VPN to maximize server efficiency?

[Clozzzer]

I have two homes with KS. Home 1 has a 12g server and 1 player and home 2 has 2 players and two 8g ssd servers. Is it possible to create a VPN tunnel from home one to home two so that I can I have my library available to watch at either location with no additional downloading from the cloud? I have 2.5gbps at both locations.

Thanks in advance!

 

[cyberkryten]

In theory, yes, it's simply a matter of setting the networking correctly so they all think they're on the same network.

Not entirely sure how their networking/discovery works but if you were to create a router level (Site-to-Site) VPN to join the two locations together and put all Kaleidescape servers and players on the same routed subnet (with broadcast traffic routed as well) then I would expect it to work - as far as the players/routers are concerned they are on the same network at that point (and I doubt they do anything like RTT checks or anything to ensure locality). Latency will be down to distance between the two locations but on 2.5G fibre shouldn't be bad enough to cause issues.

Standard ISP routers won't be able to do it, so you'll need your own at both ends.

The problem with doing this is it means that, in at least one location and possibly both, your mobile is on a different network, so App control may not work and any IP control system like Control4 may also not work, because anything on the standard network isn't on the same network with the Kaleidescape system.

With 2.5G internet, downloads are quick enough that it really isn't worth the hassle and trade-offs that exist to get it setup.

The biggest problem is, that if you have to ask if this is possible, you don't have the networking skills to actually achieve it

 

[artur9]

It would be great to have my 2 systems on a ZeroTier network. Then again, your last sentence applies, @cyberkryten

 

[cyberkryten]

Would be pretty simple to setup with a Unifi network.

It really isn't simple at all.

Most people think 'having Unifi' is some magic fix to networking issues. Whilst powerful, it is also very easy to make mistakes and mess things up. I also think you underestimate how difficult it is to use a common IP subnet across multiple routers in more than one location AND have access to that subnet from the 'normal' networks within both locations. It really is a config that is beyond 99% of people.

It would be great to have my 2 systems on a ZeroTier network. Then again, your last sentence applies, @cyberkryten

Yep, on the face of it, seems simple, but as you dig into it, the problems emerge.

 

[wilson]

I have my home unifi "site"...in Orlando and my dad's home unifi site in Charlotte "linked". But yeah, in hindsight I should not have said it was easy....but it is doable.

But are they bridged at layer 2?

 

[rafaelsmith]

But are they bridged at layer 2?

Hmm, I guess I might have spoken too soon out of ignorance. What I have setup allows devices in both houses to think they are on the same network(mine)....example....my dad can play files from my nas on his media players. I have even been able to have my Home Assistant see some of his devices. He can also use my streaming service accounts since everything thinks its at my house. I just followed some videos on how to setup VPN server. Not sure if its applicable to kaleidescape since ...1) i do not have any servers and 2) my dad doesnt have a strato.

 

[wilson]

Hmm, I guess I might have spoken too soon out of ignorance. What I have setup allows devices in both houses to think they are on the same network(mine)....example....my dad can play files from my nas on his media players. I have even been able to have my Home Assistant see some of his devices. He can also use my streaming service accounts since everything thinks its at my house. I just followed some videos on how to setup VPN server. Not sure if its applicable to kaleidescape since ...1) i do not have any servers and 2) my dad doesnt have a strato.

AFAIK, the K devices have to be on the same subnet (e.g. 192.168.1.x) and able to receive MAC-level (layer 2) broadcast packets. Typical site-to-site VPN operates at the layer 3 level and have separate subnets (e.g. 192.168.1.x and 192.168.2.x) and MAC-level broadcasts are not bridged between sites. There's some fancy technology/protocol like VXLAN that will let you bridge at the layer 2 level.

 

[cyberkryten]

Hmm, I guess I might have spoken too soon out of ignorance. What I have setup allows devices in both houses to think they are on the same network(mine)....example....my dad can play files from my nas on his media players. I have even been able to have my Home Assistant see some of his devices. He can also use my streaming service accounts since everything thinks its at my house. I just followed some videos on how to setup VPN server. Not sure if its applicable to kaleidescape since ...1) i do not have any servers and 2) my dad doesnt have a strato.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and time and time again, I've seen that there's little in networking more dangerous than someone who has bought Unifi kit! Nothing against you, but it makes some difficult concepts easy, without people having to know or understand what they're doing - it really is semi-pro level gear but at consumer prices which is what makes it so dangerous.

Spoiler alert - it won't work for Kaleidescape.

AFAIK, the K devices have to be on the same subnet (e.g. 192.168.1.x) and able to receive MAC-level (layer 2) broadcast packets. Typical site-to-site VPN operates at the layer 3 level and have separate subnets (e.g. 192.168.1.x and 192.168.2.x) and MAC-level broadcasts are not bridged between sites. There's some fancy technology/protocol like VXLAN that will let you bridge at the layer 2 level.

What he said

I was going to explain that, but hardly anyone knows the OSI model any more so figured it wasn't worth it - my son did Computer Science A Level and they didn't even teach it!

 

[artur9]

.....

I was going to explain that, but hardly anyone knows the OSI model any more so figured it wasn't worth it - my son did Computer Science A Level and they didn't even teach it!

My career revolves (-ed) around that OSI model. Tanenbaum, ftw!

 

[Transepoch]

The other point is to make sure you are careful about setting it up, and you may want to do configuration/testing with all K devices off, because if the same system phones the mothership from different internet connections.... very bad things can happen. Needless to say, this is a use case for disabling a split-tunnel setup.