Network Requirements; Ethernet Cabling; Network Switches - Focusrite RedNet Installation Manual

NETWORK REQUIREMENTS

ETHERNET CABLING REQUIREMENTS
A RedNet network requires a Gigabit network infrastructure. The following cable types are permitted:
• CAT 5e
• CAT 6
Both shielded and unshielded cables are suitable. Though a if available, Cat 6 STP should be deployed.
As dictated by the ANSI/TIA/EIA standards for network cabling, the maximum combined cable length
between devices is 100m. This allows an installed cable to be up to 90m long, leaving a length of 5m
of shorter cable to connect to the devices at each end.
Typically, this connection would be between one RedNet unit and a switch, or one switch and another
switch.
Please note that neither Wireless Networking nor Wide Area Networks are supported with RedNet.

NETWORK SWITCHES

Networked audio with RedNet is simple. For the majority of systems, setup will be extremely
straightforward. The following guide details exactly what to do with your switch when setting up the
network. Whether you're new to networking or a seasoned IT professional, the information below
will be easy to implement.
What to look for in a switch
The RedNet Dante network requires the use of at least one Gigabit Ethernet switch. In larger
installations multiple switches will be needed. While some networks may function with unmanaged
switches, performance varies widely with available switches. It is therefore required that a managed
gigabit Ethernet switch is used with any RedNet system in order to guarantee rock-solid audio
performance.
Here are the requirements of any switch to be used with a RedNet system:
• Gigabit rated (1000 Mbps)
• Non-blocking• Quality of Service (QoS) with four queues
• Diffserv (DSCP) QoS with strict priority
• Switches with a built-in power supply are recommended for optimum audio performance
Specific switch examples
Unlike other networked audio systems, Dante (and therefore RedNet) works with standard, off-the-
shelf Ethernet hardware, which is commonly available and needn't be expensive. There are many
switches available with varying features, number of ports and in various sizes. Although not an
exhaustive list, below are some switches that Focusrite has found to be ideal for RedNet:
• Cisco SG200-18
• Cisco SG200-26
• Cisco SG300-10
• Netgear GS724T
• Netgear GS716T
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