Device discovery
View Dante-enabled devices and their available transmit and receive channels across the network.
Related Articles & Insights
Learn how Dante networks handle audio routing, clock synchronisation, latency, unicast, multicast, switching and the infrastructure behind reliable networked audio.
If you are starting with the fundamentals, first read our Dante Audio Networking guide to understand how Dante transports professional audio over IP. This technical guide goes further into routing, switching, multicast, clock synchronisation, latency and network design.
Traditional analogue audio systems often create signal paths physically. A microphone connects to an input, another cable connects processing equipment, and dedicated cable paths continue toward amplifiers or other destinations.
Dante changes that architecture. Dante-enabled equipment connects to an IP network and compatible audio channels are subscribed to destinations through software.
This allows many audio routes to share Ethernet infrastructure, but it also means the network becomes part of the AV system. Switches, uplinks, timing, multicast behaviour and network management therefore need to be considered during design.
For the video and wider media-distribution layer, read AV over IP: Why the Industry Is Moving Away from Point-to-Point .
Dante Controller provides visibility into devices, channels, subscriptions, clock status, network information and performance data across compatible Dante endpoints.
View Dante-enabled devices and their available transmit and receive channels across the network.
Create subscriptions between source and destination channels and review existing route status.
Review clock configuration, synchronisation and clock-related status information.
Inspect latency configuration and supported performance statistics across receiving devices.
Review transmit, receive and multicast bandwidth information when diagnosing the network.
Consistent device names, channel names and saved routing presets improve long-term supportability.
Dante normally creates unicast flows for ordinary subscriptions. Multicast becomes useful when one source must efficiently distribute media to multiple destinations.
Media is supplied toward specific receiving devices. It is straightforward for ordinary point-to-point subscriptions and is Dante's normal routing behaviour.
A multicast flow can serve several receivers from one transmitted media flow, making it useful for planned one-to-many distribution.
It should not simply be enabled everywhere. Multicast traffic can propagate more widely across a network than required, so switch configuration and IGMP behaviour should be planned for larger installations.
Networked digital audio depends on accurate timing. Dante devices maintain a shared timing reference and receiving devices use configured latency to allow packets enough time to cross the network before playback.
Eligible devices participate in establishing a common timing reference used across the Dante network.
The receiving device allows sufficient time for packets to travel through the expected network path.
Late packets, congestion or unsuitable topology can create glitches and indicate that latency or network architecture needs investigation.
Select latency for the real topology and endpoint capability. A stable configuration is more valuable than an unnecessarily aggressive setting that leaves insufficient margin for packet delivery.
Size ports and uplinks for channel count, multicast, other AV traffic and future expansion.
Use network equipment appropriate for continuous real-time media rather than treating AV as ordinary intermittent office traffic.
Where multicast is required, review IGMP behaviour and prevent media reaching ports that do not require it.
Shared and more complex networks may use QoS to protect time-sensitive media and timing traffic.
Establish whether the AV integrator, IT team or managed service provider controls network configuration and changes.
Record device names, switches, port assignments, addressing, VLANs where used, routes and configuration backups.
The appropriate architecture depends on network ownership, traffic, security, scale and organisational ICT standards. The audio workflow and network architecture should be designed together.
| Design Area | Traditional Analogue | Dante Networked Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Signal routing | Primarily determined by physical connections. | Channels are subscribed logically over the network. |
| Cable density | Individual signals often require dedicated cable paths. | Multiple channels can share Ethernet or fibre infrastructure. |
| Expansion | New routes may require extra cabling and I/O. | New endpoints can be added where network and device capacity permit. |
| Reconfiguration | Often requires physical repatching. | Many route changes can be performed through software. |
| Fault finding | Follow the physical signal chain. | Requires both AV and network diagnostics. |
| Support | Primarily audio and cabling skills. | Audio, networking, software configuration and documentation all matter. |
AV over IP is the broader concept of transporting professional audio, video and related media through IP networks rather than conventional point-to-point AV signal paths.
Dante is an Audinate platform with a particularly established role in professional networked audio.
A commercial AV project can therefore use Dante for audio transport while another AV-over-IP platform distributes video. Those systems still need to be coordinated across networking, control, security and support.
Paging, bells, halls, administration, distributed amplifiers and multi-building audio systems. Explore our School PA & Bell System Guide .
Microphones, DSP, conferencing, recording and distributed participant audio. See the Council Chamber AV System Guide .
Mixing consoles, stage I/O, DSP, amplification, recording and distributed audience areas.
Training rooms, divisible spaces, networked DSP, ceiling microphones and centralised audio services.
Front-of-house audio, stage inputs, streaming, overflow rooms and distributed amplification.
Flexible source distribution across bars, restaurants, functions, outdoor spaces and back-of-house zones.
Channel counts are defined without confirming switch ports, uplinks or network ownership.
Multicast is introduced without first establishing whether the workflow actually requires one-to-many flows.
Network policies, multicast, QoS and uplink behaviour are not reviewed before endpoints are commissioned.
Generic device and channel names make support unnecessarily difficult after handover.
Latency is reduced for theoretical performance instead of being selected for the actual network path.
Routes, presets, switch details and configuration backups are not documented.
Device names, routes, firmware information, switch configuration and network drawings should remain available throughout the technology lifecycle. See our Commercial AV Preventative Maintenance Checklist .
Dante can provide the networked-audio transport layer, while Q-SYS integration can provide DSP, control, automation, user interfaces and wider AV-system management.
The important part is not simply connecting compatible products. Signal flow, naming, network architecture, user workflows and support documentation should be designed as one system.
Masters Voice Technology used Dante networked audio as part of a Q-SYS school PA and bell system supporting paging, scheduled bells, priority communication and distributed campus audio.
The hall audio redevelopment combines Q-SYS processing, Dante network audio, professional amplification and performance loudspeakers for assemblies and productions.
A useful Dante design brief should answer these questions before the system reaches site.
Understand how video and media distribution are moving from fixed point-to-point architecture onto managed networks.
See how networked audio can support paging, scheduling, zoning and campus communications.
Learn what should be tested and documented as connected AV systems move through their lifecycle.
Understand how video and media distribution are moving from fixed point-to-point architecture onto managed networks.
See how networked audio can support paging, scheduling, zoning and campus communications.
Learn what should be tested and documented as connected AV systems move through their lifecycle.
Masters Voice Technology designs and integrates Dante-based audio systems across commercial AV, education, government, workplace and venue environments. Start with the required audio workflow, network architecture and long-term support requirements.
