Crown Audio DBC Network Bridge - Manual (Page 77)

DBC Network Bridge
Operation Manual page 77
Figure 8.2 Multiple Network Communication Via an IP Router
Communications between networks is allowed, but requires the use of a
special piece of equipment called an IP Router. The router acts as a
Gateway to allow this communication to exist. Any data traffic that is to
go to the other network is routed through the IP Router. The CobraNet
data is held behind but IP data goes through.
Each IQ Component has three identifiers that are used in the TCP/IQ
system:
• Media Access Control (MAC) Address
• Internet Protocol (IP) Address
• IQ Address
Let’s explain each identifier.
Media Access Control (MAC) Address: This is a physical address
that specifies a specific physical network component. This address is
predefined during manufacture and cannot be modified. No two network
components have the same MAC address and each component is
uniquely identified by its MAC address. This 48 bit address is located
on the outside of every IQ component and is shown in hexadecimal for-
mat as 6 two-byte octets such as: 00-0A-40-00-DC-2F
Internet Protocol (IP) Address: The IP address of a component is
assigned during the setup of the network and identifies the IQ compo-
nent to a larger audience. Because the MAC address is limited to a sin-
gle physical LAN, communications between LANs is impossible solely
through the use of the MAC address. The IP address allows compo-
nents and controllers on other networks to communicate with each
other through the use of an IP Router as shown in Figure 8.2.
This allows the network designer to isolate network traffic from each
other. For example, when using wireless devices to control IQ compo-
nents, the bandwidth limitation of wireless devices will not allow them
to reside on the same network with CobraNet. As a result, the use of an
IP router and a separate network allows the wireless controllers to
access the IQ components through the router using IP addressing. The
IP address appears as four numbers (0-255) separated by periods, such
as: 126.126.0.1
IQ Address: TCP/IQ components will be addressed with a unique
number from 1 to 65,535 and are assigned within the IQ software. A
separate utility is then run which queries the network and establishes
what IQ components and their associated MAC addresses are present.
An IP Address and IQ Address can then be assigned to each IQ compo-
nent.
PDA
Wireless
Access Point
IP Router
Computer
100Mb Switch
Wireless
Devices
Computer
100Mb Switch