Digigram ALP-Dante User Manual page 28

User Manual for ALP-DANTE
11 CONFIGURATION
PARAMETERS
11.1 Connecting to a Network
In order to use your ALP-DANTE card, you will need to set up an Ethernet network connecting:
The computer on which the ALP-DANTE card is installed. Connection is made through the
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ALP-DANTE card.
The computer running Dante Controller (if it's not the same computer). Connection is
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made through the computer network adapter.
Any other Dante/AES67-enabled audio device you may have
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Gigabit Ethernet Support
The ALP-DANTE card is designed to perform with Gigabit Ethernet networks. Connecting your
card to a 100 Mbit/s Ethernet device is not supported. Make sure the port of the Ethernet
switch the ALP-DANTE is connected to supports Gigabit Ethernet.
Choosing a Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch
You get the best performance out of your Dante network even if you use standard Gigabit
Ethernet network switches. Dante uses standard Ethernet and IP Quality of Service (QoS) to
ensure its high-quality synchronization is not affected, even on loaded networks. Make sure that
you choose network switches which have the following features.
DSCP-based QoS with four queues and strict priority queuing
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ACL filtering
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Fiber-optic cable support including SFP pluggable modules if you need to run long
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distances.
Managed network switches: they allow you to manage them and monitor your network.
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If you have chosen a network switch that has been used before, you may need to check
its settings again. For more information about choosing network switches, please visit
the Support section of the Audinate website (www.audinate.com).
Choosing Ethernet Cabling
Dante uses completely standard Ethernet and IP, so it also uses standard Ethernet cabling
(STP), including Cat5e or higher and fiber-optic. Make sure your Ethernet cables and ports are
in good condition. Remember that Ethernet cables which are Cat5e or higher have a
maximum length of 100 metres at speeds of 1Gbps (the cable length limit depends on the
cable type). If you require longer distances, you can use fiber-optic cables.
Switch mode and redundant mode
In Switch mode, all 4 ports (or 2 ports if the expansion board is not used) are switched
together and behave the same way. There is no "Primary" or "Secondary" capability. You can
see your ALP-DANTE card as a regular 4 ports Giga-Ethernet switch. This mode allows you to
build daisy-chained and/or star architecture easily. In some small architectures, it can reduce
or even suppress the need for an external Gigabit Ethernet switch.
This mode is still valid when the AES67 mode is enabled.
The redundant mode allows using a redundant Dante network, with seamless switching
between from the Primary network and the Secondary network.
When using the ALP-DANTE card without its expansion board, the two available ports behave
as Primary and secondary ports.
OF THE DANTE
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