Core and wifi

Yes. 

Thanks!

Always liked the Halibut. Smart fish. No cod knowledge, just the real thing. 

the core has only an ethernet connection on the product itself

Paulie posted:

Simple question (that I can't seem to get a straight answer on): Does the Core have to be hard connected (i.e. a LAN connection) to a router to function properly or can you connect via wifi?  

As always, thanks to all. 

The Core does not come with a wireless card. If you plan to use it as a SPDIF player from local or attached memory and you do not want to lay down wires to wired plugs or switches, you will have to connect it to an AirPort Extreme or similar device. It is a shame that Naim has not built a wireless into the Core.

Hey Trevor. 

I see/get that. So, is there NO wifi functionality at all? I'll look again at the specs - but it didn't seem clear (thus my question). I'd have thought that it uses wifi to connect to the remote app on your iPad or phone or whatever. Therefore, I wondered whether or not it could use wifi to connect to the internet and circumvent the need for a hard connection (via the Ethernet connection). 

the core connects to the internal network of the house over the ethernet socket. then if you have a router that also does wifi then the iOS/Android device connects to the router. the app on the router then discovers the core on the network. 

Trevor

Hi NBPF -- Thanks. That answers it. 

I must say, what a MASSIVE screw up by Naim in the design/functionality stage of development. I get that Ethernet may be the ideal connection, but to not even give someone the option of a wifi connection is baffling. It's just not practical for many people (renters, for example) to start running Ethernet cables through the flat or house. 

I've used the Core connected to an Airport Express acting as a wireless bridge.  This works well.  I think it's sensible that Naim did not include Wifi on a server - LAN offers much better reliability and stability - and also means that wifi cannot impact on sound performance.  If you absolutely cannot go full LAN then the AE wireless bridge solution is probably the next best option.  AEs go for just a few quid secondhand these days so fill your boots - Just stay away from ethernet over mains devices...

Paulie posted:

 

... So, is there NO wifi functionality at all?

No wifi. If you want to use the Core as a SPDIF player you will still have to wire it! Just for the purpose of sending and receiving commands from the Naim app. It does not make any sense but that's it. The Core comes with a miserable UPnP server and with an half backed renderer: no wireless, no support for Qobuz, Tidal, internet radio in the SPDIF player.

Richard Dane posted:

I've used the Core connected to an Airport Express acting as a wireless bridge.  This works well.  I think it's sensible that Naim did not include Wifi on a server - LAN offers much better reliability and stability - and also means that wifi cannot impact on sound performance.

...

Indeed. What is not available can hardly impact on sound performance. The problem is: what is not available also cannot be used when it would come in very handy. Best, nbpf

What it does do is rip and play music very well. The features or lack of can be demonstrated by your dealer, some seem to have bought without a demo and are now disappointed. But that was their choice and risk to take.

NBPF,

your views on what you don't like about the Core are well known now.  It seems that because it doesn't do what you want or have the features you want (many of which are features of a streamer not a server)  you have now decided to  just keep sledging the core at every opportunity.  It's beginning to look like you have some kind of agenda here.  May I remind you that as a member there are rules, quite apart from perhaps having a little courtesy towards your hosts who have indulged you thus far.  

Hooray!

Well said Richard ...

Thanks all...... got it. Airport Express it is then........

cheers -

Richard Dane posted:

NBPF,

your views on what you don't like about the Core are well known now.  It seems that because it doesn't do what you want or have the features you want (many of which are features of a streamer not a server)  you have now decided to  just keep sledging the core at every opportunity.  It's beginning to look like you have some kind of agenda here.  May I remind you that as a member there are rules, quite apart from perhaps having a little courtesy towards your hosts who have indulged you thus far.  

Richard,

I certainly have no agenda apart from pointing out what are in my view major deficiencies of the Core. That some of these can easily be overseen, is clear from the original post. The OP was obviously expecting the Core to come with support for Wifi. This is not very surprising, I believe. Thus, the absence of Wifi in the Core needs to be motivated. You justify such absence by arguing that the Core is a UPnP server:

"it's sensible that Naim did not include Wifi on a server - LAN offers much better reliability and stability - and also   means that wifi cannot impact on sound performance."

The problem is that, as a matter of fact, the Core is also a UPnP renderer with a high quality SPDIF output. When used as a renderer, a wireless interface would be very handy indeed. Thus, your argument is flawn, it seems to me. On the same basis you could also argue that producing cars without lights is a sensible idea because, if misused, lights could drain the car's battery. This is certainly true but misses the important point that lights can also be very useful in cars.

My critique of the Core is certainly harsh. But it has very little to do with what I personally want or do not want and I doubt that it can be easily dismissed. So far Naim has failed to provide any explanation for even the most obvious issues that have been discovered and carefully reported by many contributors of this forum.

These include, just to name a few, the lack of support for most elementary features in the UPnP server, the lack of support for internet streaming services and internet radio in the player and the lack of support for exporting tagged Core rips in open formats.

I would not feel so compelled to reiterate my criticism if I had the impression that someone at Naim is aware of these issues. 

Best,

nbpf

Paulie posted:

Thanks all...... got it. Airport Express it is then........

cheers -

....or connect it directly to your router. As long as it's on your network, it's physical location is not so important.

ChrisSU posted:

Paulie posted:

Thanks all...... got it. Airport Express it is then........

cheers -

....or connect it directly to your router. As long as it's on your network, it's physical location is not so important.

Well, it depends on whether one wants to use the Core as a UPnP server, a SPDIF renderer or both. In the last two cases its physical location does indeed matter and one want to locate it as near as possible to the device it feeds. I am not completely sure what the OP wants to do with the Core, I was under the impression that he wanted to use it as a SPDIF renderer. Best, nbpf

ChrisSU posted:

Paulie posted:

Thanks all...... got it. Airport Express it is then........

cheers -

....or connect it directly to your router. As long as it's on your network, it's physical location is not so important.

That's how I have the Core's predecessor connected - directly to my switch.

It works like any other NAS in this regard, it isn't a oversight, it is the way these devices generally are setup. If you have a Synology or a QNAP or Core you can hook it to your wireless router and then devices that are on your wireless network can then play music from it. I have mine plugged into the router along with a NAC-N 272 for optimal sound quality. I have a Muso QB in my bedroom that connects wirelessly and streams from the Core as well. So if you want to have wireless devices stream from it that is certainly possible as well as Ethernet.

Indeed your LAN can be Ethernet or Wifi or more typically a mixture of the two... a good modern protocol wifi setup is just as effective for many consumer applications as Ethernet setups .. there is a lot of mis information on the reliability of wifi in some parts probably based on sub standard wifi setups based on users using ISP routers as their sole wifi access point as opposed to a proper more effective wifi setup using distributed dedicated access points.

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

---

Indeed your LAN can be Ethernet or Wifi or more typically a mixture of the two... a good modern protocol wifi setup is just as effective for many consumer applications as Ethernet setups .. there is a lot of mis information on the reliability of wifi in some parts probably based on sub standard wifi setups based on users using ISP routers as their sole wifi access point as opposed to a proper more effective wifi setup using distributed dedicated access points.

 

Simon, to the point you raise re dedicated access points could clarify for me, I presume you are referring to something like apple express etc but want to be clear.

Currently both my 272 and Core are connected via Ethernet over mains so looking at how best  to improve connection.

thanks 

David

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

---

Indeed your LAN can be Ethernet or Wifi or more typically a mixture of the two... a good modern protocol wifi setup is just as effective for many consumer applications as Ethernet setups .. there is a lot of mis information on the reliability of wifi in some parts probably based on sub standard wifi setups based on users using ISP routers as their sole wifi access point as opposed to a proper more effective wifi setup using distributed dedicated access points.

That is one of the reasons why I would expect the Core to come with a wireless interface. The other one is that if one uses the Core as a SPDIF player from local storage, a wired connection is unnecessary. For many users, having to setup a wired connection when a wireless one would be more than enough can be very annoying.

Hi David, an Apple Express can be a dedicated access point, and works reasonably effective as a single access point. However my preference is to use multiple participating access points work single ESSIDs, that is a common SSID that clients can load balance between and hand off between. This creates a more stable higher bandwidth supporting wifi network that uses lower RF power and is less prone to interference. Most setups also give you control so you can prioritise for example your audio wifi clients. 

This used to be only the preserve of commercial setups, and the poor consumer was left to make do with their single broadband router wifi access point.. which is far from ideal for our uses with streaming and am sure has been the one of the main reasons why many consumers have given wifi a bad name...it's just been so poorly implemented.

The devices that I would recommend you look at if interested are the Ubiquiti range... they are affordable, consumer and small office  oriented, largely plug and play and highly effective. The technique  is to have two or more  access points overlapping in the area of maximum activity / sensitivity. 

With a good setup you actually find you need a wired network less for clients , and becomes mostly the backbone between access points... and heavy duty severs and NASs in the office/ coms room. These access points can also be powered over Ethernet for max flexibility and reduced clutter.

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Hi David, an Apple Express can be a dedicated access point, and works reasonably effective as a single access point. However my preference is to use multiple participating access points work single ESSIDs, that is a common SSID that clients can load balance between and hand off between. This creates a more stable higher bandwidth supporting wifi network that uses lower RF power and is less prone to interference. Most setups also give you control so you can prioritise for example your audio wifi clients. 

This used to be only the preserve of commercial setups, and the poor consumer was left to make do with their single broadband router wifi access point.. which is far from ideal for our uses with streaming and am sure has been the one of the main reasons why many consumers have given wifi a bad name...it's just been so poorly implemented.

The devices that I would recommend you look at if interested are the Ubiquiti range... they are affordable, consumer and small office  oriented, largely plug and play and highly effective. The technique  is to have two or more  access points overlapping in the area of maximum activity / sensitivity. 

With a good setup you actually find you need a wired network less for clients , and becomes mostly the backbone between access points... and heavy duty severs and NASs in the office/ coms room. These access points can also be powered over Ethernet for max flexibility and reduced clutter.

Thanks Simon, will do a bit of research but may come back with more questions!