Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 22:14 Post subject: Chromecast question about client bridge connection.
Issue: chromecast can only be seen when connected to the client bridge wifi network, not anywhere else on the same subnet.
OK I'm going to try to run down how my network is setup to save time, and hopefully get a quick answer.
All wired and wireless devices are on the same subnet
My main router DDWRT AC5300 BCM4709 r48425 is setup as transparent bridge for my VDSL modem. It handles all DHCP on 1 subnet, only my modem is on another subnet. This router has 2x 5hz networks and 1x 2.4ghz network.
From the AC5300 I have 2x client bridges.
1x ddwrt r47510 Marvell Armada 385 in gateway mode is wirelessly 5ghz link to the AC5300 where it servers up internet to 4x wired computers. That router has no issues connecting to BCM router.
1x Netgear R7000 BCM4709 r48425 Client bridge in router mode wirelessly 5ghz linked to AC5300 4x wired devices connect to this r7000. I then also have 1x 2.4ghz wifi network from this r7000 that I use for all my LOT devices including google chromecast ultra, actually the chromecast ultra is wired to this router.
I do not have AP isolation on any of the ddwrt instances, and have different wireless channels for all the different networks.
I have the following settings on my r7000 that I thought would fix this issue. They are:
I do not have these same DNSmasq options on my main router, that maybe the issue. Is it? Or are these settings not enough to resolve this?
I am using DNSmasq on all 3 routers, I am also using Encrypt DNS on my main router only. I'm not sure if the no-resolve setting will mess with my Encrypt DNS settings, that is why I put it on the client bridge where the chromecast is connected.
The only other thing I can think could relate to this issue is the gateway mode vs router mode. Maybe that is causing this. The client bridge is more transparent it seems when in gateway vs router but again that im not 100% about. I cant really change over from router to gateway anyway because I want that r7000 to be able to connect all those lot devices and not congest my main router etc.
So hopefully that is enough info to get a quick answer on this.
I don't really have an answer for you but I can tell you that we have very similar issues. Are you using the original or the Experimental driver for the 5300? Im currently using the experimental build 48138 and my printer is connected to 2.4GHZ but can only be seen by LAN devices and devices connecting to 5GHZ WLAN and not the 2.4GHZ network and the same goes for my Chromecast built into my android TV.
However, these are my findings for the latest original build 48567.
-Isolation issue does NOT exist(can communicate to printer on both Wlans and use chromecast normally)
-Max download via lan 525mbps SFE Enabled. Flow acceleration missing from build
-Max download via wifi 5GHZ radio ~400mbps
-Below are the only 5GHZ channels Via 80MHZ width that worked on this build
44 / upper lower
36 / lower lower
The experimental builds work better for me as far as speed goes but appears to have issues communicating between WLANS.
Let's make something clear here that routinely confuses users.
Gateway vs. Router mode has *nothing* to do w/ any bridged configurations! Gateway vs. Router mode determines whether the router will or will NOT NAT the WAN (respectively). Router mode also disables connection tracking.
Any casting relies on true Mac addresses. I have a router configured as a Client bridge and I cannot cast from my phone to the tv that is connected… however if I connect the tv directly to the wifi instead of the client bridged router, it works… client bridges do not pass the true Mac addresses of the clients connected to it… this is a known issue, since the bridge is a hack. Now it does work with official firmware if it has media bridge mode… like asus routers do. _________________ ASUS RT-AC3100 AP Merlin 386.12_4
ASUS RT-AC68U Media Bridge/Merlin 386.12_4 (x2)
ASUS RT-AC68U AP r54604
ASUS RT-AC68U Gateway/AP r54604
Edgerouter-4, v2.0.9-hotfix7
Any casting relies on true Mac addresses. I have a router configured as a Client bridge and I cannot cast from my phone to the tv that is connected… however if I connect the tv directly to the wifi instead of the client bridged router, it works… client bridges do not pass the true Mac addresses of the clients connected to it… this is a known issue, since the bridge is a hack. Now it does work with official firmware if it has media bridge mode… like asus routers do.
Correct. If you want/need reliable casting, you need to use WDS, where the client's actual MAC address is passed through the bridge. But WDS comes w/ its own issues, among which are a lack of compatibility due to it NOT being a wifi standard. WDS works best when using the same hardware and firmware, and when it's supported explicitly by the OEM.
Any casting relies on true Mac addresses. I have a router configured as a Client bridge and I cannot cast from my phone to the tv that is connected… however if I connect the tv directly to the wifi instead of the client bridged router, it works… client bridges do not pass the true Mac addresses of the clients connected to it… this is a known issue, since the bridge is a hack. Now it does work with official firmware if it has media bridge mode… like asus routers do.
I wondered if this would be the answer. So no amount of settings in the Additional Dnsmasq Options will make a difference then uh.. Its just a fact that the chromecast broadcast cant jump routers within the lan.
I thought seeings like this on the client bridge would do something.
no-resolv
server=8.8.8.8
server1.1.1.1
I don't really have an answer for you but I can tell you that we have very similar issues. Are you using the original or the Experimental driver for the 5300? Im currently using the experimental build 48138 and my printer is connected to 2.4GHZ but can only be seen by LAN devices and devices connecting to 5GHZ WLAN and not the 2.4GHZ network and the same goes for my Chromecast built into my android TV.
However, these are my findings for the latest original build 48567.
-Isolation issue does NOT exist(can communicate to printer on both Wlans and use chromecast normally)
-Max download via lan 525mbps SFE Enabled. Flow acceleration missing from build
-Max download via wifi 5GHZ radio ~400mbps
-Below are the only 5GHZ channels Via 80MHZ width that worked on this build
44 / upper lower
36 / lower lower
The experimental builds work better for me as far as speed goes but appears to have issues communicating between WLANS.
Thanks for this, i have never used the experimental driver, i've always been afraid ill loose reliability and its a sacrifice i cant make. Ill give it a try now. Thanks for sharing your setup also. I get pretty good throughput but perhaps i can improve it.