Roon losing track of the Nova

I’m having an issue in my secondary system with Roon frequently stopping to ‘see’ the Nova. They are both connected via Ethernet. It happens mostly when there is an update to Roon (or I do a database refresh), though it has happened occasionally mid-song.

The solution I found is to unplug the Nova, then replug it and Roon sees it again. Surely there has to be another, better way ? Any idea why this happening? I am using a headless Mac mini 2012 version running IOS 10.15.7 for the Core and the Uniti Nova with latest Naim software. I have close to 81k tracks and I think the Mini needs to be retired, but still, can that be causing all these ‘dropouts’ ?

I’ve no idea of the spec of your Mac Mini from a resource point of view but
a) is the Mac using an SSD?
b) is it wired or WiFi?
c) any “mains network” devices being used?

Im guessing its probably hardware-related – Core running on the Mac Mini. Is something timing out? I never lose any connections running it on a Nucleus.

Your Mac is getting a bit old, but if this is apparently only affecting one Roon Endpoint in particular with others working normally I can’t see how the Core would be at fault. I would think more likely to be a network issue. Can you describe how your LAN is set up?

Thank you all for coming back. I have a feeling it is a network issue, possibly made worse by an overstretched Mac mini.

My network is a patchwork of wired and wireless, partially because I needed more plugs and partially because the main hub/wifi (from the ISP company) sits at one end of the apt, in a kitchen cupboard and doesn’t reach other parts of the apt. So:

Fiber optic cable from ISP comes into a Livebox unit which also has a wifi network attached to it (call it Network A for ease). Plugged/connected into its ports at the back are the Mac mini, the living room ethernet socket (on a patch bay) to which the Nova is connected, a Netgear Nighthawk Wifi unit (Network B and Network B-5G) and an 8-port hub/switch.

Connected to the 8-port hub/switch are a. inch of ethernet plugs on the ethernet patch bay: the Orange TV/cable box, a couple of ethernet plugs in rooms and another wifi unit, a Zyxel (Network C) to which a wifi printer is connected.

I know this is far less than ideal as I have a couple of different wifi systems running. I can control the music system (Mini/Nova) via an iPad/laptop using Network B. If I want to print anything, I’ll have to switch to network C for that (and lose access to the Mini/Roon).

The other thing I have is that I have a significant drop in speed the further out I go from the kitchen. I cannot connect to Network B 5G from the living / dining / study.

Doing speetests from the Dining location (in between living and study area) and the kitchen I get as follows:

From dining:
Network B download 1.61 mbps , Upload 3.56
Network B 5G: can’t connect
Network C (hub located in Study) Down 35.82, Up 18.63
Livebox Down 0.17, Up 5.85

From Kitchen:
Network B Down 90.77, Up 91.41
Network B 5G Down 459, Up 342
Network C: Can’t connect
Livebox Down 401, Up 290

Interesting that from the kitchen the Netgear (Network B 5G) is even faster than the Livebox, but that is probably variations between tests. The drop in speed is massive.

I would be very grateful if you can help me to sort this mess out and give me suggestions. Ideally, I would have one powerful network all over the house and not this patchwork of mess with significantly decreasing throughput throughout the house. It’s a 130sqm apt, not a mansion, but I think thick stone walls as the building dates from 1905.

Thank you in advance.

I attach a pic of the ethernet patch bay.

Thinking of it, it would make more sense to switch places between the Netgear and the ZyXel - this way I would have better speed in the living/dining/study area BUT it would mess up my access to Roon the way the network is currently connected.

Yes, I think a bit of a re-jig of your network would be a good idea. On the face of it, the fact that your Roon Core and Nova are connected to ports on the same device means that they should be seeing each other - if only life was that simple! If you’re prepared to start again from scratch I suspect you will get better all round performance. A single device running the whole network with just one DHCP server would be a good start, then run cables from there to switches in key locations. From there you can run patch cables to devices that need them, and to wireless access points to give full coverage around your apartment. Some decent mesh WAPs is what I would be looking at.

Thank you Chris.

As you said, I thought that the Core and Nova being linked by wire through the same box, shouldn’t have a connection loss - which is why I blamed the Mini.

I’m happy to restart from scratch. Can you suggest specific equipment (make/models) ?

I’ll be leaving tomorrow, but back here in September so I can get everything together.

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