Starting "Pro DJ Link" issues

@Adam > Not to point out the obvious but all players should be on the latest firmware version - I carry around a cheap thumb drive that I use to update any old-firmware players. You should also ensure you are on the latest version of rekordbox also.

Were the first set of CDJs updated to the latest firmware (I don't think you mentioned...)?

And I am correct in saying you were using the same Netgear router in both circumstances (firewalls opened etc)?

i don't dispute that the firmware was the issue in the first venue but in the second venue with the new CDJs, they both were up to date and worked fine for two weeks and then didn't work correctly this weekend. Same router same macbook, firewall totally disabled. Latest version of rekordbox too.

Whenever I come across the Link icon not appearing issue, it's usually solved by switching the CDJs (or DJM) off and on.  That happens very rarely though, usually the Link icon doesn't appear because my laptop has more than 1 network interface enabled (ie. wired and wireless).  A quick disable of the wireless and the icon appears.

@gavin Thats interesting, my laptop does show that wireless has precedence over ethernet. I've re-ordered them now to give ethernet priority. Will also try disabling the wireless also.

@Adam > Yes, those would be good things to do. However, I also noticed you are using a "netgear router"?

Does the router have a built in firewall or management software installed on it?

For best use, you should use an ethernet switch without management software.

@Adam > good stuff, let me know how that works out.

Right then - I have updated the firmware on the players and i've also updated rekordbox. The wireless is disabled and the laptops firewall turned off. All connections made and CDJs talking to each other happily. When i started rekordbox no link appeared! Grrrrr. Did the whole turn off/on procedure and sure enough it springs into existence. Interestingly though now that i have done this once, it all appears to be behaving perfectly. rebooted the laptop, powered off the CDJs and the link appears automatically as it should.

Perhaps they need power cycling to learn the laptops ip address, but then they store it for next time round? 

Thoughts?

@Adam > Just double checking again, but you set the Ethernet as the priority like you said you would above correct?

Did you set your ethernet to "Using DHCP"? 

@foster > yes the ethernet now has priority over all other connections and rekordbox has been added to the laptops firewall 'exceptions' list. (I prefer this to disabling the firewall). And yes the ethernet is using DHCP.

I've just turned it all on now while writing this and it has worked perfectly, even though my wifi is still turned on. There's not much consistency in my testing tbh but at least its all working now :D

@Adam > lol, well hopefully you're good to go now. Thanks for the update. :)

@Adam > Thanks for letting us know your results, we'll investigate connection procedure.

There's always this thread to read too...