dbx Pro Networking Solutions for dbx 4800 and DriveRack 4800 - A Comprehensive Manual

AppendixDriveRack®

A.10 - Ethernet Networking

This section of the appendix provides a step-by-step guide on how to properly connect the DriveRack 4800 or 4820 to a Local Area Network (LAN) for several different network architectures. The first topology is a simple direct connection using the provided Ethernet cable. The second method describes how to connect several DriveRack units to create an isolated network using an Ethernet switch with DHCP and configure them with the System Architect GUI. The following subsections explain how and when to connect to a remote DriveRack using the proxy feature and some tips and examples of how to access your 4800/4820 by setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This section of the appendix concludes with some further net- working considerations and troubleshooting tips that will help with connecting to your 4800/4820 unit via Ethernet. If your application is more than these simple examples we recommend that you involve a trained Ethernet network administrator in the design and commissioning of your system.

Careful planning needs be made before placing a 4800/4820 on a network that provides any access to the public. Some examples of public access are direct access to the unit from the Internet, an unsecured or weak- ly secured wireless network, a network jack in a public area that provides network access to the 4800/4820, or having a computer on the LAN that is not secured so that someone could use the System Architect soft- ware to reconfigure the 4800/4820. It is highly recommended that the equipment be placed on a protect- ed, isolated network that does not have any connection to the public to prevent unauthorized users from reconfiguring the unit. Please refer to the VPN portion of this section for more information. Factory defaults for the Internet Protocol (IP) settings for the 4800/4820 are as follows:

IP Address: 169.254.2.2

Subnet Mask: 255.255.0.0

Gateway: 0.0.0.0

DHCP Support: Enabled

A.10.1 - Overview of TCP/IP Basics

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 192.168.12.34 and the SUBNET MASK is 255.255.0.0. That means, (192.168) is the NETWORK ID. The remaining set of numbers (12.34) 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 sub- nets. For example, in a large installation, there may be one subnet per rack or room.

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