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Knowledge document #592

Reception interference when watching TV over IPTV connection

While watching television via the internet provider's media receiver on an internet connection with IPTV, the picture and/or sound drops out.

Simply proceed as described below. After each measure, check whether the problem is solved.

Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box.

1 Installing the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box

  1. Install the latest FRITZ!OS on the FRITZ!Box.

2 Adjusting the settings for your internet connection

To avoid problems when watching IPTV, "other internet service provider" may not be selected for the internet connection:

  1. Click "Internet" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Account Information" in the "Internet" menu.
  3. Click on the "Internet Connection" tab and then on the "Fiber Optics" or "DSL / WAN" tab.
  4. If "other internet service provider" was selected for the internet connection:
      1. Select your internet service provider from the drop-down list "Internet service provider". If your provider is not listed, select "more internet service providers".
      2. Enter the internet account information you received from your internet service provider in the relevant fields "Internet Connection" section.
      3. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

3 Guest access may not be used for connecting the media receiver

It is not possible to watch IPTV over the Wi-Fi and LAN guest access. Connect the media receiver as follows:

  1. If the media receiver is connected to port "LAN 4", disconnect it and connect it to a different LAN port on the FRITZ!Box.
  2. If the media receiver is connected to the FRITZ!Box via a wireless repeater or a wireless bridge, connect the device directly to the FRITZ!Box's Wi-Fi network.

4 Additional FRITZ!Box may not be used for connecting the media receiver

When using the media receiver with a FRITZ!Box that is configured as a Mesh Repeater or an IP client, we can only guarantee that you will not experience problems when watching IPTV if FRITZ!OS 6.90 or later is installed on the FRITZ!Box.

If FRITZ!OS 6.90 is not available for the additional FRITZ!Box, proceed as follows:

  1. Use a network cable to connect the media receiver either directly, via Wi-Fi, or over your home's electrical wiring (for example via a FRITZ!Repeater or FRITZ!Powerline) to the FRITZ!Box that establishes the internet connection.

5 Restarting the FRITZ!Box

  1. Click "System" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Backup" in the "System" menu.
  3. Click on the "Restart" tab.
  4. Click the "Restart" button.

6 Identifying and eliminating multicast sources of interference

Watching IPTV requires error-free transmission of IGMP multicasts from the FRITZ!Box to the media receiver. Not all devices support multicasts or can continuously forward the data stream required for watching IPTV to the receiver without errors occurring.

Usually, it is switches or wireless repeaters from other manufacturers that do not support multicasts or process them incorrectly. These devices interfere with playback even if the receiver is connected directly to the FRITZ!Box. All FRITZ!Repeaters support multicast.

To determine whether devices in your home network are causing the interference and to eliminate these sources of interference, proceed as follows:

Identifying sources of interference with IP addresses

  1. Click "System" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Event Log" in the "System" menu and then "System".
  3. Check whether one of the following error messages is displayed:
    • "IGMPv3 multicast router [IP address of source of interference] ignored"
    • "IGMPv2 multicast router [IP address of source of interference] active"
    • "IGMPv2 changed by [IP address of source of interference]"
  4. If one or more of the following messages are displayed:
    1. Make note of the IP address of the device causing interference and click "Network" in the "Home Network" menu.
    2. Click on the "Network Connections" tab.
    3. Use the IP address in the list of network devices to find out which device is causing interference.
    4. Switch off the device that is causing interference.
    5. If the media receiver was connected to the FRITZ!Box via the device causing interference, connect the receiver directly to a LAN port on the FRITZ!Box.
    6. Restart the FRITZ!Box and the media receiver by unplugging the devices briefly and then plugging them back in again after a few seconds.
    7. Check whether the interference still occurs.
    8. If the interference still occurs, continue with the next section.

Identifying sources of interference without IP addresses

  1. Switch off all hubs/switches and powerline devices and remove the devices from the FRITZ!Box.
  2. If the media receiver was connected to the FRITZ!Box via one of the devices you removed, connect the receiver directly to a LAN port on the FRITZ!Box.
  3. Restart the FRITZ!Box and the media receiver by unplugging the devices briefly and then plugging them back in again after a few seconds.
  4. Check whether the interference still occurs.
  5. If the interference no longer occurs, reconnect the devices you removed one by one and take note of the device that causes the interference again.

Eliminating sources of interference

If you found out which device was causing interference, one of the following measures can resolve this problem:

  1. On the device, disable functions such as "IGMP snooping", "IGMP", and similar functions. Refer to the manufacturer for information on whether a device supports IGMP multicast, for example consult the manual.
  2. Install the latest software for the device.
  3. Remove the device from the home network.

7 Checking the DSL line

Problems with the DSL connection can cause problems when watching IPTV. If you are using the FRITZ!Box on a DSL line, check whether the DSL connection drops or whether numerous errors occur on your DSL line:

Checking DSL synchronization

  1. Click "System" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Event Log" in the "System" menu and then "Internet Connection".
  3. If the message "DSL is not available" or "DSL not responding" is displayed often (several times a day), follow the steps in our guide DSL connection drops frequently.

Checking the DSL connection for errors

  1. Click "Internet" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "DSL Information" in the "Internet" menu.
  3. Click on the "DSL" tab.
  4. Check in the section "Error Counter" whether errors are displayed for the FRITZ!Box or the DSL exchange.
  5. Start IPTV playback on the media receiver.
  6. After 15 minutes, check again whether errors are displayed in the section "Error Counter".
  7. If more than 500 errors occur within 15 minutes when watching IPTV, follow the steps in our guide FRITZ!Box indicates numerous DSL connection errors.
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