Pairing WiiM Pro When Using Ethernet, Not Wi-Fi

[Lynell in Baltimore]

I have the WiiM Pro app on my iPhone15, but I cast to my WiiM Pro from my Windows 10 PC because the music channel I stream from doesn't have an app-based platform, only a website. I have found that frequently the WiiM Pro needs to be re-paired when the app updates the device. This worked fine while I was on Wi-Fi, but I recently ran an ethernet cable from my WiiM to my router because Wi-Fi is so poor in my 1862 farmhouse. My streaming was then flawless -- until the very next time the WiiM updated, causing it to need re-pairing. I could not pair the WiiM with my iPhone no matter what I tried, even a factory reset. I put in a service ticket with WiiM because no forum subject addresses this issue and WiiM's "Known Issues" page says if the device is "blinking red, the device is defective and must be replaced," which my WiiM was doing when I tried to pair it. While waiting for help from WiiM support, I kept trying to pair the WiiM. After much trial and error, I realized that because the WiiM defaults to ethernet when a cable is used but needs Wi-Fi to pair and cast, maybe that's why it wasn't working. So I unplugged the ethernet cable, and then was able to pair via Wi-Fi. I plugged the ethernet cable back in, but still couldn't cast to the WiiM. So I unplugged the ethernet again, paired again via Wi-Fi, and actually began streaming via Wi-Fi. Then, and only then, I plugged the ethernet cable back into the device. Streaming instantly switched to ethernet from Wi-Fi and has been perfect ever since. Seems like this information should be included in the user manual and on the app, so I'm providing it here in hopes it will help someone else with a similar problem.

 

[hjwhoub]

Why does the mini not have this problem?

 

[Mr Ee]

You say it's all good on wifi.
The mini only has wifi.
It does seem to be a network setup issue somehow.

 

[calvinlord]

I'm having the same problem. I can't add Wiim pro as a device on my PC over ethernet. Tried reinstalling over WIFI. I have a network and I know the ip addresses of the Wiim pro and my PC, and Wiim support said pair it. Not sure what they mean.

I can play from Spotify, but I can't use the audio stream from the PC for anything else.

Ideally I need a Windows 11 audio driver so I can add the Wiim pro as a device on my PC I think.

 

[jfbuk]

What is it that you are trying to stream other than Spotify ?

 

[calvinlord]

Anything other than Spotify. You tube, chrome, games etc. I bizarrely could do it with the mini as I managed to install an audio driver on start up and therefore could add a device in W11.

 

[jfbuk]

Not sure what you mean by an audio driver in this instance but
Stream What you Hear (SWYH) will capture the audio on your PC and stream over the network.
This variant is the most up to date in terms of active development that I know of

GitHub - dheijl/swyh-rs: Stream What You Hear written in rust, inspired by SWYH.

Stream What You Hear written in rust, inspired by SWYH. - dheijl/swyh-rs

github.com

 

[calvinlord]

This doesn't work. It doesn't list the Wiim Pro as an available device which comes back to the same problem.

 

[jfbuk]

This doesn't work. It doesn't list the Wiim Pro as an available device which comes back to the same problem.

Then you have a network issue I think

Screenshot from my Windows11 PC

 

[calvinlord]

I don’t think so. I can see it on media streaming options. I just can’t add the device in sound settings.

 

[jfbuk]

if you mean will you see it as an audio output in Windows settings then the AFAIK its a NO.
You need an app/software that will discover the UpNP/DLNA renderers e.g SWYH.
When you open SWYH what device are listed as rendering devices ?

 

[Burnside]

Anything other than Spotify. You tube, chrome, games etc. I bizarrely could do it with the mini as I managed to install an audio driver on start up and therefore could add a device in W11.

Any details on this driver? Can’t imagine how you’d achieve that with the Mini other than Bluetooth.

 

[calvinlord]

I managed to pair the Pro via bluetooth, then I get the ability to add a device in Windows. I tried changing the audio output in the Wiim Home app to Ethernet but predictably it moves back it to bluetooth as the driver is a bluetooth audio driver. I want to use the ethernet primarily to watch football on my pc because the latency on bluetooth is irritating. So I end up playing it on headphones connected via an amp connected to the PC. I bought the pro because I thought I would be able to do this.

In swyh app the wiim pro is not listed as a device. I have allowed media streaming options in network settings and I can see the Wiim pro there.

 

[jfbuk]

I bought the pro because I thought I would be able to do this.

I'm not sure where you got this impression.
Any networked audio will experience some degree of latency.
You really need a cabled connection to manage latency between vision and audio

I have allowed media streaming options in network settings and I can see the Wiim pro there.

where ? in Windows ?