SMB video streaming drop outs from WHS source
#1
I originally posted this topic here:
http://forum.wegotserved.com/index.php?/...drop-outs/

I'm hoping I can get some more ideas or suggestions here. Here's my problem (mostly c/p'd from original post):

When trying to stream video from my newly built WHS to my modded xbox using XBMC, the stream plays just fine for 1 - 10 minutes. Then my stream suddenly goes away and I'm kicked out to the UI.

WHS machine relevant specs:
Asus M4A78L-M motherboard with Onboard Realtek LAN
Two WD 800GB Green HDs

Router is a Linksys WRT54G with DD-WRT v24 RC-4 mini firmware

My WHS connects to my router through wired ethernet. My xbox is connected to a router with DD-WRT set in bridge mode that connects to my main router through WiFi.

I previously kept my videos on my Win7 PC which also connects over wireless. I had no issues streaming video in this configuration.

If I look at the WHS via remote desktop when my stream drops, nothing shows up in event viewer and there are no processes in the task manager using any significant CPU. I took a look at the XBMC log and this is the error that shows up:
ERROR: XFILE::CFileSMB::Read - Error( Invalid handle )

I have tried the following:
- I had uTorrent running on my WHS - turned it off
- Turned off all UPnP/media servers (PlayOn, Windows Media Connect, Firefly, PS3MS)
- My videos are in folders on the WHS marked for data duplication. I copied a video into a folder without that turned on and streaming from there
- I toggled various advanced settings for my Realtek NIC
- Tried using a different ethernet cable

None of that helped. I was convinced the problem was related to the onboard Realtek NIC I was using so I bought this new Intel NIC from NewEgg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6833106033
I installed that without issue, but the problem remained.

I tried updating XBMC to the 2010-03-10 T3CH release (I was previously using a release from June last year I think) but that didn't help either.

I have no drop out problems when using a UPnP server like PS3 Media Server. I'd much prefer to use SMB though. The iso support in PS3MS is limited compared to XBMC with SMB and I lose the ability to fast forward. PS3MS also seems a bit flakey about letting XBMC connect to it sometimes, though that was before I updated to the latest T3CH release.

I turned on debug logging last night and grabbed a log. In addition to the error I copied above, it showed a message like EoF (end of file) found. Unfortunately I forgot to copy that log somewhere accessible and I'm currently at work. I can grab it and post it later, if necessary.

Other things I might try later, if I have time:
- Temporarily run an ethernet wire from the xbox to my router to bypass the wireless bridge. I doubt the bridge is related to the problem though; the bridge worked fine when I had the videos hosted on my Win7 PC.
- Install the Mac version of XBMC on my Macbook at home and see if the problem exists there.

I know many people here stream their media from a WHS without issue so I know it can work. I wish this problem wasn't so difficult to troubleshoot; it's driving me absolutely crazy. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!
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#2
Quote: Temporarily run an ethernet wire from the xbox to my router to bypass the wireless bridge. I doubt the bridge is related to the problem though; the bridge worked fine when I had the videos hosted on my Win7 PC.

This is where you want to start. Then at least you now for sure. That others are streaming on wifi doesnt really garantee anything. The walls in your house matter, the placement of the router, what the neighbours are doing etc.
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#3
I'll second what vik said - I use a setup very similar to yours in regards to the network setup - the solution for random drops was essentially hard-wiring to the DDWRT and using it as only a switch. For streaming drops are far less forgiving then for something like gaming or an actual dedicated streamer that buffers really well.
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#4
Thanks guys, I'll give it a try. And yeah, I know wireless sucks. Since it's only SD content I'm doing right now it hasn't been an issue.

It's just odd that this worked great:
|Win 7 PC| --(WiFi)--> |Router| --(WiFi)-->|Xbox| via bridge
This does not:
|WHS| --(Cat5)--> |Router| --(WiFi)-->|Xbox| via bridge

Maybe the debug log can shed some more light as well.
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#5
ok, that IS strange. Does the win7 setup still work? In the same test session I mean. If so I have no clue. Then it must be a whs issue I suppose.
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#6
vikjon0 Wrote:ok, that IS strange. Does the win7 setup still work? In the same test session I mean. If so I have no clue. Then it must be a whs issue I suppose.

I haven't tried the Win7 setup since I moved my videos to the WHS machine. Another thing to try at I suppose.
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#7
That is odd, sounds like a WHS problem to me - but the router could be to blame I suppose... I'm in over my head with that one.
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#8
So I came home and ran the cat5 cable from the xbox to the router... and no drop out. Video played fine for 20+ minutes.

Unplugged the cable and plugged the bridge back in... and no drop out. I was suitably perplexed at this point.

I took my Win7 machine out of sleep to check some internet sites and then came back and tried playing another video on the xbox a few minutes later. Stream dropped out. I put my Win7 machine back to sleep and played a video. The stream stayed up. I took my Win7 machine back out of sleep while the video was going and the stream dropped out within a minute or so.

So it appears my problem is my router. If I have any other computers on my network connected it can't keep the stream going.
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#9
Upgraded my router's firmware from DD-WRT to Tomato. That fixed the problem.
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SMB video streaming drop outs from WHS source0