Cloud for NDI QuickStart Setup
Please follow the steps in green very closely, one by one. Don't miss any out. Read the “Platform Specific Information” links in the Cloud for NDI Wiki alongside this QuickStart.
- Choice of Platform for Cloud for NDI Node Gateways
The Cloud for NDI Node Gateway runs on a dedicated machine inside each local area network which you wish to include in your Cloud for NDI wide area network. The Gateway software can run on macOS, Windows 7, or Ubuntu. Performance on Windows 10 is very poor at present and you should NOT attempt to use Windows 10 at this time. Support for Windows 10 will come sometime soon.
You can mix and match different platforms at the various LANs in your WAN. The actual NDI sources and destinations can be on any platform.
NOTE: The Cloud for NDI Node Gateway is designed to run on a *dedicated* computer with lots of cores. You should NOT attempt to run it alongside other processes on the same machine since results will be very poor if the CPU is too busy.
- Router Setup or VPN
Decide whether you are able to open port 9002 for UDP traffic or whether you will need to attempt to use a VPN like Hamachi instead. In version 1.200 and later you can use Master / Slave nodes, where only the Master Node requires port forwarding. There are guides for port forwarding for a variety of routers at this site: Portforward.com. Make sure you have set any software based firewall on the computer to pass traffic on port 9002 as well. Read this page for all the details on this vital first step. Determine the public IP address for each of your locations.
- Setup your account and build your network on Cloud for NDI, changing your password if prompted to do so.
By now you should have received a login for the Cloud for NDI web page. This will be your email address along with a password, which you will need to change when you initially log in. In the Cloud for NDI Web System:
You may want to pause here and watch the video of a super quick setup. Come back afterwards to carry on.
- Create a Node entry for each location in your Cloud for NDI wide area network. Set the IP addresses as described in the networking page, Master Node Port is usually 9002 (if your Slave Nodes can't call out on UDP 9002, you will need to use a port they can, perhaps 5938 - but ensure your Master Node port forwarding respects that), and data rates per stream depending on network uplink and downlink performance at each site and the number of concurrent streams you want. *Note for later on in the setup: Once things are running at both ends you will run a bandwidth test both ways between each pair of Nodes, then refine the uplink / downlink bandwidth settings based on the real world tests so don't worry too much about the data rates until then.
- Create a Group and add your Nodes to that Group
- Setup your Cloud for NDI Gateway Computers
The Cloud for NDI mechanism works by each location running an Cloud for NDI Gateway computer, which communicates with the cloud to discover its partners, and then begins communications directly with each partner node. Cloud for NDI Gateway runs on a Mac OSX computer, with OSX 10.10.5 or newer operating system, Ubuntu 16.x desktop or server version, with Avahi installed, or Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit).
- Download the Cloud for NDI Gateway software onto each node. You will receive the NDI.Cloud Gateway software when you purchase your licenses.
- From the Nodes page in the Cloud for NDI web site, Download the Device config file for each Node and add it to the resources folder which next to the Cloud for NDI Gateway app. On some platforms It's also possible to automate this step by launching the Gateway app and navigating to the web based GUI at http port 9002 - then selecting the node from the embedded Cloud for NDI website, and pressing 'Download Device' (*Note that on first log in to the web in the click-to-install device config wont work - it will download instead - just refresh the page and the install mode should work after logging into Cloud for NDI). Remember you can access the page from a different computer at http : / / <CloudforNDIGatewayAddress>:9002 which is useful for Ubuntu Server installations with no local web browser. If you find that it wont log in when the sienna.cloud page is inset within the local Web GUI, try logging in directly to http://sienna.Cloud first to set up the cookies. We have seen some login issues with EDGE on Windows - Use Chrome on Windows instead.
- Launch Cloud for NDI Gateway at each location (or relaunch it)
- At this point you can also use the TEST button in the Nodes panel of Cloud for NDI to test connectivity to each Node. Note that this only tests from a cloud based test server calling INTO your node, which tests the route via your port forwarding / firewall. NB: This wont work if you are using Hamachi. It does not guarantee that your node can call OUT of your network to another node, although generally this will be allowed on most networks with no special setup
- Check the Partner Status
On the Node machines you can reach a local web page which forms a GUI for the Cloud for NDI Gateway software. This can be found at http://localhost:9002 on the Cloud for NDI Gateway machine itself, or from another machine on the same local area network it will be found at http://ipaddress_of_the_Node_machine:9002.
Click on the Partner Status link in the Web GUI and look at the last column in the list of partners. If there are any red chunks you must resolve these problems before proceeding.
- Test performance between each pair of Nodes in each direction
Click on the Bandwidth Testing link in the Web GUI and run performance tests both ways between each pair of nodes. You can keep trying different data rates from the popup menu, until you find a value which gives a smooth consistent trace without big bumps in it, and with a smooth clean start. Select the appropriate target node to test against. It's normal to have a small bump at the start, as the network fills up, but if its a lare bump which takes several seconds to clear, then your data rate is set too high and you should try a lower value. Once you have determined the best data rate which is achievable sending from this Node, use that value to update the 'Uplink Bandwidth' for this Node in the sienna.cloud web site. Do the same for all your other Nodes. Most internet connections have better downlink than uplink so as a guide, use the same downlink as uplink, unless you anticipate receiving video from another node which has a much higher uplink and you would like to retain the highest quality.
Note: at present the self-test setting on the Bandwidth Testing page does not work.
- Decide on your Whitelist settings
Its a good idea to use the Whitelist, since otherwise all your local NDI devices will be advertised to all the other Nodes. Whilst this seems ideal, it tends to lead to remote users experimentally connecting to a large number of your NDI feeds, which will quickly saturate your internet connection. Much better to start with a single NDI feed in the Whitelist and once you are confident, and you have a good understanding of the bandwidth / performance, you can start to add more sources to your whitelist.
- Start Testing With NDI Sources
At this point you should have NDI Sources running at each Node location, and the sources mentioned in the Whitelist settings should now be advertised at the other Node locations. They will be identified as being at the machine name of the Cloud for NDI Gateway computer, with the prefix “R+” then the name of the actual source and its Cloud for NDI Gateway name. If you are using Hamachi, sometimes there is leakage of Bonjour and you might see the direct bonjour advertisements for the remote sources - you should NOT try to connect to these, since they will be full bandwidth NDI and not compatible with the WAN connection. Only connect to NDI Sources advertised by your local Cloud for NDI Gateway CPU machine name with the “R+” prefix. When you connect to a remote source you will initially see the Cloud for NDI splash screen whilst the connection is established. Shortly afterwards you should see the video. If the video is not smooth you may have set your Uplink / Downlink settings too high, and they should be lowered, before reconnecting to the source. Allow at least 30 seconds after changing settings in the Cloud for NDI web configuration before those changes will propagate through the Cloud for NDI network. You can also look at the Partner Node Status page to check data rate and Resent (packet loss) counts on each connection.
