Can't find Apple TV for Airplay

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Level 1

13 points

Can't find Apple TV for Airplay

I'm in a hotel. I have my Apple TV connecting to the Internet successfully over the hotel network and playing to the room's HDTV, but my iPhone and MacBook can't see it - it doesn't appear under the Displays menus or iTunes menus.*

I switched on Personal Hotspot on my iPhone and logged the MacBook and ATV into the iPhone's network, and the Apple TV worked normally. I switched my devices back to the hotel network, and now the Apple TV is gone again.

At first I thought that there might be something about the hotel's network that is blocking the ATV somehow, but (1) last night it seems that someone else tried to access my ATV (a verification code suddenly appeared onscreen while we were watching a show) and (2) I am seeing someone else's ATV on my Airplay menus. So someone else's ATV seems to be working on the hotel network.

Troubleshooting steps I've tried:

All devices have up-to-date software
All devices have been restarted (several times now)
Airplay has been turned off and then back on
Apple TV has been completely unplugged (HDMI and power) for 30 secs
All devices are logged onto the hotel network and able to access the Internet
The iPhone's Bluetooth is switched on

iPhone 6, iOS 12.3.1

MacBook (Retina 12-inch, early 2016), OS X 10.14.5

Apple TV 3rd Gen (A1427) software vers. 7.3 (8065)

iPhone 6, iOS 12

Posted on Jun 1, 2019 8:35 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Urquhart1244

Level 10

146,322 points

Jun 1, 2019 1:42 PM in response to drum365

The devices must be on the same subnet (same group of LAN IP addresses, as defined in network settings), for this to work.
The devices use special network ports (e.g. port 5353 UDP for Bonjour) to communicate with each other on the network. If these services/ports are blocked (e.g. as a security precaution) then discovery won’t work.

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Answer 2

Urquhart1244

Level 10

146,322 points

Jun 3, 2019 9:43 AM in response to drum365

I see the subnet mask as 225.225.224.0.

That might be part of the cause? Because it doesn’t look right for a medium network. Home networks usually have a 255.255.255.0 subnet mask, allowing for up to 256 IP addresses, more than enough for most homes. A hotel might need more, but not 536,870,910 addresses that that subnet mask defines. Probably more than a small router can handle.

Maybe a dyscalculic network admin meant 255.255.254.0 (512 addresses)?

Are the LAN IP addresses of your devices in one of these ranges? They should be.

10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255

172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255

192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255

You want the IP addresses for your devices relatively close to each other, only different in the last set of digits. You may be able to refresh a request for a new IP until that happens.

I assume port blocking happens at the router and there's no way I can access it?

Routers can often be configured through a web interface. But a hotel router should not be accessible for configuration by guests.

But two other Apple TVs are showing up on the Airplay device list on my MacBook and my iPhone. If my problem was due to blocked ports, would these other ATVs be able to appear?

That is true. Some routers can configure per device/address, but that doesn’t happen without intent.

_____________

If enlisting help from the staff doesn’t work or isn’t an option, then you may want to opt for a “travel router”, that sets up a separate LAN just for you and your devices, and is able to connect to another wired or wireless network for internet access.

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Answer 3

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,494 points

Jun 3, 2019 8:48 AM in response to drum365

I have had the same issue with some hotels, primarily the major brand hotels like Marriot, Westin, Hilton, Hyatt, etc... when I bring my Apple TV with me. There is no work around due to the security they build in that I am aware of. When I AirBNB I have not problem or if I use a smaller chain hotel again no problem. This all leaves me to believe the larger chains have a much higher level of security to protect content and to safeguard their network from being compromised.

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Answer 4

drum365 Author

Level 1

13 points

Jun 3, 2019 8:50 AM in response to Urquhart1244

Thanks for your assistance. I don't understand much about ports and subnets, but looking at the network info for all three devices, I see the subnet mask as 225.225.224.0. I assume that means they're all on the same subnet? (FWIW, they also show the same router IP address.)

I assume port blocking happens at the router and there's no way I can access it? But two other Apple TVs are showing up on the Airplay device list on my MacBook and my iPhone. If my problem was due to blocked ports, would these other ATVs be able to appear?

Also, someone tried to access my ATV a couple of nights ago. While we were watching, a confirmation code number appeared on the TV screen. So I assume our Apple TV showed up on someone else's TV, and they tried to access it.

Thanks again for your help...

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Answer 5

drum365 Author

Level 1

13 points

Jun 3, 2019 2:41 PM in response to Urquhart1244

@rkaufmann87:

Yes, it's a Marriott

@Urquhart1244:

Oops - I'm the dyscalculic: the subnet is 255.255.224.0 (note the third group is correct - 224, not 254. (and thanks for teaching me a cool new word)

All three devices (ATV, iPhone, MacBook) show the router's address as 172.20.0. Their addresses are:

172.20.4.126 - Apple TV

172.20.9.242 - iPhone

172.20.12.137 - MacBook

I actually do have a travel router - I just didn't bring it on this trip.

Of course, this is all somewhat moot - I can do normal streaming from Netflix, etc., through my Apple TV as it is now. When I need to Airplay something from my MacBook or iPhone to the Apple TV, I can activate the Personal Hotspot on my iPhone and do it that way. It's just kind of time consuming to set up.

Anyway, thanks again for your help!

(Still seems weird that other ATVs show up in my Airplay devices, though.)

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Can't find Apple TV for Airplay

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