Bonjour Discovery browser and cisco WLC mDNS

[andrewswanson]

Hello
I'm using a Bonjour Discovery browser on an iPad to see if I can check what Bonjour services are available on a cisco 2504 running code 7.5.102.0. WLC is configured as per cisco documentation for mdns:

• Multicast disabled on WLC
  
• wired vlan (with bonjour services) is trunked to WLC
  
• mdns profile configured and bonjour services are visible on WLC
  
• mdns profile applied to WLAN
  

when i connect an ipad to the wlan and start the browser, no services appear (2 are visible on the WLC). Debug on the WLC shows the following (where XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX is the iPad mac)

*Bonjour_Msg_Task: Nov 04 10:51:06.674: XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX Failed to updated data to Service Provider DB
*Bonjour_Msg_Task: Nov 04 10:51:12.798: processBonjourPacket : 935 Queried service-string : _dns-sd._udp.local. is not configured in MSAL-DB

Is it possible to get Bonjour Discovery browser working with cisco WLC?

thanks
andy

[ajc]

Scott,

One additional question, why it worked if I only had multicast activated (pim sparse-mode) on the VLAN associated to the Ipad (WLC management interface VLAN connected to the LAN Switch), instead of both (no multicast configured in the VLAN associated with the Apple TV interface). I was expecting that both devices (which are not connected effectively to the LAN) required their respective VLAN with multicast activated. I am still doing more testing.

thanks

[Scott Fella]

Each VLAN that requires multicast should have it configured. During my testing, I had to have multicast on the Apple TV Vlan and the Vlan the iPads were on. Test by putting the Apple TV's on a different Vlan.

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

[ajc]

Hi Scott,

Even though I am trying to be aligned with the cisco guide for this subject, I am assuming that something is being cached by the WLC once the Airplay worked the first time because I made another test connecting the Apple TV and Ipad on independent vlans without multicast on them and it worked. The configuration that I have in the WLC follows the instructions from the guide on which practically nothing is configured excepting Controller --- > mDNS parameters. Next my diagram and screenshots with what I have. I reloaded the WLC and Apple devices but still same result (working) which is totally weird for me based on your orientation about this case. As you can see, I have both devices connected to the wireless nothing yet on the wired.

[Scott Fella]

I removed everything just like what you had, except I left AP Multicast Mode to Multicast, since I have a 2504 and that is the only choice.  I also left multicast enabled in my wired side and now I have my iphone and ipads on one interface and my apple tv's on a different interface with management of the WLC also on a different interface.... none of my devices can see each other. 

I'm running v7.6

Thanks,

Scott

Help out other by using the rating system and marking answered questions as "Answered"

[Scott Fella]

My other test was just to enable mDNS on the wlans that my Apple TV and my iphone and ipads are on, and i was able to see my devices, with the following disabled:

Thanks,

Scott

Help out other by using the rating system and marking answered questions as "Answered"

[ajc]

Hi Scott,

I will make more testing tomorrow because I tried exactly the same thing you mentioned in your last 2 notes and it did not work in the initial test I made. Only when I used the WLC Mgmt Interface for the IPAD (which has multicast on the LAN Switch connected to the WLC) the mirroring worked. After that, I repeated the initial test again but this time it worked (initial test implied using dynamic interfaces with no multicast configured in their corresponding VLANs). I understand that Apple TV service string is cached in the WLC and that could be the reason because the initial test worked when I tried it again. There is also an expiration timer for that service in the Controller --- > mDNS Option --- > domain that I will check in details.

Because this is a critical service to be implemented I cannot have disconnections (flapping) when the service is running.

thanks a lot for all your comments and orientation

[Scott Fella]

Part of this whole bonjour is also make sure your wireless is stable in general. I have had to troubleshoot issues with bonjour and it ended up being issues with WLC config or the design in general. Clients can't loose connection or else they loose AirPlay.

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

[ajc]

Hi Scott,

I do not know if you already have this information but I moved the Appple TV service to production environment using mDNS on version 7.6 on WLC 5508 and it did not worked because I have an ASA in the middle. So I basically had to open ports: tcp5000, tcp7000 & 7001, tcp7100, udp7010, udp7011, tcp/udp49152-65535 based on the link:  http://community.arubanetworks.com/t5/Unified-Wired-Wireless-Access/apple-macbook-airplay-appletv-firewall-port-findings/td-p/55048 and it worked.

Now I am facing another issue, the mirroring is extremely slow (latency). I mean, when I click the mirroring icon  in the IPAD, I am switched immediately to the Apple TV based on the data displayed on the screen of the IPADon which I am connected. But, when I start playing with the IPAD icons, it takes from 15-20 seconds to display the information in the Apple TV screen. Have you worked with the QoS part on the WLC for Apple TV? thanks

[ajc]

Hi Scott,

I reset to default factory the Apple Devices and the WLC (reconfigured from scratch) and repeated the test with mDNS configured only and it worked fine.

Now I will proceed to test the Apple TV on the wired based on the diagram that I attached to this post before and see how I can make it work. I assume that I would need to activate multicast on VLANs in the path from WLC ---- > Apple TV on the wired network at the remote site. Is there any other way to do this that you could mention to me?

Thanks a lot for your help.

[Scott Fella]

Wired Apple TV requires an mDNS AP which is explained in the newer guides. For a remote site, with wireless devices and Apple TV wired, it might be tricky. I have deployed an Avahi mDNS server to pass bonjour across layer 3.

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

[ajc]

Hi Scott,

As you mentioned it, in the remote school if I have IPAD in the wireless and APPLE TV on the wired, the solution for Airplay to work can be tricky. We have over 500 schools so I need to think how to deploy an scalable solution. Thanks again for your note, I will send you any update about this interesting challenge.

AC

[Scott Fella]

Sounds good. Let us know what you end up doing.

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

[ajc]

Hi Scott,

Starting AP DNS tests next week for the wired side of the network. Interesting how the LSS works when you have 2 different locations connected to the same WLC. Without LSS Apple TV Services on one school can be seen on any IPAD located in a 2nd school. Once this feature is activated, the Apple TV Service is limited to the school on which this device is connected. I need to doublecheck what happens when 2 apple tv devices are connected to the same location (different or same AP).

AC

[Scott Fella]

LSS works great as long as everything is on the wireless. We have implemented this in many schools that we have done implementations. Apple TV on the wired makes it difficult to control. Using LSS limits the number of wireless Apple TVs seen by a device to only those on the same AP as the Apple TV or the neighboring access points. You will not see Apple TVs that are in the other end if the same school or not associated to a neighboring AP.

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

[ajc]

Hi Scott, AP mDNS when I connect the Apple TV on the LAN Switch access port works fine but I am getting the same VLAN ID on the show ap mdns summary for the Apple TV device connected to the trunk port. Any ideas?

I was wondering under what scenario you had to use Avahi. Could you please share this?

thanks

Abraham