How it works in the path
The specs that matter at show time are QoSQuality of Service — switch settings that let time-critical packets (like Dante’s clock) jump the queue ahead of bulk traffic., IGMP snoopingThe switch feature (IGMP snooping) that keeps multicast audio streams from flooding every port on the network., and VLANVirtual LAN — slicing one physical switch into separate isolated networks, like keeping Dante away from lighting and guest WiFi. support. QoS lets you tag and prioritize DanteThe most common audio-over-network standard: dozens of channels of uncompressed digital audio down one ordinary Ethernet cable between Dante boxes. audio packets so a burst of control traffic from a tablet or laptop doesn't eat into your audio bandwidth. IGMP snooping keeps multicastOne network stream delivered to many receivers at once — efficient for audio networks, but it needs IGMP snooping to stay polite. Dante streams from flooding every port on the switch, which matters once your device count climbs. VLANs let you separate your audio network from any shared production or venue infrastructure on the same physical switch — cleaner and more reliable than hoping nothing bleeds over. At 20 watts nominal draw and 257mm depth, it fits comfortably in a shallow rack and barely registers on your power budget.
