Requirements

So in fact, to make it work well, you have to fulfill some requirements. They can be found at https://www.fiber7.ch . So what is important for this setup?

  • a switch that is able to handle multicast traffic
  • pfSense with a configured igmp proxy
  • right firewall rules on pfsense
  • client that is able to play the streams (e.g. VLC

If you do not have a switch that handles multicast properly, you may run in some issues with playing the stream or the switch spreading the traffic to all clients even if they do not want to get the stream. This may impact your network.

If you use one of the current router recommended by fiber7, you will not have any issues with that. But as you’re reading this, you would probably have pfSense in mind :-D

Configure WAN Interface

As this is really simple with fiber7.ch , I do not write a whole blog post about configuring the WAN interface to have Internet access. So here are the things to set up.

  • connect your physical network interface with the media converter
  • Make sure the LINK LEDs are lit
  • Go to the WAN interface configuration page
  • Set IPv4 Configuration Type to: DHCP
  • Set IPv6 Configuration Type to: DHCP6
  • Scroll down to the DHCP6 Client Configuration
  • Set the DHCPv6 Prefix Delegation size to 48
  • Activate Block private networks and loopback addresses
  • Activate Block bogon networks if you like to
  • Hit save and apply to make Fiber7 work

Probably you need to reboot your pfSense box once if you delegate your IPv6 to your internal networks. As soon as the internet is up and running, you may configure your TV7 setup.

Configure IGMP-proxy

To configure the IGMP-proxy, you navigate to the page under Services -> IGMP Proxy. By default, there are no interfaces configured and the Enable checkbox is unchecked.

Adding the WAN interface

First you configure the WAN interface. To do that, you hit the Add button on the right side.

  • Select the interface: WAN
  • Add a description like: WAN_UP
  • Select Upstream Interface -> There may only be one!
  • Select a Threshold of 1
  • Add the network 224.0.0.0/4 -> Multicastaddressrange used by Fiber7 TV
  • Add the host 77.109.129.16/32 -> Sender ip address of the streams
  • Hit save to finish this part

Here is the screenshot of my configuration:

Firewall Rule Advanced Options

Adding the LAN interface

Next you have to add the Downstream Interface where the stream gets sent to. Again hit the Add button on the right side.

  • Select the interface: LAN
  • Add a description like: LAN_DOWN
  • Select Downstream Interface -> My LAN
  • Select a Threshold of 1
  • Enter whatever LAN-Network range you have: e.g. 192.168.0.0/24
  • Hit save to finish this part

Firewall Rule Advanced Options

Enable IGMP-proxy

The last step is to hit the Enable IGMP checkbox and save it.

Don’t forget to Apply Changes after finishing this part of the configuration or the proxy does not work

Now you finished the proxy part.

Configure firewall rules

In fact you’ll need two firewall rules on the WAN interface to make it work.

With both rules, you should enable the Allow IP options setting within the advanced configuration of the rule. See the screenshot below.

Firewall Rule Advanced Options

The first rule ist to pass the IGMP-traffic.

  • Select address family IPv4
  • Select protocol IGMP
  • Select any for source and source port
  • Select 224.0.0.0/4 as destination network
  • Select any destination port
  • Enable the Allow IP options advanced setting
  • Save the rule

Next you have to create another rule where the real stream gets handle properly.

  • Select address family IPv4
  • Select protocol UDP
  • Select single host source ip to 77.109.129.16
  • Select the destination port 5000
  • Enable the Allow IP options advanced setting
  • Save the rule

Last you have to make sure that your outgoing rule allows IGMP and Allow IP options is set as well. Otherwise you have to add one more rule to the LAN interface.

  • Select address family IPv4
  • Select protocol IGMP
  • Select source to LAN net
  • Select destination to any
  • Enable the Allow IP options advanced setting
  • Save the rule

As with the IGMP-proxy, you have to Apply Changes after finishing the rules, or the do not work

Here is the screenshots of how my rules look like:

Firewall Rules on WAN

Watch TV7

That’s it. Download the senders list from the fiber 7 support page . I downloaded the VLC-Playlist and opened it up in VLC. You my also open the playlist directly from the URL to not get out of date as the sender list changes.

If you configured everything correctly, VLC should start with the first item which is SRF 1 HD and plays the current stream.

I’ll go on and try to integrate TV7 with my in house plex media server . If I manage to get this to work, I’ll post the steps to set it up.