Remove Apple TV from Airplay List ?

[harleymhs]

Hey Guys, When I use AirPlay on my ios devices I see an OLD apple TV showing up in the Airplay list. I dont have that anymore. I called Apple Support they were stumped too! I did look in Music/Itunes in my account and device list , the apple TV is not in my device list... Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance,

 

[Apple_Robert]

Take a look on AppleID.apple.com and see if the device is listed.

 

[waw74]

Take a look on AppleID.apple.com and see if the device is listed.

no, airplay doesn't reference that list at ALL

If you're in an apartment, it's possible it's from your neighbors, in the past few years apple has started broadcasting airplay over bluetooth, if you try to airplay to it, using bluetooth the aTV and your device will negotiate the details of a wifi connection. and then use that wifi connection to do the actual airplay.
so it's not really your old AppleTV, just your neighbors that's named the same.

If that doesn't sound like a possibility. then....

if it's showing up on your network, something on your network is broadcasting it.

Try rebooting everything on your network. including the router and all apple devices.

For things to show up in the airplay menu, they use a network protocol called mDNS, basically every so often a device will send a packet saying "I can do ________ and my IP address is _________"
It's also how other computers on the network show up in finder, pretty much anything that has to discover another device on a network will use this.

Apple has a thing called "sleep proxy" which will allow a device to go to sleep, but it will hand off the broadcasts to another device. So if your Mac goes to sleep and stops broadcasting that it's sharing files, your airport express will continue the broadcasts for the Mac, if someone requests that service, the express will wake the Mac and then you can access your files

 

[MisterGrinch]

Can it be deleted by using apple’s Home app? Try going to the room it is assigned to and delete the accessory from the list there... I think?

 

[harleymhs]

Checked AppleID.apple.com and no apple tv listed on my account.. Ugh

 

[harleymhs]

Can it be deleted by using apple’s Home app? Try going to the room it is assigned to and delete the accessory from the list there... I think?

Its not in my Home app either..

 

[harleymhs]

no, airplay doesn't reference that list at ALL

If you're in an apartment, it's possible it's from your neighbors, in the past few years apple has started broadcasting airplay over bluetooth, if you try to airplay to it, using bluetooth the aTV and your device will negotiate the details of a wifi connection. and then use that wifi connection to do the actual airplay.
so it's not really your old AppleTV, just your neighbors that's named the same.

If that doesn't sound like a possibility. then....

if it's showing up on your network, something on your network is broadcasting it.

Try rebooting everything on your network. including the router and all apple devices.

For things to show up in the airplay menu, they use a network protocol called mDNS, basically every so often a device will send a packet saying "I can do ________ and my IP address is _________"
It's also how other computers on the network show up in finder, pretty much anything that has to discover another device on a network will use this.

Apple has a thing called "sleep proxy" which will allow a device to go to sleep, but it will hand off the broadcasts to another device. So if your Mac goes to sleep and stops broadcasting that it's sharing files, your airport express will continue the broadcasts for the Mac, if someone requests that service, the express will wake the Mac and then you can access your files

Hey,m I do live in an Apt .. But I thought Airplay is on MY wi fi network... How would I see a neighbors Apple TV... Apple Support has no I idea how to trouble shoot this either.. Opened a case still no fix. How can I weed out to see if it is one of my neighbors Apple TV showing up on my devices. thank you for your help!

 

[Brian33]

in the past few years apple has started broadcasting airplay over bluetooth, if you try to airplay to it, using bluetooth the aTV and your device will negotiate the details of a wifi connection. and then use that wifi connection to do the actual airplay.

I hadn't heard this before, but if it's true then it could explain how a neighbor's Apple TV could show up in the list even though you don't share a WiFi network. You wouldn't actually be able to Airplay to it since presumably they wouldn't be able to "negotiate the details of a wifi connection" successfully, being on separate WiFi networks.

Hey,m I do live in an Apt .. But I thought Airplay is on MY wi fi network... How would I see a neighbors Apple TV

You indicated that you're trying to Airplay from an iOS device. I wonder -- if you temporarily turned off bluetooth on that iOS device, does the phantom ATV would still show in the Airplay list? Could be a way to test out the idea.

 

[waw74]

How would I see a neighbors Apple TV.... I thought Airplay is on MY wi fi network.

like I said... bluetooth, it can have a 30 foot range even with a wall in the middle.

I see my neighbors occasionally

if you go into settings, there are options for "everyone" and "anyone on the same network" the 1st will advertise via bluetooth.

if you know your neighbor, you can ask them to change the setting, it'll probably be on side or the other, instead of above or below
You could also try airplaying to them.
You could make a picture that says "please change this setting, so I can't airplay to you" they don't even have to know who it is, as airplay doesn't indicate where it's coming from.

or you could rename your aTV

if you do try turning off bluetooth on your phone, do it in the main settings app.
turning if off from control center, doesn't really turn it all the way off.

I hadn't heard this before, but if it's true then it could explain how a neighbor's Apple TV could show up in the list even though you don't share a WiFi network. You wouldn't actually be able to Airplay to it since presumably they wouldn't be able to "negotiate the details of a wifi connection" successfully, being on separate WiFi networks.

it will work. even if you're both on different wifi. although if "require password" is on, you might have problems since you can't see the screen to get the "secret code"

I'm not sure 100% how it works. but it might not use a "traditional" wifi network, but a direct connection between the 2 devices, while allowing them to stay on the other wifi.

it's Called "peer to peer airplay" if you want to look up more online.

 

[harleymhs]

I hadn't heard this before, but if it's true then it could explain how a neighbor's Apple TV could show up in the list even though you don't share a WiFi network. You wouldn't actually be able to Airplay to it since presumably they wouldn't be able to "negotiate the details of a wifi connection" successfully, being on separate WiFi networks.



You indicated that you're trying to Airplay from an iOS device. I wonder -- if you temporarily turned off bluetooth on that iOS device, does the phantom ATV would still show in the Airplay list? Could be a way to test out the idea.

YES it still shows up with Bluetooth turned off.

 

[Brian33]

it will work. even if you're both on different wifi. although if "require password" is on, you might have problems since you can't see the screen to get the "secret code"

I'm not sure 100% how it works. but it might not use a "traditional" wifi network, but a direct connection between the 2 devices, while allowing them to stay on the other wifi.

it's Called "peer to peer airplay" if you want to look up more online.

Interesting, thanks! Very clever, although I can see how it could be annoying or creepy in an apartment situation, like the OP. Didn't see much technical detail in my initial search, but I think you're right about how it works. Going to check what my ATV settings are!

YES it still shows up with Bluetooth turned off.

I think waw74 is right and it's coming from a neighbor's Apple TV. You could ask them to change the ATV's settings to Allow Access to "Anyone on the Same Network" (and NOT "Everyone") as described on this Apple page.

 

[truce57]

You're having the same problem I'm having. It's not the neighbors, it's very clearly the last two TVs I screencast to, and there is no way I can find to make them go away from the list that appears on my phone when I click the airplay icon. They do not appear on my other phone or tablet, neither of which I have used with airplay on any devices.

Would love to find a solution.

 

[Canyda]

Hey,m I do live in an Apt .. But I thought Airplay is on MY wi fi network... How would I see a neighbors Apple TV... Apple Support has no I idea how to trouble shoot this either.. Opened a case still no fix. How can I weed out to see if it is one of my neighbors Apple TV showing up on my devices. thank you for your help!

I just moved into an apartment condo, and my neighbour would try to AirPlay from her MacBook to my Apple TV at least once a week. I'd be at home and all of a sudden my Apple TV would turn the TV on, and I'd have a "enter your code here to authorize this computer to AirPlay".

I went into my Apple TV settings, and there's some stuff in AirPlay that lets you control who can AirPlay (i.e., must be on same wifi network as the Apple TV, and another setting that I think prevents your Apple TV name from being broadcast outside your own wifi network). Since making those adjustments, we've never had another "intrusion" into our Apple TV.

I'll say, too, that I have seen other Apple TVs in our complex show up in *my* AirPlay list of Apple TVs as well.