New Duet - some questions about setup and security

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  • Dandyman
    Member
    • Aug 2008
    • 46

    New Duet - some questions about setup and security

    Hi,
    got my new Duet on Friday. It's working fine but now I have some questions that are not answered in detail in any thread it seems.

    1. I connected the receiver to my LAN with a cable. I looked at my DHCP server. It seems it gave out one IP address to the receiver and one to the controller. How to set fixed IP's for both devices? The documentation is wrong. I disabled the DHCP, made a factory reset - the I got NO connection and was never asked about entering the IP info manually. There is some alpha perl addon but it's only downloadable via CVS, and I don't want to do this.

    2. I checked my network with my laptop. The Squeezebox receiver appears as a WEP encrypted access point in my network neighbourhood.
    This seems to be a security risk?
    What if someone cracks the receiver - will the person not have complete access to my network?
    What is the WEP password?
    Or is my thinking wrong and the receiver only talks to the Duet remote?
    How is this ensured?
    What if someone nearby has another duet controller and starts messing with my setup?

    3. The database files are in "Documents and Setting". This is really bad, I would like to move ALL squeezebox files into one location on another drive. I did read some forum threads but it seems to be a hassle and not that practical. Also, not all files could be moved with a workaround. I would like to see a option during install where to put the cache and database files.

    4. Question about the sound connection: I use the SPDIF optical connection. It has been claimed in other threads that this bypasses the very good DAC in the receiver. I think this might be wrong? Since the source file is MP3, it has to be decoded to something a receiver understands, in this case PCM. So the Squeezebox receiver would take the MP3 -> decode to PCM -> send this stream out to the receiver via optical. Does this process not involve the DAC? I would think so?
    Last edited by Dandyman; 2008-08-25, 11:05. Reason: Antother question
  • amcluesent
    Senior Member
    • Feb 2007
    • 1115

    #2
    >How to set fixed IP's for both devices?<

    Configure the DHCP server to reserve IP adresses based on the MAC address of devices, much easier than doing without DHCP.

    >made a factory reset<

    Sure? YOu need to hold the button down for at least 6 seconds and get the rapid flashing red light for the reset.

    Comment

    • Phil Leigh
      Senior Member
      • Apr 2005
      • 9991

      #3
      Originally posted by Dandyman





      4. Question about the sound connection: I use the SPDIF optical connection. It has been claimed in other threads that this bypasses the very good DAC in the receiver. I think this might be wrong? Since the source file is MP3, it has to be decoded to something a receiver understands, in this case PCM. So the Squeezebox receiver would take the MP3 -> decode to PCM -> send this stream out to the receiver via optical. Does this process not involve the DAC? I would think so?
      The DAC inside is not involved at all when using the optical or coax digital outputs. The MP3-PCM conversion happens before the DAC, inside the units digital circuits. A DAC converts PCM (the digital bitstream stream) into an analogue signal, hence "Digital-to-Analogue Converter".
      You want to see the signal path BEFORE it gets onto a CD/vinyl...it ain't what you'd call minimal...
      Touch(wired/W7)+Teddy Pardo PSU - Audiolense 3.3/2.0+INGUZ DRC - MF M1 DAC - Linn 5103 - full Aktiv 5.1 system (6x LK140's, ESPEK/TRIKAN/KATAN/SEIZMIK 10.5), Pekin Tuner, Townsend Supertweeters,VdH Toslink,Kimber 8TC Speaker & Chord Signature Plus Interconnect cables
      Stax4070+SRM7/II phones
      Kitchen Boom, Outdoors: SB Radio, Harmony One remote for everything.

      Comment

      • maggior
        Senior Member
        • Dec 2006
        • 2125

        #4
        Originally posted by Dandyman
        Hi,
        got my new Duet on Friday. It's working fine but now I have some questions that are not answered in detail in any thread it seems.

        1. I connected the receiver to my LAN with a cable. I looked at my DHCP server. It seems it gave out one IP address to the receiver and one to the controller. How to set fixed IP's for both devices? The documentation is wrong. I disabled the DHCP, made a factory reset - the I got NO connection and was never asked about entering the IP info manually. There is some alpha perl addon but it's only downloadable via CVS, and I don't want to do this.

        Congrats on your purchase! I'm sure you will enjoy it.

        Regarding static IPs - I read up on this prior to my Duet purchase and thought it was a bit of a hack to configure it as described. There is also no way to assign a static IP to the controller (at least at this point).

        As was suggested by another poster, the best thing to do is configure statically assigned addresses in your DHCP server for the receiver and the controller based on the MAC of each. Hopefully this is an option for you. For me, I had to install DD-WRT on my Linksys WRT54GS to gain this ability. Fortunately it all worked out well. While I was at it, I put all of my devices back to using DHCP (except laptops) and assigned static addresses. It's much easier to manage that way.
        Rich
        ---------
        Setup: 2 SB3s, 4 Booms, 1 Duet, 1 Receiver, 1 Touch, iPeng on iPod Touch, SqueezeCommander, OrangeSqueeze, and SqueezePlayer on Xoom and Galaxy Player 4.2. CentOS 6.3 Server running LogitechMediaServer 7.7.2 and SqueezeSlave.
        Current library stats: 40,810 songs, 3,153 albums, 582 artists.
        http://www.last.fm/user/maggior

        Comment

        • Mnyb
          Senior Member
          • Feb 2006
          • 16539

          #5
          How is it that I have static IP for both my Controller and Receiver.
          I have no DCHP server active.

          For the controller it was no problem , it worked from day one with fixed IP.
          But i can not remember how i did it, vague recollection of some meny, sorry.

          For the Receiver NET-UDAP was the only possibility.

          Maybe static IP on controller worked for the realy old firmware ? I have uppgraded it many times but never had the need to do factory reset, maybe I'm in for a surprise then ?
          --------------------------------------------------------------------
          Main hifi: Rasbery PI digi+ MeridianG68J MeridianHD621 MeridianG98DH 2 x MeridianDSP5200 MeridianDSP5200HC 2 xMeridianDSP3100 +Rel Stadium 3 sub.
          Bedroom/Office: Boom
          Loggia: Raspi hifiberry dac + Adams
          Bathroom : Radio (with battery)
          iPad with iPengHD & SqueezePad
          (spares Touch, SB3, reciever ,controller )
          server Intel NUC Esxi VM Linux mint 18 LMS 7.9.2

          http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html

          Comment

          • maggior
            Senior Member
            • Dec 2006
            • 2125

            #6
            Maybe I had it backwards. Going back to the manual, I see where it says how you can set the controller up with a static IP.

            Whatever the case, it is certainly easier to manage it on the DHCP server side if possible. I have the impression that static IP assignment was an afterthought in the Duet design. In the manual, it isn't mentioned until toward the end of the manual.
            Rich
            ---------
            Setup: 2 SB3s, 4 Booms, 1 Duet, 1 Receiver, 1 Touch, iPeng on iPod Touch, SqueezeCommander, OrangeSqueeze, and SqueezePlayer on Xoom and Galaxy Player 4.2. CentOS 6.3 Server running LogitechMediaServer 7.7.2 and SqueezeSlave.
            Current library stats: 40,810 songs, 3,153 albums, 582 artists.
            http://www.last.fm/user/maggior

            Comment

            • Siduhe
              Senior Member
              • Jun 2005
              • 3238

              #7
              You can manage it on the server side - for example I use my router as the DHCP server and it has allocated all my network devices static ips, including the Controller. What are you using as your DHCP server?

              There's a long thread about why the prefs and cache are now in Docs and Settings on a Windows build - it's a change that was made with the introduction of Squeezecenter. I'll see if I can find it for you, but my recollection is that it was necessary for some of the recent security improvements to Windows and particularly to accommodate Vista. I think you can use a custom command line to start SC including --prefsdir and/or --cachedir options to set a new location - would you be comfortable with that?

              Welcome to the forums btw.
              Who am I on LAST.FM?
              "Siduhe Loved Tracks radio got the thumbs up. Feedback included: yeah, it's good... got the odd dodgy track tho..." (c) ModelCitizen

              Comment

              • Dandyman
                Member
                • Aug 2008
                • 46

                #8
                Thank you for answering. So it's not that easy to set the fixed IP's. I actually use two DHCP servers that server two different leases. One is my IPcop, that will usually give out IP's if my server (Win2003) is offline. Works fine so far.
                I would welcome if Logitech would give the option to simply set the IPs manually and where to put the cache and DB files.

                Now I only would like to know about the security issue - the receiver appears as a access point with WEP encryption. This is worrying for me.

                Comment

                • Siduhe
                  Senior Member
                  • Jun 2005
                  • 3238

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Dandyman
                  Now I only would like to know about the security issue - the receiver appears as a access point with WEP encryption. This is worrying for me.
                  My understanding is that this should only show during initial setup of the Controller, not once setup is completed. Certainly, my Controller doesn't appear as wifi access point on my internal or external network.
                  Who am I on LAST.FM?
                  "Siduhe Loved Tracks radio got the thumbs up. Feedback included: yeah, it's good... got the odd dodgy track tho..." (c) ModelCitizen

                  Comment

                  • radish
                    Senior Member
                    • Apr 2005
                    • 5052

                    #10
                    The SBR sets up an adhoc network for the SBC in setup mode (while the red light is flashing) and if it's setup in bridged mode - which is where there's no WAP and the SBC accesses SC via the SBR. The second mode is the only one which is active long enough to be a concern, and I don't know what the security setup is.
                    http://www.last.fm/user/polymeric

                    Comment

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