How To Network DMX Consoles Together

Introduction

While there is a small Ethernet switch built into the DMX Console Blade, it is primarily there to connect the console, blade, maybe a PC with a WheatNet-IP driver, and another blade in a studio, and this is how the switch is configured at the factory.

The switch built into the DMX Console Blade can be turned into an edge switch that connects the equipment in that room back to a core switch that connects studios together and lets the studios share audio between them. This will require some configuration to operate properly.

NOTE: The core switch that the small switch built into the Blade connects to must be an IGMP capable switch from the list of Approved Switches for WheatNer-IP. Using unapproved switches (like ones you might find at a big box retail store) will result in clicks, pops, distortion, and other undesired effects.

The DMX Mix Engine has a five-port gigabit Ethernet switch (Netgear GS105Ev2) that’s factory-configured for stand-alone operation. To network your DMX to an existing WheatNet-IP (WNIP) system, the Mix Engine’s switch configuration settings must be edited to support streaming audio from port 1 of the Mix Engine switch to a managed WNIP system switch port.

The Netgear switch is accessed using a web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.) running on a Windows PC. Connect that PC to port 1, 2, or 3 on the Mix Engine switch since port 4 connects to the DMX Surface and port 5 connects to the Mix Engine’s Ethernet jack. The factory-assigned IP address for the Netgear switch is 192.168.87.239, so that PC’s NIC must be set to an IP address on that subnet, like 192.168.87.11.

Remember, that factory assigned IP address for the switch is going to be the same on every DMX blade you have (or may add in the future), so you should change the administrative address to a unique IP address within the WNIP subnet before you begin connecting all of the blades together so you can access its administrative interface after everything is networked together!

Note: The factory default settings for the DMX Mix Engine’s IP address is 192.168.87.101 and the DMX Surface’s IP address is 192.168.87.201, so those addresses can’t be used by that PC.
Open your browser and enter 192.168.87.239 and press Enter. The login screen, shown at right should be displayed. The factory assigned password is password. Enter that into the Login window then click Login.

Note: You will be required to update the password when your switch is running v1.6.x.xx or later firmware, so be prepared to enter a new password of six or more characters using both upper and lower case letters and at least one number. Our recommended password: DMXMixEngine1.

When you get past the login and change password windows, the System > Management page is displayed, as shown below. This page lists the Switch Name, its firmware version, and IP address. When there will be multiple DMX consoles in your network you can assign each switch a unique IP address and name so you can log into any switch if needed from your system admin PC. In this case, the default name was just changed to: DMX 1 switch. When you edit the name or IP address, the Apply & Cancel buttons become active. Clicking Apply updates your switch with the new settings.

Note: Do not enable DHCP mode. Multicast audio systems must use fixed IP addressing so DHCP must be left set to Disable. The Subnet Mask and Gateway Address are also typically not edited.

Click Multicast to open the IGMP Snooping selections shown below. To network the DMX with a WNIP system, select Enable on IGMP Snooping Status and set the IGMP Snooping Static Router Port to 01 (port 1 on the Mix Engine switch), as shown below. Leave the other two settings set to Disable then click Apply to save the settings.

Connect Port 1 on the Mix Engine switch to an access port on the WNIP System switch. Ports 2 and 3 are available to connect other Blades or WNIP drivers. Port 4 should be used to go to the surface and Port 5 is for the jumper to the Mix Engine Ethernet port. Use CAT5e or better Ethernet cabling.

This is the exception to the rule that switches connect to each other on Trunk Ports and all other WNIP gear connects to Access Ports on WheatNet-IP system switches. Because the Netgear built into the DMX does not have full IGMP capabilities, it should go to an Access port on a Cisco. If it gets plugged into to a Cisco Trunk port, clicks and pops in audio may occur.

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