Configure your network

Give your PC a fixed address on the controller’s network and check that it can reach the controller.

  4 minute read  

Your PC can only reach the controller when both are on the same network. The controller has the address controller_ip_addressThe IP address of your controller. In most cases 192.168.2.100., so you give the network port of your PC a fixed IP addressAn address you type in yourself instead of getting one automatically, so it stays the same. next to it.

Choose an address

The subnet maskThe subnet mask tells your PC which part of an address names the network. With 255.255.255.0 the first three numbers must match; only the last one differs per device. 255.255.255.0 splits an address in two. The first three numbers name the network and must be the same on your PC and the controller. The last number names the device and must be different.

Subnet mask 255 . 255 . 255 . 0 Your PC 192 . 168 . 2 . 26 Controller 192 . 168 . 2 . 100 Network part: must match 255 in the mask Device part must differ

So give your PC:

Setting Value
Address 192.168.2.x, where x is a number from 1 to 254 that no other device on the network uses. Not 100: that is the controller. The examples use 192.168.2.26.
Subnet mask (netmask) 255.255.255.0
Gateway, DNS Leave empty.

Set the address

Plug the network cable into your PC and the controller first. Then set the address on the network port that has the cable in it.


Set the address on Ubuntu

The numbers in the screenshots match the steps.

  1. Open Settings.

  2. Go to Network.

  3. Under Wired, click the cogwheel to open the wired settings.

    Ubuntu Settings, Network page: the cogwheel next to the connected Wired connection

  4. Open the IPv4 tab.

  5. Set IPv4 Method to Manual.

  6. Under Addresses, type the address of your PC in Address, for example 192.168.2.26.

  7. Type 255.255.255.0 in Netmask.

  8. Click Apply.

    Ubuntu Wired settings, IPv4 tab: IPv4 Method Manual, Address 192.168.2.26, Netmask 255.255.255.0

To use the new address, switch the Wired connection off and on again with its switch.

Watch it as a video

Set the address on Windows

The numbers in the screenshots match the steps.

  1. Press Windows+R, type ncpa.cpl and press Enter. The Network Connections window opens.

  2. Find the wired adapter that has the cable to the controller in it.

  3. Right-click it and select Properties.

    Windows Network Connections: the right-click menu of the wired Ethernet adapter, with Properties

  4. In the list, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).

  5. Click Properties.

    Ethernet Properties: Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) selected, and the Properties button

  6. Select Use the following IP address:.

  7. Type the address of your PC in IP address:, for example 192.168.2.26.

  8. Type 255.255.255.0 in Subnet mask:.

  9. Click OK, and OK again in the adapter’s properties.

    Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties: Use the following IP address, IP address 192.168.2.26, Subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Set the address on macOS

The numbers in the screenshots match the steps.

  1. Open System Settings.

  2. Go to Network.

  3. Select the wired network adapter that has the cable to the controller in it.

    macOS System Settings, Network: the wired USB LAN adapter

  4. Click Details....

    macOS network adapter page with the Details button

  5. On the TCP/IP page, set Configure IPv4 to Manually.

  6. Type the address of your PC in IP address, for example 192.168.2.26.

  7. Type 255.255.255.0 in Subnet mask.

  8. Click OK.

    macOS TCP/IP settings: Configure IPv4 Manually, IP address 192.168.2.26, Subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Test your connection

To check that your PC reaches the controller, pingPing sends a few small test messages to an address and reports how many come back. It shows whether the network path works, before any application is involved. it. Open a terminal (on Windows: press the Windows key, type cmd and press Enter) and send five pings:

On Ubuntu and macOS:

ping -c 5 controller_ip_address

On Windows:

ping -n 5 controller_ip_address

The connection works when all five come back. The summary at the end then shows 0% packet loss, or (0% loss) on Windows.

Ubuntu terminal: ping to the controller with five replies and 0% packet loss

If no replies come back, work through Connection troubleshooting.

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