General Control System Requirements

zactrack uses different networks for interacting.

The Anchors in SMART and PRO Systems are using POE with the IEEE 802.3af standard. The power consumption per device is less than 12W.

It is not necessary to connect all Anchors on the same switch. A tree structure is also possible. All devices should use the same bandwidth capacity. This means that if there is an older network node translating a DMX streaming protocol (like Art-Net) only capable of 100 Mbit/s speed, this protocol should be separated to a different VLAN (or network) limited to this speed.

Network Speed

The overall network speed should be no less then 1Gbit/s. zactrack needs all network packages in real time. For this, ensure enough bandwith in your network application. A lot of data in the same network can delay the tracking data packages. Please be mindful of different VLANs using the same network infrastructure.

This means that the ports on the switch should be configured as "Access" ports and have a minimum capacity of 1 Gbit/s.

Cable Quality and Lengths

Since the network speed is defined as 1 Gbit/s, the quality of the copper cabling should be Cat. 5E or better.

The cable length is defined in a set of standards for fixed installation in the EN 50173. These specify a set of rules for installations that should be followed.

For temporary installations or "flying installations", a different cable type is used (simply more flexible patch cables). this type does not support the same length as the cables for fixed installation. Use a maximum length of 75 m or ~ 250 ft.