Allen & Heath CQ (20b) connection BomeBox

Hi!!

I’m a fresh BomeBox user, trying to connect the A&H CQ20b. There’s a video about the connection/setup proces. I have some additional questions. These might be basic, but one has to start somewhere…

So… question 1:
Can I connect computer and CQ20b at the same time? I’d like to see if the midi connection works and for this I need a the app open and working to get visual feedback. (Is the fader going up/down? etc.) Since the CQ can only be connected through ethernet or WIFI and not both at the same time.

I don’t know how to choose a IP adress. I have copied the automatically chosen address by the CQ. Does the adres matter, or is this correct?

I’m using an ethernet dongle with my MacBook. The subnetmask is 255.255.0.0 . I have manually changed is to 255.255.255.0 , since that’s what the video indicates. In the CQMixPad app this translates to subnet 16 in the first case and 24 in the second. Why does this matter? I really don’t know what I’m doing here…

In the video, the ethernet is set to a different fixed adres then the mixer. It ends at .1 instead of .136 . why is this? If I do that, connection with the app is immediately lost and can’t be fixed with reverting to ethernet client mode. It has to be the exact same as the CQ20b has.

Can I use the MixPad app via the wifi connection instead of ethernet? I can select a specific IP adress to connect to. Can I use it to connect via WIFI?

Long point short; I’m a bit over my head at the moment and have not established a working midi over ethernet connection.

Yes, make sure the Allen&Heath Protocol is enabled and that you have a route between your MIDI controller and the discovered CQ device. If it doesn’t discover the CQ, then you should be able to manually add the connection by specifying your CQ IP address on the BomeBox Allen&Heath page.

The address reported by the CQ should be fine. The key here is that all devices need to be on the same network. If your network has a DHCP server, then it should also assign an address to your BomeBox. If it doesn’t, then you will need to assign a fixed address on your BomeBox via a WiFi connection.

The network portion of the IP address needs to be the same and the device portion needs to be unique. If you are using network mask of 255.255.0.0 then last 2 numbers are the device portion and the first two are the network portion. For 255.255.255.0, the first 3 numbers are the network portion and the last is the device portion.

So an address 192.168.0.5 with a netmask of 255.255.255.0 is network 192.168.0 and device 5. I your netmask is 255.255.0.0 then the network portion would be 192.168 and the device portion would be 0.5.

In a nutshell, the the netmask needs to be the same.

It might be helpful if you share your CQ network configuration page.

Again, since the BomeBox comes as DHCP client as default, if you don’t have a DHCP server (to provide addresses), then you will need to use WiFi to set this up. By default WiFi is set up as a hotspot with SSID as the BomeBox name and an address of 192.168.153.1 and will provide the connecting device with a needed IP address. I will typically set this up using a mobile device (like iPhone).

The 136 is just the device number used on the video. As long as the network portion of the IP address is the same and the device portion is unique, you should be OK.

Yes, but you will need to change your WiFi settings on your BomeBox once you get the ethernet setting correctly and the BomeBox will either need to be an ethernet master or your network will need to have a DHCP master on it. to provide IP addresses to WiFi Connection. At this point, you could set the WiFi up as an Access Point instead of a Hotspot.

In your particular configuration I would recommend.

If your network has a DHCP master

  1. Set up CQ as a DHCP client
  2. Set up BomeBox WiFi as Access point
  3. Leave BomeBox ethernet as DHCP client

If your network does not have a DHCP master.

  1. Setup CQ as DHCP client
  2. Setup BomeBox ethernet as DHCP master
  3. Setup BomeBox WiFi as a hotspot.

If things get messed up and you get locked out you can do a network reset as indicated the the BomeBox instructions.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Hi Steve,

Thanks for explaining. It cleared things up quite a bit. Now I understand how the subnet mask is working (on surface level). Great.

I’ve successfully made a connection now. Turns out it had been working at first, but my midi translation was incorrect… whoops.

I’m inputting CC messages via a foot controller (Morningstar mc6 pro). These are converted with midi translator pro into nrpn 14 bit. Which is what the CQ reacts to. Initially I had it set to nrpn 7 bit, but that didn’t work. Should I just add the rule to multiply the incoming cc value 128 times ?

Hi, This example might help.

CC-to-Allen&Heath_CQ-NRPN-Example.bmtp (1.5 KB)

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Brilliant. Thanks!

Hi, I’ve had it working a week oga. But now I’m lost again…

I’ve installed a PoE injector as such: computer → PoE injector → bomebox → CQ20b. When I had it working I powered via USB. The PoE injector is the Digitus one, recommended in the FAQ on the website.

When I use it in the other direction CQ20b → PoE injector → bomebox → computer, the BomeBox shuts down completely. Probably a safety measure?

I’ve made a picture of the settings I’m using. I’ve tried manual mode as well, and matched the IP adres in the bomebox settings.

From what I understand subnet: 16 on the CQ20b means 255.255.0.0 . I’m not sure here.

By settings on the bomebox are:

Can you help me figure out what I should change to get it working?

These are my manual settings… (which don’t work either…) From what I understand , this matches the instruction video’s suggestions.

also the ethernet adapter (SATECHI USB-C Ethernet Adapter 2.5 Gigabit, 4-in-1) has a different IP adres and subnet mask…

Hi and welcome to the Bome community!

  1. Make sure the POE injector port that is labeled POE is going to the POE IN port on the BomeBox. The LAN port is meant connect to other devices on your network. Also make sure the POE injector is powered on. You should not have USB power cable plugged into the BomeBox when using the POE injector.

  2. Based on your screenshot, I assume your USB C to ethernet adapter is plugged in to either PC or Mac and you have your computer set up for DHCP. Since apparently there is not DHCP server on your network, you should set up your computer for fixed IP address that is different from any other device on the network. With a netmask of 255.255.255.0 when connected to your BomeBox.

Are you looking for simultaneous internet and BomeBox access from your computer? Is your computer normally set up for ethernet access? If so, is internet via WiFi or ethernet?

Depending on your answers, I might have other recommendations.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

If using fixed IP, based on your CQ settings, your BomeBox should be 192.168.1.1 netmask 255.255.255.0 not netmask 255.255.0.0 as shown in your first screenshot.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Hi Steve,
Thanks for your fast response!

I used 255.255.0.0 when the subnet was automatically set to 16 on the CQ. When I choose to enter the IP manually , I use 255.255.255.0 . I do this pretty much without having a clue why, accept that I read somewhere (probably on the A&H forum), the 16 and 24 subnet corresponded as such.

  1. Make sure the POE injector port that is labeled POE is going to the POE IN port on the BomeBox. The LAN port is meant connect to other devices on your network. Also make sure the POE injector is powered on. You should not have USB power cable plugged into the BomeBox when using the POE injector.

Yeah, this is how I have it connected. Check. Ethernet dongle into LAN , PoE into BomeBox and BomeBox into CQ20b.

  1. Based on your screenshot, I assume your USB C to ethernet adapter is plugged in to either PC or Mac and you have your computer set up for DHCP. Since apparently there is not DHCP server on your network, you should set up your computer for fixed IP address that is different from any other device on the network. With a netmask of 255.255.255.0 when connected to your BomeBox.

Do you mean manually adjust the IP adres of the ethernet dongle? Since this has a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 In this case?

When I look at the details of the wifi network. Subnet mask is correct and IP adres is set to fixed.

Are you looking for simultaneous internet and BomeBox access from your computer? Is your computer normally set up for ethernet access? If so, is internet via WiFi or ethernet?

For now I connect it over ethernet network in client mode. This way the connection with my computer seems to work. The CQ mixer is still unreachable. The plan is to connect the computer over ethernet and/or remote control the mixer with an iPad over wifi (hotspot).

Can you connect to your router with your computer over ethernet or is it only via WiFi?

If it is only WiFi, then set up your devices like this:

1 .BomeBox ethernet as DHCP master
2. BomeBox WiFi as WiFi client using the password for your main WiFi router.
3. Set up your CQ as Auto (DHCP client)

Now with this configuration you will be able to connect to your BomeBox with the iPad over wireless on one network and connect to the ethernet from you computer on another separate network.

Note, it this configuration you will not be able to connect to the internet unless you change your Mac to WiFi and connect to the WiFi instead of ethernet.

The ethernet IP will be assigned by the WiFI house router and the BomeBox network IP will be assigned by the BomeBox. They are actually on 2 separate networks but the BomeBox will recognize the MIDI ports on both networks so MIDI traffic should properly flow.

The below illustrates the connection I recommend if you don’t want internet and Local hooked up at the same time as described above.

If you want to connect to both at the same time, I would recommend you get a WiFi to ethernet bridge device. For me, I have a mesh network and every node on the network has an ethernet port. I simply plug all of my MIDI gear into a switch to that ethernet port.

With that, the way my house is set up is shown below. I use a mesh network and every node has an ethernet port so I use an inexpensive unmanaged switch in my office studio to connect all of my ethernet devices. In his configuration all of my ethernet devices and my BomeBoxes are ethernet clients and the node does the bridging between Wifi (internet) and my ethernet. Everything is on the same network controlled by the Cable (or in my case fibre optic) modem. From my computer perspective, everything is ethernet.

I’m sure if you can’t afford or don’t want a full blown meshh network you could just find something such as this.

Then the final configuration would look like this. In this case the BomeBox WiFi could be left in Hotspot mode and turned off. The ethernet would be an ethernet DHCP client and the CQ and Mac would also be set up as ethernet DHCP client. Like my configuration, everything would be on the same network. If you wanted more ethernet devices you would add a switch between the bridge and your ethernet connected devices.

If you can connect your BomeBox and other devices to the main router (modem), that would be even better. And you would set up your devices all as DHCP clients,

Let me know if this works for you and the path you picked.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Hi Steve, thank you for the thorough explanation with diagrams.

First thing that doesn’t work for me is the PoE out into the ethernet dongle into the MacBook. When I do this , this BomeBox immediately switches off. What I can do, is Mac → LAN injector PoE → IN BomeBox OUT → CQ. I hope that’s OK too.
I think option 1 is best for my use case. I 'm taking the CQ with me to gigs and use a foot controller to control the CQ while performing.

Note, it this configuration you will not be able to connect to the internet unless you change your Mac to WiFi and connect to the WiFi instead of ethernet.

So it’s best, not to connect ethernet and use wifi client mode in order to have internet acces and acces to the BomeBox at the same time on my Mac? This would be fine when I program it at home. When all is set and I take the setup with me for live performance, I can change it to ethernet only and have the hotspot on for Ipad? Almost like option 1 (without being connected to internet at all? ) Would that work?

I tried connecting with bomebox as DHCP master. and the bomebox connected to the wifi network. ( I’m not able to disconnect the ethernet connection, without removing the CQ from the flightcase btw) This way the CQ automatically connects with IP: 192.168.2.1 . However it still is unreachable and not recognized in the MixPad app.

When I turn off WiFi, the BomeBox is unable to reconnect with ethernet. The subnet mask of my ethernet dongle is 255.255.0.0 should I manually adjust this? Will it cause trouble when I’m trying to connect ethernet only? I tried the following manual adjustments (“handmatig” means manual) to no avail:

So in short:

The setup is meant to be Mac connected to ethernet and iPad via hotspot…

At home it’s easy to have internet acces, so I won’t have to connect / disconnect all the time.

In both cases there no communication with the CQ possible at the moment, despite the recommended settings.

I had to do a network reset again, since I’m locked out when using ethernet and wifi at the same time. Ethernet connection is not yet made, but maybe this is a matter of time, like it was the previous time.


Option 2 is a more permanent solution I think? I could install a switch into the flight case however. It would work at home, but the intended use case is take to a venue.

Is the bridge in option 3 a separate wifi receiver connected with ethernet? Would the PoE injector have to be replaced with a powered switch in order to have multiple ethernet connections.

Here is Florian Bomer’s recommendation and I think probably best for your use case. My use case is different where I require equipment and ethernet connection simultaneously in my home office. In my case my switch also provides POE to BomeBox as it is a POE enables switch.

For POE out, you should be able to hook that to any ethernet device as per the POE spec, it will only activate if the receiving device uses it. It is safe to use POE out on the BomeBox to Mac or CQ because neither of these devices need POE so the power negotiation will not happen on that connector and POE there will not be activated.

Steve

This is the first time I hear that something like this happens! As Steve pointed out, PoE Out will only activate if the other side is a PoE (input) capable device.
It’s good that you have a workaround, though.

For us, it would be great to know why there is this apparent incompatibility. What is the maker and model of the Ethernet dongle that you use on the Mac?

Thanks!

Here is a picture of what Florian described.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Whoops yes, you would need a small switch and in this case a POE switch would be nice so that you don’t need the injector at all.

Like option 2, this is only for if you need simultaneous equipment and internet access from your Mac or iPad.

Steve