NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.

Forum Discussion

izools's avatar
izools
Guide
May 27, 2022

Netgear M4100-50G Multicast Configuration

Really hoping someone out there can help us with this:

 

We have a client running two M4100-50G Switches (Firmware 10.0.2.20) interconnected with LAG.

 

They are using an application which requires Multicast to operate between machines on the local network.

 

They have a flat network, only VLAN1. 

 

I believe I have configured the switches correctly but multicast still doesn't appear to work, could someone point me in the right direction please?

 

7 Replies

  • schumaku's avatar
    schumaku
    Guru - Experienced User

    izools wrote:

    They are using an application which requires Multicast to operate between machines on the local network.


    Extremely unspecific 8-/

     

    By far not every Multicast does make use of the Multicast Registration IGMP (for IPv4) or MLD (for IPv6).

     

    What Multicast address (in IPv4 and in MAC) is used by this application in question?

     

    Have seen several projects not using legal addresses for the intended purpose - switches can filter these silently for example.

     

    FMI: https://www.iana.org/assignments/multicast-addresses/multicast-addresses.txt

     

     

     

     

    • izools's avatar
      izools
      Guide

      Oh I completely agree.

       

      The software vendor have refused to tell me / us what IP(s) their software uses for multicast broadcast.

      • schumaku's avatar
        schumaku
        Guru - Experienced User

        izools wrote:

        The software vendor have refused to tell me / us what IP(s) their software uses for multicast broadcast.


        Looool .... and of course they develop and test on dumb non-managed switches only, it works for us. Yet another typical answer I've heard.

         

        So ask again (that would be easyer), or it's time to start a Wireshark session 8-/ 

    • izools's avatar
      izools
      Guide

      OK so I've been able to glean the following information, but I don't see any traffic at all in Wireshark associated with a 237.x.x.x address on the machine hosting this application

       

      "The following IP addresses should be white-listed on any network-based firewalls, and/or locally installed Firewall applications running on end terminals:

      • 237.215.5:443
      • 237.215.9:443
      • 237.215.15:443
      • 237.215.16:443"

      So far no information on whether they're using IGMP or another protocol đꤔ

      • schumaku's avatar
        schumaku
        Guru - Experienced User

        Strange addresses 8-)

         

        Taking the same assumption as yours, they might talk of 237.x.x.x. (237.x.x/24)

         

        RFC5771 says on p.2/3

         

        3. Definition of Current Assignment Practice

        ...

         235.0.0.0 to 238.255.255.255 Reserved

         

        ...and continues on p.7...

         

        13. Use of IANA Reserved Addresses

        Applications MUST NOT use addressing in the IANA reserved blocks.

         

        This explains in my reading why any kind if intelligent switches don't have to deak with these invalid addresses.