Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) - flapping network port during standby

Question

Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) - flapping network port during standby

Hi

I have a Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) A2169 running tvOS 17.4 (21L227) using a wired connection on a 5 port Ubiquity USW-Felx Switch.

Today i have noticed that my DHCP server is flooded with DHCP requests by the Apple TV and started to investigate.

after stumbling over this Thread with no real solution I decided to Investigate a little more and figured out that the Apple TV when being used normally behaves like normal. No more DHCP requests, and it just plain works.

BUT immediately after switching to standby, the Apple TV sends a DHCP request every 20 seconds

So I logged into the switch via ssh and found out that during standby, the Apple TV seems to switch its own wired network port off and on again every few seconds (not exactly 20, but still)

[2392561.564113] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link down
[2392564.122262] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link up
[2392584.596704] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link down
[2392588.230983] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link up
[2392602.886107] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link down
[2392606.231625] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link up
[2392620.788108] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link down
[2392624.300852] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link up
[2392642.441553] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link down
[2392645.287931] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link up
[2392659.890297] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link down
[2392663.283192] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link up
[2392677.863518] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link down
[2392681.329462] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link up
[2392698.986068] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link down
[2392702.345015] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link up
[2392716.927475] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link down
[2392720.430599] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link up
[2392735.132819] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link down
[2392738.487968] RAETH_DRV 1e100000.ethernet eth0: port 3 link up

This behavior just immediately occurs even after a reboot of the Apple TV and the switch.

changing the switch ports did not change anything.

The normal usage of the Apple TV works just fine, and has no issues at all.

Its just that this behavior caused my router to use a lot of disk space due to the high amount of DHCP logs it produced.

So, please dear Apple or someone who might has any idea on how to fix this: please tell me :)

Apple TV 4K (2nd generation)

Posted on Apr 18, 2024 12:53 PM

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Answer 1

hcsitas

Level 6

11,396 points

Apr 19, 2024 11:27 AM in response to DaywalkerGLXVR6

Like I said, it is not a new “discovery” and has no impact whatsoever on operating either your router or ATV. It can also be disabled on-demand using the remote or yanking the power cable.

If it still bothers you, post to the appropriate Apple Developer forum (assuming you’re part of it) or use Product Feedback - Apple.

Good luck! 👋

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Answer 2

bgmeek

Level 4

1,169 points

Apr 18, 2024 3:46 PM in response to DaywalkerGLXVR6

DaywalkerGLXVR6 wrote:

[...]

I have a Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) A2169 running tvOS 17.4 (21L227) using a wired connection on a 5 port Ubiquity USW-Felx Switch.

Today i have noticed that my DHCP server is flooded with DHCP requests by the Apple TV and started to investigate.

[...]

The normal usage of the Apple TV works just fine, and has no issues at all.

Its just that this behavior caused my router to use a lot of disk space due to the high amount of DHCP logs it produced.

So, please dear Apple or someone who might has any idea on how to fix this: please tell me :)

Easiest fix is to use WiFi :-). Sorry, but I've seen multiple folks report better performance on the ATV4K via WiFi than when using the super highspeed-rated wired connections. Whether it's the routers or the ATV4K device, the wired connections never get as much attention in QA or optimization from engineering.

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Answer 3

Apr 19, 2024 3:11 AM in response to bgmeek

Hi and thank you for your response.

But I think you missed my point.

The device is offering a Wired connection option which I'd expect to work like any other Network attached equipment would work.

Because it works as intended during normal operation. It starts behaving abnormal when you put it into Standby.

A Mode of operation at which this device should stay normally connected as part of its duty as a HomeKit Bridge (I think that's the proper name of it?)

So switching to another network connection might mitigate the issue at hand, but does not solve the underlying issue.

Also some people might experience bad signal quality and might not be able to change to WiFi, or just want to keep their WiFi for things that really have to roam around and use cables for stationary things (like I do)

So, Thank you for your help, but I'd classify this only as a workaround, and not as a Solution.

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Answer 4

bgmeek

Level 4

1,169 points

Apr 19, 2024 9:17 AM in response to DaywalkerGLXVR6

You're right. I didn't mean to be flippant. You've clearly identified a bug in the AVT4K's TvOS. I know something about classic TCP/IP on Ethernet networking, and such bug around DHCP is kind of surprising... though it's probably more about a buggy sleep/wake/resume loop calling mature networking code. Anyway, hope Apple fixes it soon - have your delivered this to Apple Support? Sadly, Apple doesn't monitor these forums for usability issues and bugs. Not officially or systematically at any rate :-).

My other observation about how WiFi often gets better performance than wired connections that are rated to be way faster. Nonetheless, the wired connection should be super easy reliable and more than fast enough for the best streaming media and gaming the ATV4K can render.

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Answer 5

Apr 19, 2024 11:05 AM in response to bgmeek

And did not mean to be unthankful for your answer if that's how it was read :)

No I have not contacted Apple support, because I have had not time since i have discovered it, and did not think that it would make any difference on an older generation of products. But you are right, i should at least try.

About Wireless performing better: I have never had such an observation. I'd rather say a Cable is a cable is a Cable :) (in regards that Wireless transmission uses a shared Medium (Air) to transmit its data and uses a lot more computation to do so (error correction, retransmission, Time slot negotiation in order to prevent collisions, and so on...)

Also: I only have 802.11ac capable access Points :D

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Answer 6

Apr 19, 2024 11:13 AM in response to hcsitas

Actually, yes this causes a unusual amount of log entries on my router, which on other devices might create an issue.

Also It might not be a direct violation of a standard, but Its is definitely not a designed or designated function to behave like this. So Apple might want to know about this in order to fix it.

Also also, it might be a result of my home setup, that other people might have a solution that i could try?

Also also also, I have never experienced similar things on other Apple devices, and I'd guess that they share some (Network/OS) code that might cause other issues on other devices? So again, They might want to know about it?

So: You might try again, or just ignore this Thread.

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Answer 7

bgmeek

Level 4

1,169 points

Apr 19, 2024 12:08 PM in response to hcsitas

No worries.

Wired and wireless are what they are... My observations are probably due to typical cheap consumer WiFi routers being completely optimized for WiFi. That they all have a few, mostly unused, RJ-45 ports is an historical artifact, and I suspect many are effectively the red-headed step children of their respective QA and engineering departments. Such speculation occurred after hearing from folks with high-end wired and wireless infrastructure reporting that ATV4K speed tests (using the Ookla app?) scored consistently higher on WiFi, even though the fiber Internet connection and all infrastructure equipment specs suggest the wired port should've been much faster! Could've be an ATV4K issue as well, since resolved maybe.

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Answer 8

bgmeek

Level 4

1,169 points

Apr 19, 2024 12:16 PM in response to hcsitas

hcsitas wrote:

It’s definitely not a bug - entirely by design. The Power-off option is always available, either by yanking it or from Settings.

I'm sorry, but any device that's sending a DHCP request every 20 seconds for any reason, especially while it's supposed to be asleep, is behaving badly! DHCP leases are typically for extended periods, and a sleeping device should wake up knowing when its previous lease on an IP address will expire. It's a bug.

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