Fixed IP Addresses for Audio Devices

[FA-Bubba]

I'm not sure where this topic belongs... Please re-classify as necessary.

You may recall I started using fixed IP Addresses for all of my Google speakers (Chromecast, Home Hub & Home Minis) as a way to stabilize their discovery by DAS. I did that in Feb 2020, and you provided this format for the key:

Doing that greatly stabilized the casting audio performance. This week, I was adding a new Google Mini, and I learned that Comcast has eliminated the ability to assign Fixed IP Addresses**, so I was wondering if DAS has a way to use MAC Addresses instead of IP -- since MAC Addresses don't change it would provide another way to uniquely identify a speaker...

Alternatively, I am thinking of ditching Xfinity's Gateway, and using my own Router, but I first need to research if that will cause any degradation of my TV and Voice services.

**Odd that Comcast has prevented me from assigning new fixed IPs, but it has retained those that I previously assigned!!!

[SamDel]

The MAC address is used by DAS to check if a newly discovered device is already in the device list.

You can't use the MAC address instead of IP, the IP is always used to connect to a device.

[FA-Bubba]

OK.... I now have to decide whether to include DHCP devices in the "key" or not...

FYI, this is the key I am referring to: add key="IpAddressesDevices" value="192.168.1.13,Family Room Speakers;192.168.1.25,PlayRoom Speakers;192.168.1.11,Office Speakers;192.168.1.17,.............. etc."

If I do not add new devices to the above key, I am assuming they will be found through the normal means, correct? What happens if I add a device to the key, and it's IP address later changes? Will that cause problems?

Thanks!

[SamDel]

That's correct, they will be found through the normal means.

An IP change should be detected, the MAC address is used for that.