2018 Network Set-up Advice

[smithzone]

Looking for some advice to help clean up my network set-up for next year.   I would like to try and get everything on e1.31 and move to more of a "hub and spoke" design in 2018.  This will ease troubleshooting and allow for better expansion down the road.

For 2018, I plan to only be adding more pixels controllers and maybe rearranging the placement of some existing AC boxes.

I am thinking I can move each half of the LOR network over to a PIXCON port and ditch the rs485.   I understand I do not need to make a crossover cable and just need to assign new DMX IDs to all of the AC boxes.   Does anyone know if my ELL will still work?

Any other thoughts on cleaning this mess up?

Current Setup:

Edited December 21, 2017 by smithzone

[k6ccc]

My first question is why move the LOR network traffic onto an E1.31 controller port?  You certainly don’t have enough LOR channels to dictate splitting the existing LOR network.

Putting your new pixels on E1.31 makes sense - especially since you already have lots of E1.31.

As for the ELL, I don’t know.  My guess is no because it’s a semi smart device that understands LOR commands.  On the other hand, there are wireless DMX products available.

 

[smithzone]

27 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

My first question is why move the LOR network traffic onto an E1.31 controller port?  You certainly don’t have enough LOR channels to dictate splitting the existing LOR network.

Putting your new pixels on E1.31 makes sense - especially since you already have lots of E1.31.

As for the ELL, I don’t know.  My guess is no because it’s a semi smart device that understands LOR commands.  On the other hand, there are wireless DMX products available.

 

Mostly trying to reduce CAT6 runs.  I have all of the CAT6 (e1.31) runs punched down in a server closet and then they terminate at various spots around the house under the fascia board.   Easy troubleshooting and one bad connection doesn't take down that much of the show.   

My LOR network is all daisy chained around the house with duct tape on the sidewalk and just feels like a mess.  I thought about running it up into server closet and doing a bunch of short jumpers cables on the punch panel, but seems like a lot of points of failure (and risky if I plug something into wrong panel).

Edited December 21, 2017 by smithzone

[Richard Hamilton]

Unless I am misunderstanding, I would not use any ELLs with CCB or Pixie controllers.  In my experience, the speed of 115K just isn't fast enough to keep up with complex patterns and sequences.

[smithzone]

1 hour ago, Richard Hamilton said:

Unless I am misunderstanding, I would not use any ELLs with CCB or Pixie controllers.  In my experience, the speed of 115K just isn't fast enough to keep up with complex patterns and sequences.

I have 8 AC mini-trees between sidewalk and street and use the ELL to avoid CAT6 over the sidewalk.    I don't intend to convert the trees to pixels yet.

Maybe I just plug the other ELL into the R485 and leave that AC controller all wireless (and LOR protocol).

[smithzone]

Something like this