Behringer X18 Audio interface Ethernet issues

[SDB49]

Hi

My Mac freezes apps I'm using, (Chrome & Pro Tools) when the X18's Ethernet is connected to an external router, connected to my Mac. Chrome will stop responding until I unplug the X18 ethernet connection, but more importantly, Pro Tools freezes on launch when the X18 is connected to this external router.

I use the external router for the X18 as suggested by many, to bypass the built in router. I'm not sure where the issue is getting locked up, but I can say it doesn't occur when the X18's ethernet is not connected. Is this a known issue? Do I need to make a setting in my external router?

Using X18 1.17 firmware, XAir app 1.5.0, mac OS Mojave 10.14.6

 

[Edhawk]

Your Z87X-UD5H motherboard has two Intel Ethernet ports, so which Ethernet kexts have you added to your bootloader kext folder to activate the two ports?

The standard Intel Ethernet kext would be IntelMausi.kext (newer version of IntelMausiEthernet.kext)

The other Intel Ethernet port may require SmallTree-Intel-211-AT-PCIe-GBE.kext.

Are these the two kexts you installed?

Can you post a screenshot of the System Information > Ethernet Cards report, so we can see which ports are present and active.

Here is an example of the 2 x Ethernet Card reports from my Z97X-UD5H motherboard (1 x Intel & 1 x Atheros):

 

[SDB49]

Thanks for the response. It appears I don't have either of those installed. Here's the 2 that are listed.
Can you point me where to download the 2 I need?

Thanks!

 

[Edhawk]

The device ID's for your two Ethernet ports are 0x1533 and 0x153B.

These are the Device ID's that are present in the four main Intel Ethernet kexts:

IntelMausi.kext
0x10EA8086 0x10EB8086 0x10EF8086 0x10F08086 0x15028086 0x15038086 0x153A8086 0x153B8086 0x155A8086 0x15598086 0x15A08086 0x15A18086 0x15A28086 0x15A38086 0x156F8086 0x15708086 0x15B78086 0x15B88086 0x15D78086 0x15D88086 0x15E38086 0x15D68086 0x15BD8086 0x15BE8086 0x15BB8086 0x15BC8086 0x15DF8086 0x15E08086 0x15E18086 0x15E28086

IntelMausiEthernet.kext
0x10EA8086 0x10EB8086 0x10EF8086 0x10F08086 0x15028086 0x15038086 0x153A8086 0x153B8086 0x155A8086 0x15598086 0x15A08086 0x15A18086 0x15A28086 0x15A38086 0x156F8086 0x15708086 0x15B78086 0x15B88086 0x15D78086 0x15D88086 0x15E38086 0x15D68086 0x15BD8086 0x15BE8086 0x15BB8086 0x15BC8086 0x15DF8086 0x15E08086 0x15E18086 0x15E28086


AppleIGB.kext
0x15338086 0x15348086 0x15358086 0x15368086 0x15378086 0x15388086 0x15398086 0x157B8086 0x157C8086

SmallTreeIntel82576.kext - same as SmallTree-Intel-211-AT-PCIe-GBE.kext
0x15218086 0x15228086 0x15398086

The 0x1533 id is found in AppleIGB.kext, which you have installed.

The 0x153B id is found in both IntelMausi.kext and IntelMausiEthernet.kext. But you already have a native Apple kext installed for this device.

So there is no need to change anything. Assuming that both Ethernet ports work.

I was just checking that you had two working Ethernet ports when asking to see the Ethernet Card screenshots.

Questions:

1. How do you have your Hack connected to the internet, through one of the two Ethernet ports, via a network router or WiFi?
2. What IP address does your network router use, the standard IP for a network router is 192.168.1.1.
3. Is the external router connecting to your Hack using one of the two Ethernet ports or is it only connected to the Audio interface?
4. Is the external router using the 192.168.1.1 IP address recommended in the Behringer manual?
5. Does this IP address clash with your network/Internet router, which I assume works with your network devices via DHCP?

Below are a six pages (English language pages) from the Behringer manual for the Air X18/XR18 audio interface devices, these may be helpful as you troubleshoot the issues.



Does the switch next to the Ethernet port on your Air X18 have a setting for using Ethernet connection in place of WiFi? Is this switch set correctly?

 

[SDB49]

Thanks for the info!
Ok, so no additional kexts to install, cool.
I originally got this external router because many sound engineers said the built-in in WiFi router was unreliable, at shows etc.

Normally, I use that external router as a WiFi only connection to the X18 and use the iPad app to control the mixer etc, but now, I'm using the X18 as a USB interface to Pro Tools and figured I could just keep it connected to the external router and then connect another port from the router to my computer. Mistake...

As far as your questions:

How do you have your Hack connected to the internet, through one of the two Ethernet ports, via a network router or WiFi?
- Yes, via an ethernet connection from my cable modem to one of the ethernet ports on the Hack. This machine doesn't have a WiFi card

What IP address does your network router use, the standard IP for a network router is 192.168.1.1.
- The network settings show 192.168.0.1 as my router address

Is the external router connecting to your Hack using one of the two Ethernet ports or is it only connected to the Audio interface?
- External router is connected from the "Remote" port of the X18, to one of the 4 ethernet ports (not the one where you would connect a cable modem) then another ethernet port on the router is connected to the 2nd ethernet connection on the Hack to control the XAir app and sync it to the computer

Is the external router using the 192.168.1.1 IP address recommended in the Behringer manual?
- When I unplugged the cable modem from the Hack and connected only the external router, the Network settings show the IP as the same 192.168.0.1 address as the cable modem...? Hmm, maybe the external router needs a static address?

Does this IP address clash with your network/Internet router, which I assume works with your network devices via DHCP?
- It looks looks that way, yes. I should've checked that earlier. Maybe the external router needs a static address?

 

[SDB49]

Does the switch next to the Ethernet port on your Air X18 have a setting for using Ethernet connection in place of WiFi? Is this switch set correctly?
- Yes, set to Ethernet

So it seems both the network router and external router both use the address of 192.168.0.1

As a test, I plugged the internet router into the main connection of the external router (instead of the Hack) then plugged the Hack into the 2nd port of the external router and problem solved. X18 connects fine and Pro Tools doesn't hang on launch. (still not sure what that was all about)?
Maybe I should keep the setup this way at home when recording, and for live shows, use the external router as a WiFi router (as it was intended to be used for)

 

[Edhawk]

Easy to get IP addresses on two routers to clash, or have both using the same IP. They are all designed to use a standard IP, so they are accessible via a web page for editing.

Glad to hear you have a working solution, even if it wasn't where we were looking in the beginning.

 

[SDB49]

Actually.... I'm having connection issues again. Everything was working fine, and this morning, I can't get it to connect consistently, even as mentioned above. Unfortunately, the unit is out of warranty, and the best thing Music Tribe (Behringer's outsourced tech support)? can suggest, is taking it in for repair. We tried resetting the mixer, my router, etc, and it just won't connect all the time. I did leave the device on all night so maybe it needs to cool off for a while? No sure. I'll see what the service company says about rates etc.
Thanks for your help!

 

[Edhawk]

Shouldn't need to cool off, after being on overnight, even if running at full pelt. The device should be able to cool itself using the thermal package designed for the device.

Best of luck with the Tech Support.

 

[SDB49]

Ok, I think I finally have it together. No internet router, or any router connected. Just ethernet from the Hack to the X18 and it's been solid! We'll see what happens tomorrow, but I think this is the best bet. No need for internet on that machine when recording/editing anyway : )
X18 was probably working as expected...user error