ASA: IGMP helper-address available?

Roble Mumin · ‎08-17-2009

I am trying to get my ASA5505 to sucessfully transport t-home IPTV Multicast traffic to my SetTop box.

The key to get this done seems to be enabling the "ip igmp helper-adress" which unfortunately is only found in IOS code.

I am not sure if the multicast capabilities of the ASA can provide me with a comparable configuration.

The config in IOS looks like this:

Interface level:

ip igmp helper-address <ip>

ip igmp version 3

global config:

ip pim rp-address 217.0.119.41

Anyone an idea if that can be done with an ASA?

Thanks for reading

Roble

andrew.prince · ‎08-17-2009

See the below:-

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/security/asa/asa81/config/guide/multicst.html

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6120/products_configuration_example09186a00807631d2.shtml

HTH>

Roble Mumin · ‎08-18-2009

Hi Andrew,

thanks for the answer but i actually haven't been looking for the "how to config multicast" on an ASA guide.

I am not to firm with multicast and IGMP and just need to know if the above mentioned command has an equivalent on the ASA CLI.

From what i know so far the ASA Code only supports IGMP V2 which seems to be the first show stopper.

My IPTV service depends on IGMP V3 which is currently not supported by the ASA.

Roble

andrew.prince · ‎08-18-2009

IGMP v3 is backward compatible with v1/2, v3 introduced the funcionality for source specific filtering, also host specific - group specific reports.

Roble Mumin · ‎08-21-2009

Hi Andrew,

thanks for the reply and the info on IGMP V3. So if get you right my V2 ASA should work in conjunction with the V3 IPTV provider.

What i still need to understand is the difference of ip igmp helper-address vs ip pim rp-address . You have those two options in IOS based devices.

If i recall correct you can configure the rp-adress in the ASA as well with the command pim rp-address . But there is no command comparable to ip igmp helper-adress on the ASA.

Roble

andrew.prince · ‎08-22-2009

Yes - v2 to will work with v3

RP - are the controllers of the source tree. Helpers are pointers - in basic terms.

So - what is the question? I would have thought that since your provider is running v3 - you would want to define the RP of the provider?

Roble Mumin · ‎08-22-2009

Basically i have seen a Cisco Config which was identified as "works with my iptv provider" but it utilizes the "rp" and the "helper" statement for IGMP.

If the ASA only supports the "rp" option but not the "helper" command i am not sure if it will work at all.

That's why i asked if i maybe overlooked that "helper" option in the ASA CLI and how the "helper" differs from the "rp" command so i might get to the conclusion, should work without "igmp helper". :)

In the end i learned two things...

A: i need to read more about multicast

B: i have to try if "pim rp-adress " will do the trick.

After i had another shot at my home setup with the ASA and some log output i might ask some more specific questions.

Thanks for helping out

Roble