Focal/Naim App discovery/connection time

Streaming Audio
1

Sorry to start like this but please don’t advise that I change to an Ethernet connection. I would if I could but, without wishing to list all the reasons, honestly I just can’t. And the SQ with WiFi seems absolutely fine to me.

Also in what follows, all the software/firmware is the very latest on every device, on my NDX2 and on my router (BT SmartHub 2). I have 500mps FTTP BT internet, with the router in the room above my music room (identical issues to those described below were experienced when it was in three other locations in the house). Very strong wifi signal in the listening room. I never, ever get any drop-outs or playback problems when playing music and am very happy with the SQ.

‘Stay connected’ is enabled within the Naim app on every device.

My question concerns the time taken for control devices (iPhone 16, iPad 8, Apple Watch 10, MacBook) to discover my NDX2 (connected by WiFi) at the start of a listening session.

Once connected, all devices work perfectly for controlling the music. But I do find though that when I settle down, I sometimes have to wait a while for my control device to discover the streamer and connect to it.

I haven’t bothered to tabulate recorded discovery times because they vary a lot from session to session. I tend habitually to move my control devices around so they are not always left in the listening room.

Just now, for example, I got home having been away with my devices with me. Once settled down to listen, the iPad took about two minutes to discover the NDX2. In then controlled the system perfectly and remained connected. The iPhone discovered the NDX2 more quickly, perhaps in around 45 seconds. The MacBook about a minute. Oddly, the Watch was quickest but it does sometimes take longer, and several attempts are required including several ‘Streamer not responding’ messages.

As I say, once discovery and connection has completed there are never issues, but I am wondering if I am the only person sitting there for minutes, sometimes, at the start of a streaming session. Interested to know. There must be others out there with BT internet/Smart Hub 2 and an NDX2.

I have searched on this Forum but couldn’t find a discussion of this nature. That made me wonder if for some reasons my situation was uncommon.

Incidentally I am glad that I have a streamer which has a remote. It means that the music can be stopped easily at a single touch when the phone rings without having to use a phone, iPad etc.

2

Login to your Smart Hub and disable IGMP Snooping/Filtering.

3

BT Smart Hub 2 is designed with IGMP snooping enabled by default to support services like BT TV (YouView).
There is no option to disconnect or disable IGMP.

I have no such problems as the OP lists with my BT SH2, but no idea what the solution is.

4

Apologies, that’s correct. Next steps are to turn off UPnP extended security and either look at forcing it to use one band not both or having its own wireless access point.

5

Have you checked the basics …
Is Bluetooth enabled on all the devices and NDX2.
Is all your firmware and App revisions up to date
Is the BT SH2 (router) the NDX2 and all devices set to manage IP addresses with DHCP.
Is WPS set to off.

If all the above checks as Yes/OK
Run a complete system power cycle
1: turn everyting OFF and wait 5 minutes to allow BT to registeryou’re off line
2: Power on the BT SH2 and let it fully complete its start up process
3: Power up the NDX2 and let it finish
4: Power up everything else, but one at a time.

6

Is it possible your devices are going in and out of your WiFi range (or switching between WiFi endpoints)?

If so, it might be taking a while to reconnect to your preferred network.

Try switching WiFi on and off quickly on your device. Hopefully when it reconnects it will find your streamer quickly

7

On my router, I have set the NAS and NDX2 to have fixed IP addresses. I dont know how much this helps, but I did get a few issues previously around discovery which I dont now.

Just to afirm, this is setting the fixed IP address on the router and NOT on the device. In this case the router’s DHCP will always assigns the NDX2/NAS with the same IP address.

8

I have just set that up but in fact I think the NDX2 is always given the same IP address because every time I have checked - ever - it has been the same (ending in 139).

9

No chance - I have buggered about with WiFi discs in the past but have eBayed them. I now have one, single, access point - the one in the BT Smart Hub 2. My set-up is absolutely standard and totally un-fiddled-with: I have an ONT where the fibre comes in and it is connected to an out-of-the-box BT Smart Hub 2. As I’ve said, everything Naim-wise works perfectly and solidly ONCE the control device has connected. I just timed my iPad at 2 mins 20 secs.

The single Hub provides an excellent signal throughout the whole house. 100% of everything I own that depends on the Internet: every Apple device, three Roku sticks, smart bulbs, smart heating controls all work flawlessly and connect instantly.

10

It’s really unfortunate that when the BT Smart Hub 2 came out it was no longer possible to give different SSIDs to the two wifi bands. This was possible with earlier models, so I had two SSIDS such as Mywifi and Mywifi5. Can’t do that now. Both bands are forced to have the same SSID. It is possible disable one or other of the bands but I don’t want to do that because I know that some of my devices connect on 2.4 and others (including the NDX2) connect on 5.

11

I realise this isn’t a fix, or an answer, but perhaps you could try for the next few days to go over and press the top power button to take it out of standby, then see when you go and sit down and start the app, if it discover immediately

12

I know that it definitely doesn’t. The one thing about this issue is that it is absolutely consistent … standard, untouched, new NDX2 with standard, untouched, newish Smart Hub 2 controlled by standard devices. All standard, out-of-the-box, no fiddling with settings on anything. Streaming and control works immaculately but only once the control device has connected to the NDX2 and that takes a long time. TV streaming using Roku sticks works perfectly all day long in 4k on three sets at once!

13

UPDATE: Thanks for the various suggestions. I have made some changes to the settings on my BT Home Hub 2 and the Focal/Naim App seems to discover my NDX2 almost instantly now. Disabling WPS in Wireless settings seemed to do the trick.

Interestingly I note that the NDX2 is now connecting to my Home Hub by 2.4GHz wifi; I am sure that every time I have checked since it was new in April it has connected to 5GHz.

Anyway it is good not to have to wait a long time for the control device to discover the streamer.

14

WPS is always best switched off after it’s been used as it leaves your routers security open.

Re the slow connection, as I understand it, WPS can in some situations and devices with some routers cause association delays.

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15

I always turn WPS off on any router I’ve had, but that’s really good to know for others - thanks for reporting back.

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