BT TV IGMP Proxying on RS700?

schumaku - thanks for the input.

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schumaku wrote:

Always interesting to read people want to operate IGMP Multicast based services, and mentioning unmanaged switches in the same sentence. 

Point taken, in that it adds complexity, but a fairly commonplace setup these days.

So allow two words on the subject:  Most IP TV implementations are - for the live TV and "zapping" - based on Multicast, to IGMP Multicast. This IGMP Multicast traffic must pass your router, your switches, and even your WiFi infrastructure. This can be your WiFi on the RS700 as well as other devices like extenders, access points, ...

It's difficult to track down any easily consumable documentation on BT's multicast implmentation. The most technical you're likely to get is this (Openreach own the wholesale network architecture). But, yes - the service is used for the delivery of free to air and subscription-based TV content.

I can tell you that my mostly Netgear-based Smart switch network and the Netgear WAX6xx access points - direct linked to the Swisscom CPE, configured to support IGMP Multicast, can seamlessly deal with all of it. In this aspect, there is not much difference between the ISPs. However, this does not span through a Netgear router as of writing.

Good to know. I kind of wish I had another Netgear router at my disposal to see if my issues are specific to the RS700, as there are scattered reports of other Nergear routers 'working'.

Disabling IGMP wherever, is certainly a bad starting point.

I have disabled the checkbox labelled 'Disable IGMP Proxying', which given the wording, suggests it has the effect of *enabling* IGMP Proxying.

And deploying unmanaged switches will lead to the live TV Multicast stream end on all switch ports, on all wireless access points, and finally the wireless clients. This can't be the idea of BT, too 8-)

Allowing switches/wireless interfaces in the path absolutely *is* the intention of BT. They supply set top boxes without Ethernet interfaces (so Wi-Fi only), have been known to ship PVR's with multi-port Powerline adapters, and offer mesh access points with Ethernet ports. The latter two I imagine will behave like switches in certain scenarios. I'm no expert, but I assume the payload of the stream itself is only delivered to client devices that join the multicast group.

Definitely merit in Netgear getting things working if they can. BT have over 5 million broadband subscribers in the UK.