Extron Electronics VN-Matrix 250 User Guide: Low Level Device Configuration

z 8 — this option sets the IP address of the system controller. The controller IP

address must be set to the IP Address of the streaming port on the unit designated

as controller. This is the network port over which system control data is sent. The

default value is 192.168.254.254.

z 18 — this option sets the number of the port that is used for communications with

the system controller. The default value is 5432 but it may be changed, if required.

All units in the system must have the same port number assigned.

z 19 — this option sets the number of the port that communicates with the web

server. The default value is 80 but it may be changed, if required. The web browser

in use must use the same port number.

NOTE: Option 19 is only available when the device is configured as the system

controller.

z 9 — this option allows you to exit the network port configuration page and opens

the Controller and DHCP Configuration page. Any changes that have been made

are activated only after exiting the Controller and DHCP Configuration page and

rebooting.

5. Select 9 followed by <Enter>.

The DHCP configuration settings page opens:

:

Figure 12. Low Level Configuration Menu Page

NOTE: The settings in this menu apply only when the device is configured as the

system controller.

6. At the

Please select an option: prompt, type the number of the parameter you wish

to change followed by <Enter>:

z 6 — this option enables or disables the DHCP/SLAAC server. To enable the server,

enter dhcp followed by <Enter>. To disable the server, enter none followed by

<Enter>.

NOTE: dhcp and none are all lower case letters.

z 7 — this option sets the DHCP IP range and is only available when DHCP is

enabled (option 6). Enter the DHCP pool address range in the following format:

xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx<space>xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

where the lower IP address value and the upper IP address value are separated by

a single space.

z 9 — this option saves all changes, closes the Controller and DHCP config page,

and automatically reboots the device in the config login.

7. Select 9 followed by <Enter>.

The Controller and DHCP configuration settings page closes and the device

automatically reboots to the config login screen. The changes that were made in steps

4‑6 are implemented.

VNM 250 • Low Level Device Configuration 26

Setting a VNM 250 Device as the System Controller

All Matrix systems require one device that acts as the system controller. For small systems

(ten devices or fewer), this can be either a VNE250 or VND250. For larger systems, a

VN‑Matrix Enterprise Controller must be used.

The VNM250 device that is chosen as the system controller must use static IP address

settings.

Extron recommends using Low Level Device Configuration (see page 24) to set one

device as the system controller.

Configuring the System Controller with a Static IP Address

To configure the system controller with a static IP address:

1. Open the configuration menu of each device (see page 24) and ensure that the

Streaming Network port IP Prov mode (option 11) is set to static.

2. Set the IP address (option 12), netmask (option 13), and gateway (option 14) for the

streaming network (LAN 2).

3. Set the Controller IP address (option 8) to the same address as the streaming port.

4. Use option 9 to exit from the configuration menu.

Configuring Other VNM 250 Devices with a Static IP Address

To configure the system with static IP addresses for all devices:

1. Open the configuration menu (see page 24) and ensure that the Streaming Network

port IP Prov mode (option 11) is set to static.

2. Set the IP address (option 12), netmask (option 13), and gateway (option 14) for the

streaming network (LAN 2).

3. Set the Controller IP address (option 8).

NOTES:

• Every device must have a unique Streaming network port (LAN 2) IP address

(option12).

• Every device in the system must have the same Controller IP address

(option8) and this must be the same as the streaming network port (LAN 2)

IP address on the device selected to be system controller.

4. Use option 9 to exit from the configuration menu.

5. Use option 9 to exit from the Controller and DHCP menu.

6. Repeat steps 1‑5 to configure all other VNM 250 devices in the system.

VNM 250 • Low Level Device Configuration 27

Configuring a VNM 250 Series Unit for DHCP

VNM250 devices may have their streaming port network settings configured using IP

addresses from a DHCP server.

For small systems, the VNM250 device that is used as the system controller may also be

configured to act as a DHCP server. It is then used to set the streaming port parameters

of the other VNM250 devices in the same system. For larger systems a Windows DHCP

server may be used.

NOTE: The VN Matrix Enterprise Controller does not support DHCP server

functionality.

Configuring a VNM 250 System Controller as a DHCP Server

The following requirements must be observed:

z The DHCP server will run only on a VNM250 device that is configured as the system

controller.

z The streaming network settings of the controller device must be statically assigned.

z The Controller IP address must be statically assigned.

To configure the VNM 250 system controller as a DHCP Server:

1. Connect a control PC to the chosen unit and log in as described in steps 1-3 on

page24.

====================

======================

0. Speed/Duplex: auto_10_100_1000

1. IP Prov mode: static

2. address: 192.168.253.254

3. netmask: 255.255.255.0

6. mtu: 1500

7. VLAN ID: 0

8. controller ip: 192.168.254.254

9. Exit

11. IP Prov mode: static

12. address: 192.168.254.254

13. netmask: 255.255.255.255

14. gateway: 192.168.254.254

16. mtu: 1500

17. VLAN ID: 0

18. Controller port: 5432

19. webserver port: 80

9

Figure 13. Configuring a VNM 250 Series Unit as a DHCP Server.

2. Set IP Prov mode (option 11) to static.

3. Ensure that option 12 has a valid IP address. This address must be in the same range

that the user wishes to allocate when DHCP is enabled.

4. Ensure that option 13 has a valid subnet mask.

5. Ensure that option 14 has a valid gateway.

NOTE: If the gateway is invalid or not present, the unit will not be able to act as a

DHCP server.

6. Ensure that option

8 (controller address) is set to the same address as set in option 12.

VNM 250 • Low Level Device Configuration 28

7. Select option 9 to move to the controller section of the menu.

Figure 14. Low Level Configuration Menu, Page 2

8. Select option 6 and enter dhcp. This enables the DHCP server in the device.

9. Once option 6 is set to dhcp, option 7 becomes visible. Select option 7 and enter the

range of addresses that the DHCP server will use when allocating addresses. This range

must include the address set for option 12 on the previous page.

Figure 15. Controller Set as a DHCP Server

10. Select option 9 to commit the settings and reboot the unit.

Configuring a VNM 250 Series Unit to Operate with a DHCP Server

1. Login to the chosen unit using a serial cable and enter the user name of config with

the password of config.

2. Select option 11 from the menu and enter the value dhcp.

3. Press <Enter>. Options 12, 13 and 14 disappear from the menu. These values are

assigned when the unit contacts the DHCP server and acquires a valid IP address.

4. Select option 8 (controller address). Enter either the IP address of the system controller

or set the IP address to “0.0.0.0”. Either method is acceptable.

If the address is set to “0.0.0.0” the DHCP server must either be a VNM 250 unit or

a DHCP server that has the “Vendor Specific Option” correctly configured. This is

explained in the next section.

====================

======================

0. Speed/Duplex: auto_10_100_1000

1. IP Prov mode: static

2. address: 192.168.253.254

3. netmask: 255.255.255.0

6. mtu: 1500

7. VLAN ID: 0

8. controller ip: 0.0.0.0

9. Exit

11. IP Prov mode: dhcp

16. mtu: 1500

17. VLAN ID: 0

18. Controller port: 5432

9

Figure 16. Configuring a VNM 250 Series Unit to Operate with a DHCP Server

VNM 250 • Low Level Device Configuration 29

5. Select option 9 (Exit) to enter the Controller menu.

Figure 17. Low Level Configuration Menu, Page 2

Ensure that options 6 is set to none.

6. Select option 9 (Exit) to reboot the device.

The streaming network settings will be configured when the VNM250 device is

connected to a network with a properly configured system controller or DHCP server.

NOTE: The VN‑Matrix Enterprise Controller does not currently provide DHCP

server functionality.

Using a Dedicated DHCP Server

If required, a dedicated DHCP server may be used to provide the IP address settings for the

VNM250 device in a system.

The device that is acting as the system controller must have its IP settings configured

statically.

The other VNM250 devices in the system are to be configured for DHCP as described in

Configuring a VNM 250 Series Unit to Operate with a DHCP Server on the previous

page.

If possible, the DHCP server should be configured to provide the Controller IP address and

port number, using the Vendor Specific Option. Otherwise, the IP address of the system

controller must be entered on all VNM250 devices in the system.

VNM 250 • Low Level Device Configuration 30

Configuring a Windows 2008 R2.

The windows DHCP server can be configured so that, when a VNM 250 device contacts the

server for an IP address, the server can include the IP address of the system controller and

the controller port number as part of the DHCP configuration.

The figure below shows a Windows Server 2008 R2 installation. Other operating systems

may vary.

Scope Options ?

General

Advanced

Available Options

Description

043 Vendor Specic Info Embedded w

044 WINS/NBNS Servers

NBNS Addre

045 NetBIOS over TCP/IP NBDD

NetBIOS ov

046 WINS/NBT Node Type

0x1 = B-nod

Data entry

String value:

controller-ip=192.168.254.254;controller-port=5432

OK Cancel

Apply

Apply

Figure 18. Scope Options Window

1. Open the Server Manager.

2. Highlight the scope options and right click. Select

Configure Options from the

pop‑up.

3. In the General tab, navigate to option 043 Vendor Specific Info and select the

check box.

4. In the Data Entry text box, enter:

controller-ip=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx;controller-port=xxxx;

where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address of the controller and “xxxx” is the port

number used by the VNM 250 system for controller communication. By default, this

value is 5432.

VNM 250 • Low Level Device Configuration 31

Control Port

The control port is used to access the web UI or the HLI control interfaces on a VN‑Matrix

system.

The web UI on either a VNM250 device (configured as the system controller) or a

VNMEnterprise controller may be accessed from any device on the same system by

connecting a PC to a properly configured control port. This may be useful when a system is

undergoing commissioning, but is not required for normal operation.

If a VNMEnterprise controller is in use, then the HLI control interface may also be accessed

from the control port of any VNM250 device on the same system. This facilitates the

connection of an external control system, where necessary.

The web UI and HLI interface are both accessed at the control port via a connection across

the streaming network. A process similar to Network Address Translation (NAT) is used to

map data received on the control port so that it is transferred to the system controller using

the streaming network. Replies from the system controller to the local device follow the

reverse path.

z From a web browser enter http://[system controller IP address] to access the

system Controller web UI.

z To access the HLI interface on a VNM Enterprise Controller, then the IP address of the

system controller is used along with the appropriate port number. For the HLI control

protocol the port number is 9996.

NOTE: The user will NOT be able to directly access devices that are connected to the

control ports of other VNM 250 devices.

Configuring the Control Port

Configure the control port by using the process described in the Low level Configuration

section that starts on page 24.

When configuring the Control port the following must be observed:

z The IP addresses assigned to the Control Port and the Streaming Port must not be on

the same subnet.

z Give the user PC a default gateway that forces IP messages to be passed to the system

controller via the control port interface. For a directly connected PC, set the default

gateway of the PC (or control system) to the IP address of the VNM250 control port.

VNM 250 • Low Level Device Configuration 32