Summary
Protocol Independent Multicast - Sparse Mode (PIM-SM or PIM) enables RouterOS to support multicast streaming over the network area. Several configured PIM routers together will make a multicast cloud where client devices can use IGMP to manage subscriptions to the streams. PIM should be used when the network topology is complex or stream sources are connected to a multicast cloud. Continuous cloud must have configured a unique rendezvous point for multicast groups and other participants should know how to reach the rendezvous point. In a simple case where on the part of the network only potential clients may reside and there are no stream sources, then IGMP proxy can be used instead to preserve resources.
The feature is not supported on SMIPS devices (hAP lite, hAP lite TC and hAP mini).
Basic PIM-SM Example
Property Reference
Instance
The instance menu defines the main PIM-SM settings. The instance is then used for all other PIM-related configurations like interface-template, static RP, and Bootstrap Router.
Sub-menu: /routing pimsm instance
Property | Description |
|---|---|
| afi (ipv4 | ipv6; Default: ipv4) | Specifies address family for PIM. |
| bsm-forward-back (yes | no; Default: ) | Currently not implemented. |
| crp-advertise-contained (yes | no; Default: ) | Currently not implemented. |
| name (text; Default: ) | Name of the instance. |
| rp-hash-mask-length (integer: 0..4294967295; Default: 30 (IPv4), or 126 (IPv6) | The hash mask allows changing how many groups to map to one of the matching RPs. |
| rp-static-override (yes | no; Default: no) | Changes the selection priority for static RP. When disabled, the bootstrap RP set has a higher priority. When enabled, static RP has a higher priority. |
| ssm-range (IPv4 | IPv6; Default: ) | Currently not implemented. |
| switch-to-spt (yes | no; Default: yes) | Whether to switch to Shortest Path Tree (SPT) if multicast data bandwidth threshold is reached. The router will not proceed from protocol phase one (register encapsulation) to native multicast traffic flow if this option is disabled. It is recommended to enable this option. |
| switch-to-spt-bytes (integer: 0..4294967295; Default: 0) | Multicast data bandwidth threshold. Switching to Shortest Path Tree (SPT) happens if this threshold is reached in the specified time interval. If a value of 0 is configured, switching will happen immediately. |
| switch-to-spt-interval (time; Default: ) | Time interval in which to account for multicast data bandwidth, used in conjunction with switch-to-spt-bytes to determine if the switching threshold is reached. |
| vrf (name; Default: main) | Name of the VRF. |
Interface template
The interface template defines which interfaces will participate in PIM and what per-interface configuration will be used.
Sub-menu: /routing pimsm interface-template
Property | Description |
|---|---|
| hello-delay (time; Default: 5s) | Randomized interval for the initial Hello message on interface startup or detecting new neighbor. |
| hello-period (time; Default: 30s) | Periodic interval for Hello messages. |
| instance (name; Default: ) | Name of the PIM instance this interface template belongs to. |
| interfaces (name; Default: all) | List of interfaces that will participate in PIM. |
| join-prune-period (time; Default: 1m) | The time interval between sending out join or prune messages |
| join-tracking-support (yes | no; Default: yes) | |
| override-interval (time; Default: 2s500ms) | |
| priority (integer: 0..4294967295; Default: 1) | The designated router priority. If for stream source more than one router with multicast support is available, then one with the highest priority will become the Designated router of that multicast stream and will handle stream delivery to RP. A higher value means higher priority. |
| propagation-delay (time; Default: 500ms) | |
| source-addresses (IPv4 | IPv6; Default: ) |
/routing/pimsm/bsr
/routing/pimsm/bsr/candidate
bootstrap router candidate configuration
/routing/pimsm/bsr/rp-candidate
Rendezvous point candidate configuration, when RP is elected for multicast group
/routing/pimsm/bsr/rp-set
/routing/pimsm/interface
Configuration of an interface of the router that will participate in a multicast network. Interfaces that are not configured here (or in IGMP-Proxy) will discard multicast packets.
/routing/pimsm/neighbors
This menu only allows seeing information about multicast routers that are reachable within one Ethernet from all interfaces participating in multicast routing. This list is created and updated automatically according to the state of the multicast network.
/routing/pimsm/static-rp
A rendezvous point (RP) is a distribution point for a multicast group, the source provides its data to it, and if there are any subscribers, then RP will provide data to the client. Note, that RP will always receive data stream if that exists.