How I network all of my controllers

jhinkle

New elf
Joined
Feb 22, 2012
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23
Location
Key West, Florida
My setup does not follow what is common on this site - but I thought I would share as it might create some interest.

The Show computer that runs HLS - either in Editor mode or PlayList Show mode, sends all of the illumination data in Ethernet based UDP packets to specific controllers. (My own 24 channel controller can be populated to operate on a RS485 wired bus or on a wireless network).

The computer's (second NIC card) connects to a Netgear switch. An Netgear Wireless Access point is also connected to this switch. Lastly a GW215 (Ethernet to RS485 node) is also connected to the switch. This forms the isolated Ethernet network for my shows - Only illumination traffic is on this network so I'm not maxing out on bandwidth.

HLS is informed whether a controller is a "wired" or "wireless" controller.

Communication with a "wired" controller is easy as all of those illumination message packets are received by the GW215 and sent out on the RS485 bus where the controller takes only the package meant of itself.

Wireless is where we have fun.

When a controller is populated with a RN-XV wireless node - it tells the RN-XV its Controller ID (CID) upon coming out of reset.

The RN-XV - coming out of reset - connects with the "Lighting" Access Point and acquires an IP address. The RN-XV then transmit a "keep alive" message every second that contains it's IP address and the controllers CID.

When HLS knows that there are wireless controllers to be serviced - it starts a UDP server and receives the "keep alive" messages. From the "keep alive" messages it extracts the RN-XV's IP address associated with the controller's CID - so HLS can transmit THAT RN-XV's illumination data packet via a wireless UDP packet.

So the wireless construction and processing is automatic.

Any comments are welcomed.

Thanks,

Joe
 
Hi Joe

This setup sounds very interesting, pictures of this hardware and setup would be great also.

Or video ...... once your hardware is complete.

Would your wireless setup be adabtable to communicate with any of the currently used controllers or is this something unique to your own design .

Richard
 
The wireless setup is just using the features of the RN-XV.

Any controller using that device should be able to do the same thing.

Joe
 
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