flashcrashboom Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Does anyone know how to connect a laptop to a 520i using the strand xconnect dongle? I have a copy on a dongle which I am informed will keep disconnecting every ten minutes. If I can make it work I will purchase a licenced dongle. I know I need a net worker cross over, but still can't seem to get my laptop and 520 to talk to each other. Do I need an hub, and if it works with a hub can I just replace it with a wireless hub? I know that I have net worker on the desk and also on my laptop. It is do'ing my head :) I'm new to this site so sorry if this subject has already been discussed.Any help is much much appreciated :) Thanks chaps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 The only way you'll make it work for more than 10 minutes is by paying up for a licensed version - the dongle you get if you buy from Strand (rather than stealing an illegal copy) has the relevant encoded software key to make it work. Once you have that, you need the correct cabling (a cross-over or a hub, which you already know about), and the correct IP settings on your laptop to match with those on the console. That should be it. The Blue Room does not condone software piracy, and the discussion of such things is specifically prohibited - see the second line of the Terms & Conditions which you read and agreed to when you signed up. (You did read them before ticking the "I agree" box, right?) Ditch the pirated version and buy yourself a properly-licensed version of the software (it's really not much to pay for a very useful bit of software!), then come back again and ask for help. Until then, I'm afraid this topic is closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashcrashboom Posted May 29, 2006 Author Share Posted May 29, 2006 The "copy" is a trial version offered by strand to promote the product, and I also do not condone software piracy (I scanned the terms and conditions before ticking the "I agree" because I consider myself an decent human being ok?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Fair enough, Andrew - apologies for being a little 'quick off the mark', but the wording of your original post did rather suggest a dodgy copy. You are correct in that you need to use either a cross-over Cat5 cable, or two straight cables through a hub, to link the laptop to the desk. You can also use wireless without any problems - my laptop has a wireless card, and I have a small Netgear WAP that I plug into people's desks with a short crossover cable, this setup gives me the ability to sit anywhere in an auditorium with my laptop linked wirelessly to the desk. In terms of network settings, you just need to make sure that you have your laptop on a fixed IP in the same subnet as your desk - e.g. if the IP address of your desk (find it using the Report screen) is 192.168.0.66 then the address of your laptop needs to be 192.168.0.x (where x is a number unique to that device, not used by any other device on the network) and with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. You might also need to configure any firewall software that you have installed to allow comminucation between the devices. As long as you've got Networker turned on at the desk, it should then simply be a case of firing up xConnect and logging into the console. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashcrashboom Posted May 29, 2006 Author Share Posted May 29, 2006 thanking you Gareth. will be hopefully trying it out tomorrow :) I will be careful in my wording in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b1nuzz Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 yeah. Gareth has said what I would have said. Its simple to get them to read each other. The you can set up short access keys in the software to create different logins. EG, just to monitor, or to actually login to the desk. You can also choose how many screens to run it in. Brilliant bit of Kit. SLightly OT, but gareth, you mentioned the netgear WAP, is this a straight forward wireless router, or is it simplier than that, and how much do they cost. I fancy getting one. Could you point me in the right direction. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goochr96 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Is the X connect dongle just a usb memory stick with some strand software on it then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 It (the Netgear unit) is a wireless access point, so it bridges, it does NOT route. ie it operates at L2 rather than L3. Sorry, but I'm a network technician... :) Virtually any access point (not router) would do the job. Routers interconnect networks, bridges/switches connect devices which are on the same network. Since it has less functionality than a wireless router, a wireless AP should be cheaper... but this is not always the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Ben : yeah, what Bruce said! :) Is the X connect dongle just a usb memory stick with some strand software on it then?Yup, it's a USB stick conatining the xConnect software and the necessary 'key' to make it work. Edit : Link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b1nuzz Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Thanks Guys, Bit confused with the L2 and L3 malarky, but... E-bay is this what im looking for? Is this a good price? Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 New, they are around £35-£50 depending on features and where you buy them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 As Tomo says. But yes, that unit would probably do the job. What you DON'T want is a wireless router which is used to connect to an adsl ("broadband") line, or to a cable service. It might be possible to configure one of those to do the job, but it's not ideal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickwoolley Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Just being curious and all but how much is a X Connect dongle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonythetechie Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Listed as £135 ex Vat on Stage Electrics Website Search for STRAND 67525 SHOWNET REMOTE USB KEY And also listed under the same thing on the Strand Prices page of AC lighting's website at the same price. Hope This Helps. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickwoolley Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 Hi Tony, Cheers for that - much appreciated. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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