Q: Apple TV Drops from Home Sharing

I experience the same type of issue:

Mac Mini Lion Server

iTunes 10.6.3 (running 24x7)

2 ATV 1080p

2 ATV 720p

I never lose iTunes connection while playing anything on the ATVs. The loss occurs when we go to start using one of the ATV and goto computers to see the Home Share (iTunes) content and it just stays there stating accessing home share...

Until I remote to the server quit iTunes and the relaunch. Once that happens all the contant pops up on the ATV screen. This happens daily.

I have tried a bunch of things but have not put too much time into it as the problem started with the update to iTunes 10.6.3. This is an Apple issue and they must address it in a fix, hopefully soon.

If it does not happen I will call Apple Server support.

I'm getting pretty fed up with Apple products and services and alleged integration not working as they should. I am constantly trying to get Home Sharing to stay connected or heck, even recognized. I have no idea what to do beyond turning off HS, turning it back on; shutting down iTunes, opening it back up; turing of HS on ATV, turning it back on - or any combination thereof. And then AirPlay will just disappear now and then as well. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

I started having this problem sometime after upgrading to an AppleTV 3.

I seem to have fixed the problem by telling my router to keep DHCP leases for 1 week instead of 1 day.

So far so good ...

John,

Could you please let me know the full pathway to instruct my router to keep DHCP leases for a week........ I too am experiencing the Home Sharing drop-out issue.

All the best

Kev Bate

Would like to add some comment

I have had the problem of ATV (2nd) dropping connection to Home share and have been very frustrated to be told it was going to cost me to open an incident to maybe or maybe not fix it.

anyway I looked further and then stubbled across an answer, I simply changed the channel to 2 that my broadband router uses and I have watched 4 movies without interuption and listened to music all day and still no drops, am not saying it is the answer in total but certainluy worked for me.

Stephen

My router was an airport extreme.  The setting is available on the "Network Options" Settings found under the "Network" tab.

If you have another brand of router you'll have to consult the router's documentation.  The router's ip address is usually the default of 192.168.0.1.

Hope this helps.

Additionally, Both my AppleTV and my Home Sharing Mac were on the wired (as opposed to the wireless) network.

Ippsy,

Just spent 30 mins with the online BT support and we managed to change channel on my router. Great.

Turn on ATV and watched a TV programme without hiccup. I was getting excited. But half way thru the second prog it dropped.

So I confirm that your suggested work around did not work for me. Taking the ATV back to Apple in Cardiff tomorrow to insist that they return my money for the piece of sh*t. It makes me very sad that an Apple product is so bad. Not that happy with Lion either. I have had a first gen ATV for 4 years and never a days problem.

Cheers

Kev

Kev what channel did you change it to?

Channel 2

Reall sorry it did not work for you, I am keeping my fingers crossed that it keeps connected.

have you turned all off router, ATV etc then tried?

I subsequently had the ATV fail to connect with DHCP lease time set at one week.

That worked for a day or so and then failed.  I now have set network settings on my server to be DHCP with manual ip address.  We'll see how long that works.

Again, I am serving from a Mac Mini to the ATV with both connected to the wired network.

I believe the problem is DHCP related but I can't see how at the moment.

If this fails, I'll try mucking with the network settings on the ATV.

Hey guys, just wanted to say, that a few months ago I was experiencing the same technical issues with apple tv - it was awesome when it worked but that was not that often. Then future shop suggested that I buy an airport extreme - and voila. No more issues with apple tv. Of course, I still can't get that darn airplay to work. Oh, I should also add, the buffering process is a breeze. 

Hi 55,

So, just to be 100% clear on this, since you have been using the Airport Extreme you have not experienced Home Share switching-off/dropping when streaming from your iTunes library to ATV?

It means me splashing out big bucks to buy a new ATV and an Airport Extreme in the hope that it works (I returned the ATV when I couldn't get it to work).

So you connect the Airport Extreme to the modem, right? And are these items in the same room as your ATV? I'd be interested to hear about your configuration. At the moment my modem has to be in a different room but that will change later this year following some renovations we are planning.

Cheers

Kev Bate

As previously stated, I am using an Airport Extreme and still have the issue.  I thought it might help, too... but, no.

I have an older time capsule for my network but was having issues. I seem to have overcome them when I turned off the "sleep" setting on the Apple TV.

When it is set to never sleep, I dont have any issues with connecting anymore.

Anyone else see the same results?

- Rob