AVPro edge AC-MXNET-SW24 24-Port Gigabit PoE+ Compliant Network Switch User Guide
- June 9, 2024
- AVPro edge
Table of Contents
MX net NETWORKED VIDEO ECOSYSTEM
THE MXNET 1G ECOSYSTEM
QUICK CONNECT GUIDE
AC-MXNET-SW24 24-Port Gigabit PoE+ Compliant Network Switch
The MXNet Ecosystem is an AV-over-IP platform of products that use a
traditional networking infrastructure to route video and audio signals
throughout large scale systems with unlimited numbers of sources and displays,
all switching independently and seamlessly. MXNet also has its own line of
Network Switches, pre-configured and optimized for 4K video signals with HDR
color, to save you precious onsite installation time.
Installing the devices for MXNet is a very simple and straightforward process.
AVPro Edge doesn’t expect AV integrators to get a master’s degree in
networking overnight, and they shouldn’t need to! With the MXNet setup
process, the IP elements have been removed, allowing AV integrators to
configure their setup just as they would with any traditional HDMI matrix
switch.
If using a 3rd party network switch with MXNet, please review our Knowledge Base article here.
QUICK CONNECT
Application Diagram applies to all MXNet 1G Network Switches.
INSTALLATION
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Connect the HDMI source devices to the Encoders.
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Connect the HDMI output devices to the Decoders.
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Connect the power supply to the Network Switch.
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Connect the Encoders and Decoders to the Network Switch (CBOX, Encoders, and Decoders will be powered via PoE)
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Connect the CBOX’s MXnet (PoE) AV NETWORK port to the Network Switch.
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Connect the CBOX’s PORT 1 MENTOR LAN/CONTROL port to your LAN, router, or third-party control system.
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Press the STATUS MONITOR A button on the CBOX until you see the IP address (CBOX is preconfigured out-of-the-box for DHCP).
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Open up a new tab in your web browser and type in the CBOX’s IP address.
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Type in the default username “admin” and password “admin” (all lowercase) to log in.
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Setup and control using the MXNet Mentor web app.
Combo Ports (only available on the MXNet SW24)
The MXNet SW24 Network Switch has four combo ports on port 21 through 24. A
combo port means you can use the RJ45 or SFP port. They come in a pair (i.e.
port 21 RJ45 and port 21 SFP) and using one disables the other.
If using an SFP instead of an RJ45, it’s recommended to use LC to LC 850nm
Duplex Multi-mode Fiber up to 550 Meters or LC to LC 1310nm Duplex Single-mode
Fiber up to 40km.
STACKING SWITCHES (only available on the MXNet SW24 and SW48)
The MXNet SW24 and SW48 Network Switches can be stacked together by connecting
up to four SFP+ ports between the two switches. Each SFP+ port provides 10G
uplink between each switch. An SFP+ link is required per every 10 Encoders; it
is recommended to add an additional SFP+ link for system redundancy.
If stacking 3 or more switches together, please contact AVPro Technical
Support for further assistance as this requires additional configuration.
MENTOR
The MXNet Mentor web app comes pre-installed on every CBOX and is a great tool to help you set up, configure, and test with MXNet.
HOME – SYSTEM UTILITIES
Once you have successfully logged in, you will be taken to the Mentor home
page with SYSTEM UTILITIES. This page shows the IP address for MXNet and the
current firmware version on the CBOX. From here, you can update all the MXNet
devices to their latest versions of firmware, reboot the CBOX, reboot/remove
the Encoders and Decoders, and also factory reset them.
CONFIGURE – INPUTS & OUTPUTS
This page is where you can configure the Encoders and Decoders, including
assign custom names and descriptions (limit of 12 characters), set the input
EDID’s and output resolution scaling, adjust the front panel lights, and check
the current version of firmware on the encoders and decoders. The System
Diagnostics page provides useful information on the speed and quality of the
link and signal strength, the video and audio signal coming through, detect
and reset HDMI hot-plug events, view HDCP versions, and more.
AUTO-MATRIX – SWITCHING
From here, you can switch your sources and displays just like you would with
an HDMI matrix switcher. The sources are located on the left, and the displays
are on the right. Simply click on the source first, then click on the display
you wish to view it on. You can also save and recall presets on this page for
faster switching and preview the sources’ video content as a thumbnail for
easy visual reference.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Encoder/Decoder/CBOX not powering up If all devices are not getting power, verify the power connection on the Network Switch and check the LED indicator lights for each device connection. If only one device isn’t getting power, verify your connection to the Network Switch is appropriate (see examples below).
Verify Connections (device not getting power, video signal dropouts, Mentor shows device with poor network connection, etc.) Check that all cables are properly connected and not tightly bundled together or exceeding their bend radius.
- Re-terminate using standard RJ-45 connectors. Avoid using push-through or “EZ” type ends, as these have exposed copper wiring at the tips that can damage or bend the pins inside the ports.
- Generally speaking, the higher the video resolution and the longer the run, the better the cabling should be. For most applications, Cat 5e (or better) is recommended with MXNet.
- Swap ports, cables, devices, etc., to help narrow down if the issue stays with the port, cable, or device. Try replicating the issue with a shorter, factory-terminated patch cable closer to the Network Switch.
- If using a third-party network switch, verify its IGMP settings, MTU size, PoE Budget, and EEE functionality are configured correctly. Third-party switch requirements and settings for MXNet can be found here.
Encoder/Decoder not showing up in Mentor Check the mini-OLED screen on
the front panel of the Encoder/Decoder and verify if it shows the MAC address
and its current IP address. The IP address (if running default configurations
on an MXNet switch) should be a link-local address of 169.254.x.x. If the
address is a non-link-local address, and the MXNet switch/CBOX is running
default factory configurations (no IP settings changed), please reach out to
AVPro Technical Support for further assistance.
Verify EDID’s and Scaling If you’re having issues with 4K signals, but
1080p is working, verify all the connected devices are capable of the signal
you are sending.
- Adjust the output resolution scaling down to a lower resolution, such as 1080p, on a Decoder plugged into a display you’re having issues with. Adjusting the output resolution scaling allows you to simultaneously send 4K signals to the more capable zones, and a lower resolution signal to the non-4K displays, eliminating the need to downgrade the entire system when using a mix of 4k and non-4K displays.
Have a question or need assistance?
Don’t hesitate to contact us!
SUPPORT: +1605-274-6055
USA TOLL FREE:877-886-5112
EMAIL: [email protected]