Concepts & signal flow
Dante & audio-over-IP networking help
The Dante & audio-over-IP networking questions live-event techs bring to Ask Roadie most (also called AES67, AoIP, audio over IP, Dante). Pick your symptom, or describe your own in plain words, and get the likeliest fix first, with the manual page when there is one.
Common Dante & audio-over-IP networking questions
What techs run into most, and what's usually behind it. The step-by-step fix for your exact topic is in Ask Roadie.
- Full answerGet the answer →
Device stuck in failsafe (default name in red, no audio)
Short answer: A failed/interrupted firmware update leaves the device in a minimal failsafe image; Dante Updater re-flashes valid firmware over the network to bring it back.
- Full answerGet the answer →
Dante Controller looks different / cannot find menus after updating (4.18)
Short answer: The panic is cosmetic — same functions, new layout; knowing the tab names stops techs hunting during a show.
- Full answerGet the answer →
What Dante software versions should we be running (2026)?
Short answer: Running current, compatible versions avoids discovery/format/encryption mismatches and gives access to Failsafe Recovery and newer clocking options.
- Full answerGet the answer →
How do I connect a Dante device to a non-Dante AES67 device (interop)?
Short answer: AES67 mode switches Dante to the standard interoperability profile (48k, 1ms, multicast RTP) and matching multicast address prefixes plus a shared PTP grandmaster is what lets a non-Dante receiver actually find and lock to the stream.
- Full answerGet the answer →
Subscription fails or errors after enabling Dante Media Encryption
Short answer: Strict enforces encryption end-to-end so any non-capable endpoint breaks the subscription; Optional lets Dante fall back rather than fail.
- Full answerGet the answer →
Dante subscriptions show green but audio is muted or cuts in/out
Short answer: Dante mutes outputs on any device not locked to the network Leader Clock (PTP).
- Full answerGet the answer →
Devices flap offline / erratic behaviour when the second (redundant) cable is plugged in
Short answer: Redundant mode runs two isolated Dante networks; linking them or leaving daisy-chain on creates loops and duplicate paths.
- Full answerGet the answer →
Devices will not subscribe / sample rate is flashing (format mismatch)
Short answer: Dante will not pass audio between endpoints running different sample rates/formats.
- Full answerGet the answer →
Transmitter ran out of flows / cannot add more subscriptions
Short answer: Multicast sends one stream to all subscribers instead of a separate unicast flow per receiver, dramatically reducing flow count.
- Full answerGet the answer →
How to set QoS/DSCP on a managed switch for Dante
Short answer: DSCP priority keeps PTP and audio ahead of bulk traffic so timing and streams are not delayed under load.
- Full answerGet the answer →
Large Dante system drops audio after enabling IGMP snooping
Short answer: Without a single active querier, snooping prunes multicast groups incorrectly and audio (or PTP) stops reaching devices.
- Full answerGet the answer →
Occasional clicks, pops or dropouts on a Dante receiver
Short answer: Latency is the receiver jitter buffer; too small a buffer drops late packets and causes audible glitches.
Not on the list? Describe it your way, or paste the error code off the display. Ask Roadie works the problem with you until it's fixed or you have a clear next move.
How Ask Roadie helps with Dante & audio-over-IP networking
- 1. Pick Dante & audio-over-IP networking. It's already in the list.
- 2. Describe what you're seeing. In your own words, or the error code off the screen.
- 3. Get the likeliest fix first. Steps in order, the manual page when there is one, and a note when other techs have confirmed it.
- 4. Still broken? Tap 👎 and it keeps going from where you left off.