Problem with Fritz.box 7530

I recently changed from AAISP to Zen and in doing so changed from a ZyXEL VMG8924-B10A router to a Fritz.box 7530. I now have an annoying issue which AVM support don't seem to understand.

I have the Freesat app on my Android phone (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.re.freesat&hl=en_GB). One of the features is that it can be used as a remote control for my Humax satellite receiver recorder. This worked flawlessly on the ZyXEL router.

Since changing, if I attempt to use the remote control feature it searches for the Humax on the LAN but never finds it. Using https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ua.com... I can ping the Humax.

I have a similar issue with an admin app for my QNAP NAS box, but when that fails to find the NAS it has an option to enter the IP manually when it all works perfectly.

As an experiment I reconfigured the ZyXEL as a WAP connected to the Fritz.box via Ethernet and connected the Android phone via that. The Freesat app then found the Humax box immediately and worked properly.

My conclusion is that there is something in the Fritz.box that prevents WiFi clients discovering devices on the LAN. I've fired off a question to Freesat help asking how they discover devices and suggesting that they add an option to enter the boxes IP manually - waiting for an answer.

AVM support are being pretty useless. Just because everything else works and I can use the NAS box they think there's no issue.

You wrote that other PCs and an Android phone can access the NAS.
This confirms that the FRITZ!Box is working as designed.

If you are convinced that your FRITZ!Box is faulty, we will gladly test the device free of charge under our 5-year manufacturer's warranty and exchange it if necessary.

Anyone any ideas?

Regarding LAN utilities apps on your Android phone,
I use
Network Analyzer Pro
or
Fing - Network Tools

the latter used to be good but has added more nag/upgrade screens than I like

Discovery methods vary but increasingly use multicast rather than broadcast
- mDNS (Avahi/Bonjour), uPNP, WS-Discovery and SSDP are not uncommon.

Some Wi-Fi applies filtering to multicast or broadcast betwen Wi-Fi and wired connections, or uses IGMP snooping to try to learn which clients are really interested in receiving which group destination traffic.


I use my smartphone to control both TVHeadend and Kodi on a wired system which is similar use case so I'll review my Fritzbox settings to see if I overrode any defaults.

Login to you fritzbox then Wifi/Security/Encryption and make sure that "The active wireless devices displayed below may communicate with each other" is ticked and that the devices are there

Checked - already ticked.

In reply to a post by jelv:

Checked - already ticked.

Try Home Network/Network/Network Settings and "Allow access for applications"

In reply to a post by iannewson:

Try Home Network/Network/Network Settings and "Allow access for applications"

Already set.

In reply to a post by jelv:

Anyone any ideas?

Switch back to using the ZyXEL as your home router?

Sounds as if AVM are trying to be helpful and protecting WiFi devices from LAN devices, as well as WiFi from each other. Maybe even devices on 2.4 GHz are separated from those on 5 GHz. I use the Freesat app on my iPhone with my Humax receiver, but haven't seen what protocols it may use. I used to use a ZyXEL as a modem on my VDSL, but now use my ASUS router on cable.

As the "flat LAN" assumption has been broken, and the only change is the AVM Fritz!box, why not swap that out. Prior to Zen providing these, years ago some of my very technical friends bought and tried out (ADSL days) and they generally used for 6 months and then sold on ebay. Too many "issues" such as this, which is just too much hassle to solve.

+1. Who needs the faff.

To be fair I end up cupboard-ising/eBay ISP supplied routers…anyone want a new in box TT Business WiFi router?

It is such a waste of resources. When you tell them you don’t want one, but it gets sent out by default. Thought we were supposed to be trying to save the planet 😎

Update to add that I don't see any settings I've altered beyond what's been suggested elsewhere in thread.

My smartphone can discover Kodi if I pretend I want to add a new device for the Kore or Yatse App,
and uPNP discovery from the Network Analyzer Pro app does list services available on wired network.

The only thing that is empty is my Bonjour scan so I that might be what the Humax relies on for discovery.

Also, I manage my DNS on another router (for site-to-site VPN purposes)
and my DNS is populated such that I can connect to LAN hosts by name, which may or may not matter.

In OP case their DNS lookups should work when in the form hostname.fritz.box
(unqualified lookups - depends on OS as to whether DNS suffix is auto-appended or handled by other method such as mDNS or LLMNR)

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

It is such a waste of resources. When you tell them you don’t want one, but it gets sent out by default. Thought we were supposed to be trying to save the planet 😎

Precisely, but worth having in the cupboard for that "painful" tech support session.