Manual IP Entry Option for Device Discovery in WIIM Home App

[Boggy]

Hi Wiim Team,


I have a quick suggestion regarding the WIIM Home app.


Currently, when connected to WiFi, I find it frustrating that I’m unable to manually specify the IP addresses of my Wiim devices. In my setup, I use multiple VLANs and have all my home audio/streaming devices isolated on a dedicated VLAN. While this VLAN is accessible from my primary WiFi VLAN (albeit on a different subnet), the app's automatic device discovery fails due to the subnet difference.

This isn’t a massive issue, but it does mean I have to maintain multiple WiFi SSIDs one connected directly to the Media VLAN just to manage and configure my Wiim devices.

It would be a big improvement if the app included an option to manually enter the IP address (or addresses) of the devices, alongside the existing auto-discovery feature and allow connection when on a different network.

Thanks for considering this feature, I think it would be valuable for users with more complex network setups!

 

[harkpabst]

This feature is available already, I think:

 

[Boggy]

Thanks there is that option bution the Wiim Home app it detects the devices, but wont allow control.

 

[harkpabst]

I see your problem but I don't see how it could be resolved by just entering an IP address.

The device running the WiiM Home app and the WiiM Amp must be on the same network (auto detected or not). This mandtorily requires the same VLAN and the same subnet. How could entering a fixed IP address ever work around this? Wouldn't that mean that subnets and VLANs would have to be circumvented by the WiiM Home app?

 

[Boggy]

I see your problem but I don't see how it could be resolved by just entering an IP address.

The device running the WiiM Home app and the WiiM Amp must be on the same network (auto detected or not). This mandtorily requires the same VLAN and the same subnet. How could entering a fixed IP address ever work around this? Wouldn't that mean that subnets and VLANs would have to be circumvented by the WiiM Home app?

You're absolutely right that in many cases VLANs and subnets would block communication especially if discovery relies on broadcast or multicast traffic, which doesn’t normally cross subnets.

However, in my setup, there is routing in place between the WiFi VLAN and the Media VLAN. Specifically, I have access allowed to the IPs of the Wiim Amps via unicast.

The issue is that the app currently seems to depend on auto-discovery (likely via broadcast/multicast methods like mDNS or SSDP), which fails across subnets.

The VLAN segregation is mainly to keep the chatter from dozens of different devices isolated, and improve performance and security with QoS/routing.

Maybe im mistaken or this is a security feature of wiim.

 

[simbun]

The issue is that the app currently seems to depend on auto-discovery (likely via broadcast/multicast methods like mDNS or SSDP), which fails across subnets.

mDNS repeaters are available on most platforms e.g. EdgeOS/OPNsense/pfSense/OpenWRT (I believe) e.t.c. SSDP (UPnP) unfortunately is a different matter.
If WiiM advertised support for this configuration just think of the support complexity.

 

[Boggy]

mDNS repeaters are available on most platforms e.g. EdgeOS/OPNsense/pfSense/OpenWRT (I believe) e.t.c. SSDP (UPnP) unfortunately is a different matter.
If WiiM advertised support for this configuration just think of the support complexity.

Understood, no need to have the the broadcast repeated when you can set a static IP, thats not the issue.
There seems to be a restriction in the Wiim Home app, preventing direct connection to devices on a different subnet/network.
Presumably a security thing, or a bug.

 

[simbun]

Understood, no need to have the the broadcast repeated when you can set a static IP, thats not the issue.
There seems to be a restriction in the Wiim Home app, preventing direct connection to devices on a different subnet/network.
Presumably a security thing, or a bug.

All the protocols (WiiM/Spotify/Qobuz/Tidal/AirPlay/UPnP etc) rely on broadcast for discovery, so even if WiiM made it possible for direct communication between the WHA and their hardware no casting protocols would work, which would lead to even more confusion.

 

[Boggy]

All the protocols (WiiM/Spotify/Qobuz/Tidal/AirPlay/UPnP etc) rely on broadcast for discovery, so even if WiiM made it possible for direct communication between the WHA and their hardware no "casting" protocols would work, which would lead to even more confusion.

Understood, thanks for the reponse. Spotify and other streaming apps are working fine and can discover and stream to all the wiim devices in their network without any issues, all the media devices are on the same 'Media' VLAN, so not a problem.

The main limitation is just around control via the app from a different (routed) network.

The WiiM amps themselves handle the broadcasting to other players/amps, not the app directly. Not having issues with that.

I can use the Web API through Home Assistant for basic controls (like play/pause/volume), but unfortunately it doesn’t cover the full functionality for configuring groups, setting master/slave relationships, etc.

 

[pjorgenunes]

This feature is available already, I think:



View attachment 20474

Mine IP is manual