dbx DriveRack VENU360 Loudspeaker Management System - Manual (Page 116)

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Networking
Networking Overview
The VENU360 can be connected to a network for control using the free VENU360 control app. The VENU360 supports
DHCP and static IP addressing. The following section provides a brief description of the most common network settings.
• IP address
An identifier for a computer or device on a TCP/IP network. Each device in a network has its own IP address to identify
it. Example: 126.126.17.42. Networks using the TCP/IP protocol route messages based on the IP address of the
destination. An IP address is made of four numbers separated by periods. Each number can be zero to 255. The last
number should not be a zero or 255. For example, 126.126.17.1 could be an IP address. 126.126.17.0 would not be a
valid IP address.
A TCP/ IP or IP address has two parts: the NETWORK ID and the HOST ID. The NETWORK ID identifies the network,
and the HOST ID identifies either the subnet and device, or just the device if there is no subnet. The subnet mask
is a code that indicates which part of the TCP/IP address is the NETWORK ID and which part is the HOST ID. In
subnet-mask code, 255 means “This part of the address is the NETWORK ID”. Example: Suppose the IP ADDRESS
of a device is 192.168.xx.yy and the SUBNET MASK is 255.255.x.y. That means, (192.168) is the NETWORK ID. The
remaining set of numbers (xx.yy) is the HOST ID. If your network stands alone (it is not part of a larger network) then
the HOST ID identifies each device in the network. If your network is part of a venue’s larger network, your network is
actually a sub-network or subnet.
• Subnet
A small network within a larger network. For example, a TCP/IP network might be a subnet of a venue’s network, which
could include computers throughout the building, or a network might be divided into subnets. For example, in a large
installation, there may be one subnet per rack or room.
• DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
This is a protocol for automatically assigning IP addresses to devices on a network. With dynamic (DHCP) addressing,
a device might have a different IP address every time it connects to the network. DHCP relies on a DHCP server to
assign and manage IP addresses.
• Gateway
A gateway is used to connect two different networks and allow packets to be passed between them. In a typical home
network, the router provides the “gateway” connection between the local area network (LAN) and Internet so they can
communicate. A gateway can translate between one network system or protocol and another.
Network Security
Careful planning should be made before placing a VENU360 on a network that provides any access to the public. Some
examples of public access are direct access to the device using an unsecured or weakly secured wireless network, or a
network jack in a public area that provides network access to the VENU360. It is highly recommended that the VENU360 be
placed on a protected, isolated network that does not have any connection to the public to prevent unauthorized users from
reconfiguring or controlling the device. Most routers and switches have built-in functions which help protect the network from
unauthorized users, such as MAC address filtering, encryption, and disabling the SSID broadcast. Check the documentation for
your network switch or router for information on configuring available security options.