Configuring SonicWALL to work with Chromecast

In this write up I’m making the following assumptions:

  1. Your Client (Device trying to Connect to Chromecast) and your Chromecast are on SEPARATE zones. For example: Client is on the LAN and the Chromecast is on say, a wireless zone.
  2. The Wireless Access Point(s) that the Chromecast is connected to are already configured for Multicast (Ill have some other posts for how to configure those later. Update: Here and Here)

First off we need to enable multicast, and here is how we do that:

  1. Login to the SonicWALL and click Firewall Settings from the left hand pane
  2. The menu will expand, when it does click Multicast
  3. Check the box titled Enable Multicast
  4. UnCheck the box titled Require IGMP Membership reports for multicast data forwarding
  5. Select the radio button titled: Enable reception of all multicast addresses
  6. Click Accept at the top
  7. Now click Network from the left hand drop down, and when the menu expands click Zones
  8. For each Zone that will be participating with chromecast, click the configure icon, Check the box titled Allow Interface Trust if it’s not already selected. Click OK
  9. From the Network menu on the left click Interfaces. For each interface that’s part of any zone configured in step 8 perform the following: Click the configure icon for the interface, click the Advanced tab, check the box titled Enable Multicast Support. Click  OK.
  10. Now click Firewall from the left hand drop down, and when the menu expands click Access Rules
  11. Select the radio button titled Matrix at the top
  12. For each zone that was configured in step 8, select the rule from ZONE to MULTICAST
  13. Ensure that there is an ALLOW rule with ANY listed for Source, Destination, and Service. If there is not an ALLOW ANY ANY ANY rule, create on. Repeat for each Zone that was configured in step 8
  14. Update: as James points out below, you also need a traditional  bi-direction Allow rule between both zones.

Testing

  1. From your Client, open Chrome and download the extension “googlecast” if it’s not already installed.
  2. Verify that when you try to cast a tab, the Chromecast that’s located on the other interface/zone is listed.

9 thoughts on “Configuring SonicWALL to work with Chromecast

  1. Pingback: Configuring Cisco Wireless LAN Controller for use with Chromecast | The Day to Day Findings of an IT Engineer

  2. Pingback: Configuring Cisco 1702i Autonomous access point for use with Chromecast | The Day to Day Findings of an IT Engineer

  3. Mike

    Thanks for this post. I have been trying to get a client’s Chromecast working and this may just do the trick. We do not provide WiFi via the Sonicwall, it is provided by another device so I can only hope the multicast works across both.

    Reply
  4. Ralo

    This worked like a charm for me…. the key is to make sure the rules are bi-directional (as referenced in bullet point #14 ).

    Reply
  5. Mart

    Is it possible to do this without enablig trust? I am trying to get this working on guest wifi. It only works with trust enabled. I would not like to enable trust in guest wifi network.

    Any workarounds?

    Reply
    1. admin

      Are you trying to allow guests (on wifi) to a chromecast that INSIDE the protected network? if so, I don’t think there is a way around this. You could trust the interface, or move the chromecast to the guest network and allow internal to guest.

      Reply

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