The functions of Dante and QSC Q-SYS devices rely on three key network technologies:

Discovery and control (mDNS and known multicast group), QoS (IP DSCP to transmit critical packet, PTP),

and Multicast Registration (IGMP for audio streams to join and leave a broadcast). 

• Upgrade your M4300 switch to the latest software.
• If your Dante audio device is using multicast service, you’ll need to have IGMP snooping enabled on the switch.
  • NETGEAR M4300 has IGMP snooping enabled by default in VLAN 1 that it is not necessary to enable it if the Dante device is using VLAN 1.
  • M4300 blocks all unregistered multicast packets by default on VLAN 1, including those used by Dante devices. Any end node that wants to receive any of the multicast packets must issue an IGMP report to add itself to the multicast group of interest before it can receive those packets. Since Dante devices already issue the IGMP report, it should work as is.
• NETGEAR IGMP querier sends IGMP queries once every 125 seconds by default.
  • Audinat strongly recommend that short query intervals (e.g. 15-30 seconds) be set as this ensures system responsiveness and reduces audio gap periods when temporary network issues occur. 
• NETGEAR M4300 honors 802.1Q VLAN Header Priority setting by default. Dante devices use IP DSCP values for discovery and PTP master clock packets..
• NETGEAR M4300 has Bonjour enabled by default for switch discovery. Dante devices use mDNS multicast packets for discovering their devices. 

You can configure this using the web interface or using CLI.

Web Interface Configuration

If you’re using the default VLAN (1) with your Dante/QSC device, skip to Change the Query Interval to 30. 

Configure VLAN 200

1. Navigate to Switching > VLAN > VLAN Configuration.
2. Enter 200 in VLAN ID.
3. Enter Dante in VLAN Name.
4. Click the blue Add button.

Add Port Participation

1. Navigate to Switching > VLAN > VLAN Membership.
2. Untag/participate the Dante ports in VLAN ID 200.
3. Click the blue Apply button.

Set Port PVID

1. Navigate to Switching > VLAN > Port PVID Configuration.
2. From the Dante ports used in VLAN Membership, set those ports PVID to 200.
3. Click the blue Apply button.

Turn on VLAN 200 IGMP Snooping

1. Navigate to Switching > Multicast > IGMP Snooping > IGMP VLAN Configuration.
2. For VLAN ID 200, set Admin Mode to Enable.
3. Keep all other fields unchanged.
4. Click the blue Apply button.

Set the Querier VLAN Address for VLAN 200

1. Navigate to Switching > Multicast > IGMP Snooping > Querier VLAN Configuration.
2. Enter 200 in the VLAN ID textbox.
3. Set Querier Election Participation Mode to Enable.
4. Enter the IP address of the querier to use in the Querier VLAN Address textbox; for example: 10.10.10.1
5. Click the blue Apply button.

Add VLAN 200 to MLD Snooping

1. Navigate to Switching > Multicast > MLD Snooping > MLD VLAN Configuration.
2. Enter 200 in the VLAN ID box.
3. Click the blue Add button.

Change the Query Interval to 30

1. Navigate to Switching > Multicast > IGMP Snooping > Querier Configuration.
2. Set Query Interval to 30 seconds.
3. Click the blue Apply button.

Set the Global Trust mode to trust-ip-dscp

1. Navigate to QoS > CoS Configuration.
2. Set the Global Trust Mode to trust-ip-dscp.
3. Click the blue Apply button.

Note: Firmware 12.0.9.4 trust-ip-dscp is enabled by defautl.

Change IP DSCP 56 to Queue 6

1. Navigate to QoS > CoS > IP DSCP Queue Mapping.
2. Verify IP DSCP 56 to Queue 6.
3. Click the blue Apply button.

Change IP DSCP 46 to Queue 5

1. Navigate to QoS > CoS > IP DSCP Queue Mapping.
2. Verify IP DSCP 46 to Queue 5.
3. Click the blue Apply button.

Change IP DSCP 34 to Queue 4

1. Navigate to QoS > CoS > IP DSCP Queue Mapping.
2. Verify IP DSCP 34 (AF41) to Queue 4.
3. Click the blue Apply button.

CLI Configuration

CLI Configuration using VLAN 200 as an example

Remember to set VLAN membership and participation per interface.

! VLAN setup:
!
vlan database
vlan 200
set igmp 200
set igmp querier 200
no set igmp fast-leave 200
set mld 200
exit
!
! Global setup
!
configure
set igmp querier address 10.10.10.1
set igmp querier query-interval 30
classofservice trust ip-dscp
classofservice ip-dscp-mapping 56 6
exit
 

!
! Q-SYS Reference config:
!
classofservice trust ip-dscp
classofservice ip-dscp-mapping 26 4
classofservice ip-dscp-mapping 34 5
classofservice ip-dscp-mapping 46 6
interface 2/0/1
cos-queue strict 4 5 6
ptp clock e2e-transparent
exit

 

QLAN support might be helped by default MTU is set on our switches to 9180. If you set interface MTU to 1500 it might improve latency.
(M4300-96X) #configure
(M4300-96X) (Config)#interface 1/1/1
(M4300-96X) (Interface 1/1/1)#mtu 1500
(M4300-96X) (Interface 1/1/1)#show running-config interface 1/1/1
!Current Configuration:
!
interface  1/1/1
mtu 1500
exit

 

 

 

CLI Configuration when using VLAN 1 

! VLAN setup:
!
vlan database
no set igmp fast-leave 1
exit
!
configure
set igmp querier address 10.10.10.1
set igmp querier query-interval 30
classofservice trust ip-dscp
classofservice ip-dscp-mapping 56 6
exit