• From: Seevetal
  • Registered: 2007-05-03
  • Posts: 406

Topic: What is the use of the secondary net port on the 12 Mic?

If I connect the AirPort Express to the primary port, I can remote control with Safari.
If I connect to the secondary port it does not work.

I would like to connect a MacBook to the primary port for recording with AVB,
und use the secondary for remote control with an iPad.
How could I do this?

UFX+, FireFace 802 FS, Digiface USB
12 Mic, M1610 pro, Micstasy
MacBookPro M1
Logic Pro X

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2023-04-01 15:57:39)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,182

Re: What is the use of the secondary net port on the 12 Mic?

At least the webpage tells: "two fully redundant network ports".

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

3 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2023-04-01 17:00:48)

  • waedi
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
  • Posts: 4,522

Re: What is the use of the secondary net port on the 12 Mic?

And you can record all AVB channels into any DAW with the Mac.
I had no idea this is possible. Thanks to your post I found out AVB is implemented into MacOS and all AVB channels are accessable.
It needs a true Gigabit ethernet port, some cheap USB-ethernet adapter will not work.
Open the AVB-utility (AVDECC Entity Controller) from Terminal : avbutil --controller

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • From: Seevetal
  • Registered: 2007-05-03
  • Posts: 406

Re: What is the use of the secondary net port on the 12 Mic?

This is about Remote Control.
AVB is working fine.
Connecting AirportExpress with secondary port on 12 mic is not working as long as primary port is used for AVB.
It shortly worked yesterday but after restarting, no more.
I also tried static IP address.
The yellow led on sec port is blinking only slowly.

I think I have to call RME support next week

UFX+, FireFace 802 FS, Digiface USB
12 Mic, M1610 pro, Micstasy
MacBookPro M1
Logic Pro X
  • Max
  • Max
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  • Registered: 2007-05-09
  • Posts: 315

Re: What is the use of the secondary net port on the 12 Mic?

Interesting use case! I also received your question via the online manuals form, but will answer it here.

The scenario is possible and works in our tests, also after a reboot. Each LAN port has its own DHCP client, therefore the 12Mic will receive separate IP addresses. It can be remote controlled on both networks at the same time via different IP addresses. This is necessary, because the ports are redundant (not switched) and therefore one has to be able to remote control the device from the network that one currently uses.

The IP addresses can be inspected via ['i'] (third button on standby screen) and then [LAN info] on the device.

A slow blinking ACT led simply means 'not much traffic', which is expected if you cannot reach the web remote. I would expect that if you check the assigned address, you will probably see a self-assigned IP address? This could be related to the way the 'airport express' (re-) assigns addresses. Also with static addresses, you would have to make sure that the airport express accepts the IP address. I think using an `Airport Express` is not very convenient, because it cannot be configured/checked from the iPad. If you connect the Mac with the configuration utility, you must make sure that you have disconnected from the PRI network port. Do you have a different WiFi router to test this?

  • From: Seevetal
  • Registered: 2007-05-03
  • Posts: 406

Re: What is the use of the secondary net port on the 12 Mic?

Hi Max!
Thank you for your explanations.
Sadly, when I connect to sec port on the 12 Mic in the inspector, no connection is shown.
BTW, this works fine with the 1610 Pro and therefor I configured the two items new:
1610 Pro connected via AVB.
12 Mic vier MADI Coax to 1610 Pro.
Before I had it the other way around. 12 Mic AVB and 12 Mic coax to 1610 Pro because I wanted to remote control the levels on the 12 Mic via MIDI over MADI.
In the new setup I can control the levels of the 12 Mic with my iPad and AirportExpress but only if I use the prim port.
Could you please check, if the simultaneous use of two ports on the 12 Mic is really working?
Maybe the sec port on my 12 Mic is broken.

UFX+, FireFace 802 FS, Digiface USB
12 Mic, M1610 pro, Micstasy
MacBookPro M1
Logic Pro X
  • From: Seevetal
  • Registered: 2007-05-03
  • Posts: 406

Re: What is the use of the secondary net port on the 12 Mic?

In my case, the problem seems to be with using an Apple AirPort Express 2012 and using the secondary port only.

UFX+, FireFace 802 FS, Digiface USB
12 Mic, M1610 pro, Micstasy
MacBookPro M1
Logic Pro X
  • Max
  • Max
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  • Registered: 2007-05-09
  • Posts: 315

Re: What is the use of the secondary net port on the 12 Mic?

Just a quick summary and resolution:

Whenever a 100 MBit/s device was plugged in to the primary or secondary port while powering on a 12Mic (not 12Mic-D!) or M-1610 Pro, the port would not work.

We have identified what caused this and released firmwares with a corresponding fix for 12Mic (1.6.2) and M-1610 Pro (2.4.2).

  • bsfreq
  • S/Mux specialist
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  • Registered: 2011-03-02
  • Posts: 244

Re: What is the use of the secondary net port on the 12 Mic?

Max wrote:

Just a quick summary and resolution:

Whenever a 100 MBit/s device was plugged in to the primary or secondary port while powering on a 12Mic (not 12Mic-D!) or M-1610 Pro, the port would not work.

We have identified what caused this and released firmwares with a corresponding fix for 12Mic (1.6.2) and M-1610 Pro (2.4.2).

Nice, thanks! I was wondering why I couldn’t use the other port for remote control when using a 100Mbit switch in between my devices.

Fireface UFX+ | Fireface UFX | Babyface Pro | 12Mic