PC to 3 Etherdongles and networking setup

[taybrynn]

Does this setup look acceptable?

Set a permanent fixed route (in windows) to send all multicast traffic to 10.0.0.1

(I can change the IP, not sure why I used 10.0.0.1)

HOME-PC ----GigE_Card#1-----> internet  connection (home is all gigE switches and routers) (IP auto assigned by windows)
              ----GigE_Card#2-----> 10.0.0.1 IP set on interface card ---> gigE switch (outside) ---> Etherdongle#1   PN Univ#1  ch#1        to 16384
                                                                                                                                    ---> Etherdongle#2   PN Univ#2  ch#16385 to 32768
                                                                                                                                    ---> Etherdongle#3   PN Univ#3  ch#32769 to 49152

It seems the the Etherdongle itself is a 100mb network connection, so 2-3 Etherdongles off the same gigE switch should be fine?

Is there any way to verify low level connectivity between the PC and each of the etherdongles before going into say xlights ?

Thanks,
Scott

[arw01]

I have never tried pinging an etherdongle, getting the MAC address could fun off your router unless you know everything already attached to it.

Where are the other firmwares to send the pixelnet 16K and higher incase i need to do that someday?

Alan

[taybrynn]

The firmware for the higher pixelnet universes ... I got from a link that RJ posted.  It might be on the wiki now.
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I don't have anything but the etherdongles attached to my second gigE card and gigE switch ... I would think it would be easy to see them since nothing else is attached.

Scott

[caretaker]

Scott you can try using Wireshark (network protocol analyzer) You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login  It's free and will show you where you network packets are going. Also you could try this free tool You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login  It's for ARt-Net BUT it should show you DMX streams over Pixelnet.

Is there any way to verify low level connectivity between the PC and each of the etherdongles before going into say xlights ?

Thanks,
Scott

[taybrynn]

Thank Jeff, I may try those.

I just realized that (as usual) I had made a major wiring mistake that would have prevented anything from working properly.

I need to try it again now that I have fixed some of the obvious problems.

[taybrynn]

I've concluded my third Etherdongle has issues ... like its ability to control is very limited and erratic.  I had problems getting a clean checksum after flashing but I also didn't know the pickit3 software at all.  ANyways I have eliminated it from my setup will use a pixelnet flashed (DMX) Dongle to control my matrix instead.