Ethernet switch options for dSnake

[BrooksParticipant]

Hello all! Thank you for the great forum and community.

I have been reading through the various threads about using dSnake with Ethernet switches, but I didn’t see one that addressed my question precisely, though I do apologize if I missed it.

I am building a system where I will need dSnake audio racks / stage boxes in three locations.
– 16 inputs at a wireless rack that may be in a few different locations in the room (AB168)
– 16 inputs in a portable rack that may also be in a few different locations in the room (AB168)
– 8 inputs in a fixed rack that will stay put (AR84)

So, if the two AB168s were going to be in fixed locations, I would run one into the dSnake port of the GLD, and the second AB168 into the expander port of the first AB168. And of course, the AR84 would connect to the expander port of the GLD.

Because the AR84 will stay in one spot, it’s no trouble connecting that directly to the GLD. The question is with the AB168s. It will be difficult to always have one AB168 connected to the other, so one thought I had was to connect the dSnake port of the GLD to an Ethernet switch, and then connect all of the various ports in the room to the switch as well. That way, the AB168s could be connected anywhere in the room, whether one or both are in use.

Will this work? The threads I’ve been reading here seem to suggest they should work so long as ports are wire-speed, within the distance limitation, have spanning-tree disabled and are isolated on their own VLAN. Is this accurate?

For the more visually inclined (like myself), I have also attached a simple diagram of what I’m thinking.

I appreciate your support!
Brooks

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[nasiParticipant]

Hey,

as far as I understand this won’t work because it’s no PtP-Connection. With your setup there will be three devices in one LAN but only two are allowed.
What you could do: use 2 unmanaged Switches. To every location, where you would like to place your AB168s, you have to install 2x Network Cables – one connected to Switch1, one to Switch2.
Then you connect Switch1 to dSnake GLD and at a location of your choice you connect your first AB168 dSnake also to this switch.
And then you connect expander port of first AB168 to the second network cable which runs to Switch2 and at second location you connect second AB also to Switch2.

Instead of two Switches you could use one big managed switch and use VLANs (port based would be sufficient).
Or if you don’t wan’t to install two cables to every location you would need a big central managed switch with VLAN tagging (IEEE 802.1Q) and a small managed switch at every location and use VLAN Trunks.

I’d use first solution because it’s easiest one and you have nothing to manage/configurate – so it’s most failsafe.

[Author]

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