VLAN for DMX traffic

[chris4851]

Per LOR they recommend using a separate router if your going to use E1.31. Is this mostly for simplicity reasons or something more to it?  I have Ubiquiti managed network switches and was going to create a separate VLAN for the E1.31 network.  I assume the type of traffic flowing thru if on a separate VLAN would not "take down" my normal home network?

[Don]

If you know what you are doing, and you really understand what VLAN's are ... so long as the overall traffic from your DMX doesn't overload the capacity of the router, you'd be okay. (In my opinion.)

 

[PhilMassey]

On my desktop I use a separate NIC (<$20) to run my E1.31 and the onboard NIC for the home network. Simple, keeps everything separate. On a laptop the WiFI is usually configured for the home net side and the wired port can be on a separate subnet for the lights. No router required but I use dumb switches to split the ethernet to various controllers.

[chris4851]

Ahh good info.  @PhilMassey I was going to go with a similar concept.  Dual NIC my server, one for home network, the other for DMX network. This should then allow me to still reach my server for configurations, etc.

@Don I have an understanding of the Ubiquiti system, however by no means a master. I was going to also firewall off the VLANS so that they cannot communicate with each other, unless specific ports that I want to allow. I guess my overall question is how do you gauge DMX traffic so I can ensure it doesn't overload the capacity of the router?

[PhilMassey]

I don't do any metrics on my traffic but all the controllers I am aware of won't even do Gb speeds. E1.31 data is about  a quarter Mb per s per Universe, I have 45 universes spread over 10 controllers and I know people with a lot more. No problems that I see.

Incidentally, my PC is allowed access to the internet all the time partly because it is my daily driver even during show time, and also because I use Miip to allow my guests to select which song plays next through their phone. it is a bit of a beast though, at least when I built it 3 yrs ago.

[k6ccc]

2 hours ago, chris4851 said:

I guess my overall question is how do you gauge DMX traffic so I can ensure it doesn't overload the capacity of the router?

Funny, I answered this question a day or two ago.  E1.31 will take about a quarter Megabit per second per universe.  So for example in my Christmas show with 150 DMX universes, I am using about 37 Megabits per second.

As for using a separate VLAN for E1.31, that is exactly what I do.  I am using Mikrotik routers and managed switches.  E1.31 data comes out of the show computer untagged and enters a switch where it gets tagged as my VLAN 131 (I made it easy for me to remember - also uses 192.168.131.nnn addresses).  The traffic goes over VLAN trunks to other switches and eventually emerges as untagged traffic to go to what ever E1.31 controller.  Here is a several year old (it's changed some) LAN drawing extract either as a .png file or a .pdf (the .pdf is easier to read).

http://www.newburghlights.org/images/E1.31_extract.PNG

http://www.newburghlights.org/images/E1.31_extract_2017-11-02.pdf