Dear Mikrotiks,

since mDNS becomes more and more popular with home automation and the "Interet of Things", it is very cumbersome that RouterOS can't handle IP multicast routing.

Therefore it would be highly welcomed if RouterOS v7 would support at least the necessary DNS records so it would be possible to manually add support for service detection.
Of course it would be even cooler if RouterOS v7 could support avahi like stuff or support of ip multicast routing.

Cheers, Harry.

+1000

I tried again with no luck.

It's been asked for a LOT. Really, they could make it work by compiling an avahi-daemon package that would run on RouterOS. Somehow I don't think this would be too difficult, but apparently it's just not at the top of their list.

I'm not sure about the IOT stuff (personally shy away from such - they're usually great-big-grand-canyon-sized security flaws that are often the subject of blackhat talks at DefCon, etc) but I can say that Mikrotik DOES support multicast routing.

It's just not in an obvious location / possibly disabled by default in your router....

check /system packages and make sure that multicast is installed and enabled. If not, then you'll need to download the "extra packages" ZIP for your current model and version of ROS, and copy the multicast package onto the Mikrotik's file system (just drag and drop it using Winbox, for example). Reboot and the package should be available.

You should see both IGMP Proxy and PIM configurations in the /routing menu. This is how you enable multicast routing.

NOTE that this is ROUTING, and not the much-demanded-by-users / much-poo-pooed-by-Mikrotik feature known as IGMP snooping, which is the piece of the multicasting pie that filters multicast traffic off of switch ports which aren't subscribed to it. (switches w/o IGMP snooping just treat multicast as broadcast, so it works, but can bog down a network with unwanted bandwidth)

Obviously this doesn't cause the Mikrotik to participate in mDNS, but if you want multicast routing, it is available.

The problem is that the multicast routing that MT supports doesn't properly handle Bonjour/Zero-conf. I've researched and tried a ton of different ways to do it, and it just never worked. But if you have a working setup that does mDNS service reflection between subnets, please write up a how-to and get it posted on the wiki...people will sing your praises for years to come.

The problem is that the multicast routing that MT supports doesn't properly handle Bonjour/Zero-conf. I've researched and tried a ton of different ways to do it, and it just never worked. But if you have a working setup that does mDNS service reflection between subnets, please write up a how-to and get it posted on the wiki...people will sing your praises for years to come.

Well, I did a bit of reading and see where the problem is (mDNS using link-local-only multicast group) so obviously routing won't fix the issue. Perhaps some interesting nat/mangle gymnastics are possible....

I think the most available solution for ROS users at the moment is to launch a Metarouter with avahi installed on it and configured as a reflector.

(See the Linux/avahi portion of this link for an example)

I think an mDNS reflector might be an interesting feature to have if for no other reason than to help people avoid building these ungodly bridged network monstrosities just for IOT support.

Well, I did a bit of reading and see where the problem is (mDNS using link-local-only multicast group) so obviously routing won't fix the issue. Perhaps some interesting nat/mangle gymnastics are possible....

I think the most available solution for ROS users at the moment is to launch a Metarouter with avahi installed on it and configured as a reflector.

(See the Linux/avahi portion of this link for an example)

I think an mDNS reflector might be an interesting feature to have if for no other reason than to help people avoid building these ungodly bridged network monstrosities just for IOT support.

I've tried the nat/mangle approach. Doesn't work. I settled for setting up a trunk port on my CRS and attaching a Raspberry Pi with an interface for every VLAN running avahi.

Cisco and Aruba have some very interesting mDNS routing capabilities where they can selectively allow mDNS services to work between subnets based on physical location (associated WAP). This lets you keep your AppleTV's on a wired, segregated network while allowing conference room guests to AirPlay to the ATV in that specific conference room. Pretty neat stuff.

This really reminds me of the IPX SAP thing - I was working for a global corporation which still had IPX enabled (after 2000) and some interesting SAPs managed to not get filtered... for instance, sitting in Louisiana, I saw advertisements for printers in the Tokyo office.....

oh no. even for home use - its was expose you network "too much" so even common to reduce TX(and RX threeshoold) among avahi/mdns fans(usually that folks with home NAS stuff and video recorders, both handheld stuff and security CCTV). i guess that may be considered but as optional feature, outside major "system" package. like part of "routing" package or "advanced" or so.
same about SMB,sFTP , packing and webcache.
generally unless you're devoted to filesharing at home so much - its not big deal to have no avahi/mdns in router. and even them - generally both faster(in long-term), secure and reliable do proper setup instead.
and most IoT things, including zigbee and other derrivatives - not rely on avahi stuff much, but full-blown ad-hoc networking was pretty common. say 802.11s, HWMPlus(kinda steup-up from previous), BATMAN 3/4/5, OLSR. to my surprise - last one was starting to be bit more popular despite flaws and lack of features. maybe because smaller CPU hit.

This is needed not only for Airport Utility, but it seems also for AirDisk. It is essential.

It looks like chromecast also uses mDNS for discovery, so if the feature existed you could chromecast across subnets...which would be really nice.

I spent the whole afternoon playing IGMP Proxy trying to figure out why HomeKit cannot connect on a different vlan.
Just realised routeros does not support this yet.
Any chance we can expect in v7?

Can y'all please do this? Moved from Cisco to Mikrotik and this is a much-needed feature for us.

I think I have 3 different devices that need this.

Can y'all please do this? Moved from Cisco to Mikrotik and this is a much-needed feature for us.

Apart from cost, why did you even consider such a move ?
Mikrotik is no where near in the same league as Cisco in the "ip" space.
Looking at these forums, many interesting feature-requests just never happen.

Another +1 for mDNS

+1 for this request. Much needed

+1 for this request

Bumping this up the request list too.

I would als greatly appreciate this feature!

+1 for the request.

Lars

+1

It's standard with other vendors

+1!
Wasted hours trying to setup mDNS over VLANs, as well as Google Chromecast. I just realized this is obviously just not possible ?!?

+1 — pretty standard in 2020 right across the board. This doesn't seem like it would be too hard to implement.

+1 Simple architectures could only use mDNS. Should be routed/NAT between subnets and bridges somehow.

4 years later, still nothing?

+1 for multicast between subnets

+1 for this, much needed for inter-VLAN Chromecast discovery and casting. Any hope for this feature in a future release?

Those of you here because you have a simple 1-router network but can't find your Nest/Google Home/Chromecast devices can fix the problem by setting "Default forward" and "Multicast Helper=full" on all of your wireless interfaces. My laptop on Wifi is now able to enumerate all the devices in my home. Devices on ethernet were always able to.

While you are in your interfaces, make sure that "WPS Mode" is disabled unless you really need it, as there are security problems.

The current working solution to this issue, unfortunately requiring additional device having access to both vlans is to use an additional software (mdns-repeater or udp-broadcast-relay-redux). You may find some people saying that avahi-daeamon with the reflector feature enabled will also do the job but from my time spent to get it working - it doesn't (at least not fully).
So the setup is: Sorry for the poor ASCI.
In essence you have to have a small linux server (can be raspberry pi) that will have 2 interfaces in both vlans and have a special software running that will relay mdns packets between the vlans.
I use udp-broadcast-relay-redux and run it like this: Where eth0 is my main vlan and eth0.9 is vlan id 9 for IoT devices.
Now bear in mind that my phone being in the main vlan doesn't really need anything special to discover all my google devices. It just works without needing anything special. Somehow google discoveres them automagically. And I have no traffic allowed from IoT vlan to the main vlan. Only full internet access is allowed through the ROS firewall to the IoT vlan. But the main vlan has FULL access to IoT vlan.
So without that mdns relay I can cast to individual devices with no problem but groups created in the Google Home app don't appear as casting targets nor they appear at all in the Home app when my Android phone is connected to the Main VLAN/WiFi. There can be some, what I call "shadows" of the groups shortly after I switch between WiFis but they will disapear and are generally unreliable. Only enabling mdns relay between the vlans make the groups appear fully when I'm in the main vlan and obviously casting to them works perfectly.
It's a shame MikroTik doesn't have that mdns-relay functionality built in as it would make the whole setup a lot easier.
Below links to the mdns relay software git repos (you only need one so you have a choice):

https://github.com/udp-redux/udp-broadcast-relay-redux
https://github.com/kennylevinsen/mdns-repeater

+1 for mDNS atleast in ROSv7 we should get it

mDNS would be a great addition to enable things like chromecast between subnets.

+1 mDNS

+1 !

It's a mandatory feature for us. RouterOS should not be neanderthal technology.

+1 to this much needed feature

+1
@mikrotik, can we get an official commentary here, please?

+1 please
I have 5 Mikrotik routers and multiple Apple devices on the network. And while I love Mikrotik, users are complaining, asking me to change network hardware to a vendor with full Apple devices support :/

Those of you here because you have a simple 1-router network but can't find your Nest/Google Home/Chromecast devices can fix the problem by setting "Default forward" and "Multicast Helper=full" on all of your wireless interfaces. My laptop on Wifi is now able to enumerate all the devices in my home. Devices on ethernet were always able to.

While you are in your interfaces, make sure that "WPS Mode" is disabled unless you really need it, as there are security problems.

Thanks, that gives me some hope. But my WebFig interface does not offer the controls on your WinBox screen to set support to "Full". I wonder if it would work to set it via the terminal, and what the syntax might be? If I print the interface I do not see the parameter set to any value... Unless I am missing it under some other item...

1 R name="wlan1 2Mhz" mtu=1500 l2mtu=1600 mac-address=B8:69:F4:2C:E2:61 arp=enabled interface-type=Atheros AR9300 mode=ap-bridge ssid="WPgarden" frequency=auto
band=2ghz-b/g/n channel-width=20/40mhz-Ce secondary-channel="" scan-list=default wireless-protocol=802.11 vlan-mode=no-tag vlan-id=1 wds-mode=disabled
wds-default-bridge=none wds-ignore-ssid=no bridge-mode=enabled default-authentication=yes default-forwarding=yes default-ap-tx-limit=0 default-client-tx-limit=0
hide-ssid=no security-profile=default compression=no

I have tried /interface wireless> set 1 multicast-helper="full"
...but terminal then seems to crash, there is no reply or response to any keys I have tried. I have to reload the webpage.
As a sanity check I did "set 1 antenna-gain=3" and that was a bit slow to come back but did after a few seconds.
If I issue "set ?" then I DO see multicast-helper in the list of properties.
I have hAP ac lite, Firmare type qca9531L, Current Firmware 6.45.1

What am I wanting to do?
Just get reliable wifi printing on Epson ET-2710 from my MacBookPro (the symptoms are the same for both a mac on El Capitan and one on Catalina). I can print (a few items) direct from my phone, and print fine over USB or by sending an email to a personalised epson print server that will print within 30s on my printer. It just seems to be Bonjour/ipp/mDNS related problems, although I do sometimes get something emerge from the print queue... but have had a small test page sitting in the printer queue for 5 hours yesterday. This morning when I looked the page has printed - no idea when or why!
I have done a lot of WireShark captures but not yet solved the puzzle, TBH not sure what should be happening and there is lots of traffic to filter out. There does seem to be IPv4 and IPv6 traffic doing very similar things at times, and I am amazed how often broadcasts are asking the same ARP "who has" type questions - every 30s typically where I thought expiry times should be 20mins or more.
So the fact is it CAN work but it seems like something has to timeout or reset before it works; printing is a complex area without the uncertainty arising from the router issue.
Maybe the router should do this job better and I have something set wrong...
I hope the router is capable of doing this reliably as I do not really want to have to use USB.

Thanks for any help you might be able to give, also hope that my information might help you in some way.

Around that late Dec date I DID get the printer up for printing from any Macs on the local network, no troubles or problems since.
Shame that I never really located what had done the trick, or where exactly the problem had been.
One morning it seemed to be OK when at the end of previous evening it was not... some time out or elapsing/lease renewal??
Seems most likely it was something in the router...
A number of different Macs with OS right up to Catalina have been OK since then, adding new printer etc everything works promptly and reliably for last few months.

Keep the faith, it can work!

Those of you here because you have a simple 1-router network but can't find your Nest/Google Home/Chromecast devices can fix the problem by setting "Default forward" and "Multicast Helper=full" on all of your wireless interfaces. My laptop on Wifi is now able to enumerate all the devices in my home. Devices on ethernet were always able to.

While you are in your interfaces, make sure that "WPS Mode" is disabled unless you really need it, as there are security problems.

@Avidiax
Thanks a lot for this. Only setting Multicast Helper=full in CAPsMAN solved my problem with respect to AirPrint on a RB2011+2xAudience and 2 different ssid for 2.4ghz and 5ghz.

Hello! I’ve got the similar problem with Apple devices ( Apple TV). But I use hex S with Aruba access points AP11. What options I should enable on hex S to turn on mDNS , Bonjour , etc .?

I’ve got the same access points at the office where I use Fortigate , and I’ve got no problems with all Apple services .

mDNS would be a great addition to enable things like chromecast between subnets.

I don't know hwy certain forum 'gurus' actively defend mikrotik for not implementing it. Maybe they don't need this but a lot of us do. They will put up all sorts of reasons why it has not been implemented. Stop defending and learn to hear out constructive criticism.

mDNS would be a great addition to enable things like chromecast between subnets.

I don't know hwy certain forum 'gurus' actively defend mikrotik for not implementing it. Maybe they don't need this but a lot of us do. They will put up all sorts of reasons why it has not been implemented. Stop defending and learn to hear out constructive criticism.

Your comment is confusing...all of the "forum gurus" in this thread are advocating for mDNS to be added as far as I can tell.

[/quote]
Your comment is confusing...all of the "forum gurus" in this thread are advocating for mDNS to be added as far as I can tell.
[/quote]
Check my post on mDNS. It is flooded with such comments.

+1
Please do it ....

Am I correct in understanding that multicastDNS/Bonjour is not implemented in ROS7? Can't connect MIELE@home app via Mikrotik RB5009UG+S+IN

+1 for support

+1 For support.

I bought a Hex Poe and two Cap AC's specifically to separate my network and make it more secure. I did my research for hardware and found that Mikrotik could deliver everything I wanted, based on my research(I googled "Mikrotik iot Vlan" and found a bunch of people who did exactly what I am trying to do). However, now that I am actually setting my network up, I ran against the issue of not being able to see devices on my IoT VLAN. I couldn't cast to any of my Google/Amazon devices or my TV anymore. It seems crazy that something that "just works" out of the box with any router off the shelf at Best Buy isn't supported by Mikrotik.

+1 for mDNS support

+1 for mDNS

-1 for mDNS

Can y'all please do this? Moved from Cisco to Mikrotik and this is a much-needed feature for us.

Sounds like y'all didnt do the proper requirements research prior to moving............... Much needed, eh?

Why the -1 rextended? Im sitting on the fence on this one. Its not a deal breaker, I just put all devices that need to talk on the same vlan, if there really is a hard need.
Want something fancier, for some zero value recreational uses..... get a life and go get some exercise. Probably all the +1 are vapers too. ;-P

{note: clearly MT is not convinced this is either possible, or worth the resource expenditures until some future date }

Is not the priority for a stable 7.6.66

You are right, BGP can wait another decade, lets all say bonjour in unison!

The only way to increase the chance of mDNS being implemented is showing Mikrotik how important it is for their users. So also from me: +1 for Bonjour/mDNS implementation (at least in a very simple way of Avahi with mDNS reflection).

For sure your post increase the chance...
For one user than put the +1 here, there thousand than not need the routing across multiple lan, or not know at all the existance of "Bonjour & Co."
Instead there are thousands than need STABLE "BGP & Routing" FIRST...

there are thousands than need STABLE "BGP & Routing"...

If we're going on user base size, mDNS services win by orders of magnitude. It's a core service of virtually every Apple and Android device, and it's in all kinds of other places besides. For one, pretty much all network printers made in the last several years, to support AirPrint.

The rest of your arguments against mDNS apply just as well to BGP: almost no one outside the select group of network engineers has heard of it, and lots of professionally-run networks don't need it. If the only criterion for MikroTik to expend developer time is rarity of need, it's no wonder BGP support is lagging.

You say "stable BGP & routing," but I'd put PIM-SM into that bucket. There's talk about mDNS not being intended to traverse a LAN boundary, but I don't see that this stops PIM from being told to do it anyway. With that and some thoughtful inter-VLAN routing rules, we might not need an mDNS proxy per se.

If there is some reason why you can't get the same effect as a dedicated mDNS proxy that way, a better use of MikroTik's development resources is getting Docker working again. As the Raspberry Pi solution above shows, there's no reason why this feature needs to be part of RouterOS proper. A container running Avahi should solve this problem.

Contrast PIM-SM support, which really does have to be done in RouterOS proper.

This capability has been added and now exists in RouterOS 7.16 for IPv4 mDNS packets.

https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/ROS/DNS

Actually forgot about this thread.

Tested this a few months back using Routing / PIM

It did work. But I didn't mess with it more than a day or so as streaming to Sonos didn't work. I could control it just fine from another subnet. But spotify App didn't work. SO I turned it off and forgot about it.