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g7star
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Networking 20 Media Players

Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:18 pm

Hi,
I’d like to set up a network with 20 media players streaming internet audio. Everything will be wired so there should be minimum data loss. If I use any cheap router with 4 ports like this, 1 port can handle 100Mbps and with this switch with maximum 200Mbps with 8 ports, one terminal will get 12.5Mbps (100/8 = 12.5). Now, the screaming data is 96Kbps, so 12.5Mbps should be more than enough. But I want to make sure all 20 terminals get streaming without any interruption what so ever. I know specifications don’t tell real-world performances but I can think this should be a safe bet?

Thank you.
 
notfred
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Re: Networking 20 Media Players

Fri Mar 16, 2012 6:34 am

Your problem is going to be the Internet link, do you really have 12.5Mbps down reliably all the time from your ISP without incurring cap limits?

What are you trying to do here? If they are all listening to the same stream, it may be better to try come up with a local server that rebroadcasts that one stream to all the players. Also if you are trying to play them all at the same time in one space (multiple speakers in one room) then it likely will sound horrible as they all buffer different amounts and play slightly out of time with each other.
 
g7star
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Re: Networking 20 Media Players

Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:26 am

That’s good point. It's going to be a Bell line (DSL). They GUARANTEED 7 Mbps bandwidth. 20 media players will be located in 20 different rooms and 20 users will listen 20 different songs of their choices. 7000/20 = 350Kbps and is still way more than 96Kbps. But want to know if it’s really more than enough bandwidth not to have any interruption for any of 20 users. Thanks.
 
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Re: Networking 20 Media Players

Fri Mar 16, 2012 9:06 am

The local network is more than fast enough. If the 7 Mbps DSL rate is reliable, then that should be sufficient as well.

Where you could potentially run into problems is if this DSL line is also used for other purposes besides streaming Internet audio. Unless you've got a QoS router that allows you to prioritize the streaming audio traffic, other activity on the DSL line could cause dips in available bandwidth and/or spikes in latency which may cause the streaming to stutter.
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g7star
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Re: Networking 20 Media Players

Sat Mar 17, 2012 6:45 pm

It will be just 20 audio streamings. I wouldn't really worry about if it's network of 20 PC's for internet use or 20 printers, but since it's streaming audio I'm kinda bothered with real world performance. Will any router can handle 20 streaming throughouts?
 
just brew it!
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Re: Networking 20 Media Players

Sat Mar 17, 2012 7:07 pm

g7star wrote:
It will be just 20 audio streamings. I wouldn't really worry about if it's network of 20 PC's for internet use or 20 printers, but since it's streaming audio I'm kinda bothered with real world performance. Will any router can handle 20 streaming throughouts?

Any router with firmware that doesn't suck should be able to. Stay away from cheap and/or off-brand routers and you will probably be OK.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

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