Vienna Ensemble Pro 64 bit midi over LAN issue

[boseyman1]

Hello All,

I am trying to connect two DAW's using the midi over LAN feature with VE Pro. My questions relates as to which type of router or server to use to set up the network connecting the two computers. I currently have the two machines on a Linksys router, and while they both can connect easily to the internet, they will not see each other for midi over LAN purposes.

My question is, what types of routers are people using to run this Master/slave with VE pro successfully?

My main DAW is a Intel i7 3.07 ghz 64 bit machine, 12 gigs ram, using Vista Ultimate and the slave is an Intel quad core 6600, 32bit machine running Win XP SP2, with 4 gigs ram.

Thank you for your suggestions.

JL

[cm]

a router is a device which provides a route to some other network (acts as a gateway to another network)

- many of them have a switch on the LAN side so you could connect more than 1 computer

- but most of them don't have gibabit on the LAN side (system requirement for VE PRO)

 

i'd recommend you start naming both's computers workgroup name identical and have the same user/password on both.

now you could add a share say on your slave and check if this network service is available.

start VE PRO service on the slave before trying to connect .... do not ignore messages asking for adding exceptions to your firewall!

 

routers often provide dynamic IP adresses - double check which range has been assigned:

- click START - RUN -> type: cmd -> press ENTER (command prompt appears) -> type: ipconfig -> press ENTER and compare IP addresses on both machines (should be something like 192.168.1.2 and 192.168.1.3)

leave the command prompt open and type: ping [IP of respective other machine] -> 4 packets will be sent and you should receive 4 answers ... if not check firewall settings for ICMP v4 ping and allow them for better troubleshooting

 

if your network is fully functional you should actually see your slave-machine's name in the master's connect dialog ...

hth, christian

[scooterburger]

christian, Thanks for the help. I think I was hoping for a step by step instruction on how to do this. But I get the feeling that there is no such documentation like that for setting up an ethernet connection with VE Pro on multiple computers. I went to Fry's and told them what I was doing and they sold me a $39 Netgear modem. That's not gonna work is it??!! So as far as what kind of make of modem and the exact specifications of the modem, I'm on my own?? And as far as setting up the computers with ip addresses, etc., I'm on my own again?? VSL makes this (ethernet) set up sound like a breeze, but it isn't. So why are there no instructions from VSL on how to do it? I don't know, things like this always baffle me. But it looks like I'm the only one having problems with it, so maybe it's just me. Is there an idiot guide out there anywhere for setting this up. scooterburger

[cm]

well, without knowing more than the crumbs from above it is hard to provide detailed steps what to do ...

 

hopefully they didn't sell you a modem but a switch ... and some ethernet cables to connect the switch with your computers. in case it is indeed a modem i'd recommend to familiarize yourself with the terms for better describing the guys what you need ....

 

have you already followed my steps from above and is there a result you can let me know?

how many network interfaces are on your computers and how are they currently connected?

are your network interfaces even gigabit and what medel exactly is your router?

 

there are a zillion different network devices around so it is impossible to guess what you have on your desk and hard to give proper recommendations for your specific setup.

christian

[boseyman1]

Christian,

I have been looking at the setup diagram in the VE pro manual. The device that connects the main DAW to the two slave computers looks like a gigabit switch. or it could be a router. This is my understanding of the difference between the two:

The first thing is switches and routers do two different things. Routers act as a bridge (or 'gateway') to the Internet with technologies like NAT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_address_translation) and often act as DHCP (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DHCP.html)servers, making network configuration automatic for all of your computers. And don't forget the other thousand things they provide, such as firewalls, filters, schedules and more. Out of courtesy, most home office routers have a built-in hub or switch giving you 4-5 ports or so....

So what do you recommend one uses for VE Pro with one Master and one slave. A gigabit router or a switch? Or a unit that combines both? The one thing I have experienced is that the built in firewalls on a router can sometimes fight with the FX teleport cause DEP crashes.

Thank you for your suggestions.

JL

[cm]

well, you still didn't tell me what you _have_ (hardware, network) and what (from the above said) you have done so far ..

_a_ switch and _a_ router can be good or not so good, it can have gigabit or not, you didn't eben tell me if the modem is indeed a modem or meybe a coffe machine ...

what suggestion do you expect then? provide some info or contact a network expert in your area.

regards, cm

[boseyman1]

Christian,

At the top of this thread I wrote, "

My main DAW is a Intel i7 3.07 ghz 64 bit machine, 12 gigs ram, using Vista Ultimate and the slave is an Intel quad core 6600, 32bit machine running Win XP SP2, with 4 gigs ram."

The Slave computer has a Attansic L1 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base T Controller, and the Master computer has a Realtek RTL8168C(p) Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.0) controller.

My computers are hardlined to a Linksys Wireless g Router model number WRT54GX4. This router allows me to connect both computers to the internet, and I was able to use a program called "FX Teleport" to run midi over LAN. That program however was not stable, so I was hoping to use VE Pro instead. Also, this model linksys router does not appear to be a gigabit router(which I know is a requirement of VE Pro), so my question to you is what router, or connection device, do you recommend so that I can connect the two aforementioned computers with VE Pro?

So really I an not asking for network advice, just the name of a router that in your experience will work with VE Pro.

JL

[cm]

 the WRT54GX4 has indeed 4 x 100 Mbit only ports (that's maybe the reason also FX Teleport didn't work too reliably)

 

i'm understanding both of your computers have only one gigabit port, so my recommendation would be to add a gigabit switch to the setup.

we had good results with a NETGEAR ProSafe GS108 8 Port Gigabit Desktop Switch but any similar model will do the job (don't go below EUR 50 / USD 70 to avoid purchasing some toy ...)

 

change your cabeling so both computers are connected to the switch and add another cable from the linksys to the switch (min. length per cable = 1 mt, better 1.5 mt for proper signalling) - nothing else needs to be changed.

 

however all of the above said related to connection testing would still be recommended or necessary (workgroup naming, enabling ICMP reply in the firewall on both computers, testing sharing, finding IP address of computers, testing basic connectivity using ping)

 

please note that WLAN routers often send a huge amount of so-called broadcast packets into your LAN (local network) so if not needed for something else try to disable the wireless function of your router (after connectivity tests from above are successful but result is still not satisfying)

 

please also note that if even without having the gigabit switch there is no connectivity between master and slave at all though pinging is successful there might be some firewall setting involved preventing communication and we would need digging deeper ...

 

hth, christian

[boseyman1]

Thank you for all of your help Christian. I really appreciate it. I am going to buy the exact switch and get a network tech to configure it as you instructed. Do you think the my setup would benefit from a different router that had gigabit or 10/100/1000 bit capacity?

Once again, thank you for your help. Have a safe New Year's Eve.

Best,

JL

[cm]

of course also changing the router to a model with a built-in gigabit switch would be an option (given that the router is not part of the internet access hardware from your provider)

christian

[Arthur]

Hi Christian. Did i understand it correctly. There is no need for a MidioverLan or something like that. MidioverLan gives me a lot of pops and headache At the moment i use a mac Pro 8 core 2.8 Ghz (main DAW Protools) switched by a gigabit switch to an Win7 (or XP)PC dual core pentium with VEpro. Can you advice Thanks Cheers Arthur

[cm]

welcome Arthur,

correct - the plugin has to be inserted into a track (opens a connection dialog), connects via gigabit to a VEPRO server on another computer (no audio device needed), returns audio into your track. check it out, there is a demo license available (requires a ViennaKey or other USB eLicenser like from steinberg).

 

just a thought though ... MoL cannot cause pops, it would just loose MIDI information leading to missing notes. make sure your network is configured properly (we recommend to use fixed private IPs for the audio network if exists seperate from your internet connection)

hth, christian