Network Interfaces, Services, & Protocols

Q-SYS provides many network-related services and functions across multiple network adapters (interfaces). Q-SYS Core processors, peripherals, and some I/O cards include network interfaces.

Note: Many network services on the Q-SYS Core can be enabled or disabled on a per-adapter basis in Q-SYS Core Manager or Enterprise Manager. For more information, see Q-SYS Core Manager > Network Services.

Q-SYS Core processors include at least two network interfaces.

  • LAN A: Included on all Q-SYS Core processors, LAN A is required for use with the primary Q-LAN network. (If the Q-LAN network is not redundant, LAN A must be used for Q-LAN.) LAN A can also be used for other functionality.
  • LAN B: Included on all Q-SYS Core processors, LAN B is required for use with the secondary Q-LAN network. It can also be used for other functionality.
  • AUX LAN / AUX A, B: Except for the Q-SYS Core 110f, Q-SYS Core processors include one or more AUX ports that can be used for non-time-sensitive networking applications.

Some Q-SYS peripherals have both LAN A and LAN B interfaces. Connect each interface to the network corresponding to the same interface on the Q-SYS Core processor.

Note: Q-SYS peripherals cannot be placed on LAN A and LAN B when there is only a single network.

Q-SYS I/O cards with network interfaces include:

  • Dante™ audio bridge card (CDN64)
  • AVB bridge card (CAN32)
  • CobraNet™ digital input/output card (CCN32).

The network interfaces on those cards are used exclusively for those purposes.

Note: Although the AES/EBU digital input card (CIAES-16) includes RJ-45 connectors, it does not support Ethernet in any context.

These high-level network services and their underlying protocols can be enabled or disabled on a per-adapter basis in Q-SYS Core Manager or Enterprise Manager.

Note: See Q-SYS Core Manager > Network Services for more information.

Network Service / Function Description / Protocols Used LAN A LAN B AUX LAN

Q-SYS Device Discovery

Automatic discovery of Q-SYS Cores on a network by Q-SYS software applications, such as Q-SYS Designer.

Q-SYS Discovery Protocol (QDP): Multicast UDP 224.0.23.175 on Ports 2467-2470 and Unicast on Port 6504

Q-SYS Designer Communications - Legacy

Legacy HTTP communication between Q-SYS Designer and the Q-SYS Core.

  • Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): TCP Port 80
  • Q-SYS Control Binary (QCB): TCP Port 1700

Q-SYS Designer Communications - Secure1

Secure connection, design file load, and control communications with a Q-SYS Core when using Q-SYS Designer software version 7.1 or higher.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS): TCP Port 443

Q-SYS Audio Enabled Peripherals

Q-SYS peripheral device audio streaming.

  • Q-SYS Discovery Protocol (QDP): Multicast UDP 224.0.23.175 on Ports 2467-2470 and Unicast on Port 6504
  • IEEE-1588 (2008) Precision Time Protocol (PTPv2): Multicast UDP 224.0.1.129 Ports 319 - 320

 

Q-SYS Control Peripherals

Control of Q-SYS TSC touchscreen devices by the Q-SYS Core.

  • Q-SYS Control Binary (QCB): TCP Port 1700
  • Q-SYS Discovery Protocol (QDP): Multicast UDP 224.0.23.175 on Ports 2467-2470 and Unicast on Port 6504
  • Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): TCP Port 80

 

Q-SYS TSC-3

Initial configuration and control communications between the Q-SYS Core and any TSC-3 touchscreen.

  • Q-SYS Control Binary (QCB): TCP Port 1700
  • Q-SYS Discovery Protocol (QDP): Multicast UDP 224.0.23.175 on Ports 2467-2470 and Unicast on Port 6504
  • Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): TCP Port 80
  • File Transfer Protocol (FTP): TCP Port 2121

   

Q-SYS UCI Viewers - Windows and iOS

Communication between Q-SYS UCI Viewers and the Q-SYS Core.

  • Q-SYS Control Binary (QCB): TCP Port 1700
  • Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): TCP Port 80

Q-SYS Cameras

Communication between Q-SYS networked cameras and the Q-SYS Core.

Web Services Discovery: Multicast UDP 239.255.255.250 on Port 3702

 

Q-SYS External Control Protocol - ASCII

Control of the Q-SYS Core from a third-party control system using the ASCII-based Q-SYS External Control Protocol.

TCP Port 1702

Q-SYS Remote Control Protocol - JSONRPC

Control of the Q-SYS Core from a third-party control system using the JSONRPC-based Q-SYS Remote Control Protocol.

TCP Port 1710

Q-SYS Core Redundancy

Allows the Core to be used as part of a redundant Core configuration. This service is required if Core Redundancy is configured in the Q-SYS design file.

  • Q-SYS Discovery Protocol (QDP): Multicast UDP 224.0.23.175 on Ports 2467-2470 and Unicast on Port 6504
  • Q-SYS Control Binary Secure (QSB): TCP Port 1704

 

Secure Maintenance & Support

Secure communications for diagnostics by QSC engineering if remote support is requested, authorized, and provided by the user.

Secure Shell: TCP Port 22

Q-SYS Device Discovery via mDNS / Bonjour

Q-SYS device access on the network via hostname. Some Q-SYS plugin developers also leverage the mDNS service.

Multicast Domain Name Service (mDNS): Multicast UDP 224.0.0.251 on Port 5353

Hovermon Audio

Allows the Q-SYS Designer application to listen to audio throughout the DSP design for troubleshooting purposes.

Outbound from Q-SYS Core: UDP Ephemeral Port

SNMP Monitoring

Allows for monitoring via SNMP v2c or v3.

1. This service cannot be disabled.

Of the protocols and functions supported by Q-SYS, some require the transmission and reception of multicast packets, while others (such as Q-LAN) are time sensitive, requiring guaranteed and timely delivery of packets through the network.

In the following tables:

  • Multicast protocols require that multicast traffic is allowed on the network. If the total bandwidth of traffic on the network exceeds 1Gbps, you must configure IGMP snooping on the network switch. See Network Switches & Infrastructure and Addressing & Routing.
  • Time-sensitive protocols require a network that can deliver packets with low latency and low jitter. For these protocols and functions, QSC recommends that you configure Quality of Service (QoS). See Network Switches & Infrastructure.
Protocol Multicast Time-sensitive

Q-SYS Discovery

 

Q-SYS Control

    

Audio Clocking (PTPv2)

Q-LAN Audio

  

Q-LAN Video

  

AES67

Dante Audio

  

VoIP Telephony Control (SIP/TLS)

    

VoIP Telephony Audio (RTP/SRTP)

  

Other Media Streaming

Protocol / Function Multicast Time-sensitive

mDNS

 

Audio Clocking (PTPv1)

Dante Audio

  

The CAN32 is a 100 Mbps device. IGMP snooping is not required on AVB-compliant networks.

Protocol / Function Multicast Time-sensitive

IEEE1722.1 (Device discovery, control, connection)

 

MSRP (Stream Reservation Protocol)

 

Audio Clocking (PTPv2)

AVB Audio (QoS handled by IEEE802.1Qat in switch)

  

The CCN32 is a 100 Mbps device. CobraNet devices do not support IGMP snooping. CobraNet Audio packets are usually unicast, but can be configured as multicast.

Protocol / Function Multicast Time-sensitive

Conductor Beat Packets

Discovery and Device Connection (SNMP)

 

CobraNet Audio

These are the other network functions on the Q-SYS network and the Q-SYS Core network adapters they use.

Function LAN A LAN B AUX LAN

Audio Clocking (PTPv2)

 

Q-SYS Control Scripting

Q-SYS Softphone Control - SIP/TLS

Q-SYS Softphone Audio - RTP/SRTP

AES67 Streaming Audio

 

Dante Streaming Audio

 

Media Streaming, Rx/Tx

WAN Streaming, Rx/Tx