirGroup and therefore will not work.

The AirPrint device should be detected, this is what Aruba support is investigating at this moment.

i wonder if scanning is part of the general bonjour principle, it should be the broadcast announcements from the devices which should be picked up. if you have a printer that does airprint and the AP doesn't see it then TAC is indeed the way to go, good luck with that.