Configure Your Network for Resi

Resi’s Resilient Streaming Protocol (RSP) offers best in class performance for broadcasting your content. In order to get the most out of Resi’s service it is important to make sure that your network is properly configured. The following steps will guide you through the necessary configurations that should be made to your network before streaming a live event to the web or a venue. 

If you are unsure of how to properly configure your network for use with your encoding or decoding equipment, contact your network administrator or Resi Support.

Configure Your Network

1. Check Your DNS Settings

Certain network settings at the LAN level (customer’s local network) can cause the stream to struggle at the beginning or throughout an event. In many cases, this is caused by the configuration of the local network’s DNS settings (on a local router or gateway) using the Anycast DNS address 1.1.1.1. 

If you’re experiencing this issue, we recommend configuring your network using one of the following two options:

- Configure your encoder’s network to use non-Anycast DNS addresses that are provided by your local ISP.

- If you must or are more comfortable using an Anycast DNS address, use a different DNS address than 1.1.1.1. For example, customers have had success with Google’s Anycast DNS service (8.8.8.8).

2. Set Up a Wired Connection

As with all of the equipment used in Resi’s system, make sure your network is connected to a reliable, uninterruptible power supply and that your equipment is connected via a wired connection. Although you can use a wireless network connection in the form of a mobile hotspot, either connected to a multi-wan router or plugged directly into your encoder, it is always preferable that you use an ethernet cable with the clip still intact.

3. Disable Captive Portals

Authorization from a captive portal page can often time out and cause data interruptions. If your network uses a captive portal to allow internet access, you will need to disable this security measure for your encoder and decoder.

4. Set Up IP Addresses for Encoders

File-syncing applications, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, can consume all available bandwidth (upload and/or download) on a local network, which can inhibit encoder and decoder traffic. If possible, isolate guest networks with a separate router or firewall to ensure guest traffic does not flood the network or fill queuing buffers, which could overload and reset some devices.

Resi recommends providing encoders and decoders with specific IP addresses through MAC-based IP reservation (configured with a router or DHCP server) and then whitelisting those IP addresses in your router. Prioritize all traffic to and from those IP addresses over other network traffic. At a minimum, reserve the recommended bandwidth for each encoder and decoder on the network.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

For DHCP reservation via MAC address, you can locate the encoder's MAC address within the encoder's details page in Studio.

Static IP Address

If you require a static IP for an encoder, contact the Resi technical support team so the static IP address can be set for you. You may submit a Resi support ticket for this request. Please include the following information on your ticket:

• Encoder Name
• Static IP Address
• Subnet Mask
• Default Gateway
• Preferred and Alternate DNS Server
• A timeframe when the encoder will be powered on and connected to an internet-accessible network with DHCP so that the request may be fulfilled.

If the encoder does not accept the static IP address, connecting to the encoder with a KVM or keyboard, monitor and mouse may be required to manually configure the static IP or if a DHCP connection is not available at the encoder's location.

5. Set Up IP Addresses for Decoders

A decoder's IP address can be configured in the decoder manually prior to logging in using the venue login. A reboot of the decoder may be necessary to complete the IP address change. An internet connection must be made prior to login.

If a specific parameter is not available within the given options, changes may be made from the system's network settings. A reboot may be necessary to complete the change.

6. Configure Firewall Settings

You may need to whitelist the encoder's configured IP address when connected to strict networks like schools or movie theaters. This is best done when the encoder's IP is set via DHCP reservation or set as a static IP. However, some networks will still throttle downloads of video content for multisite venues.

If you suspect a firewall issue, or for more help, contact your network administrator or contact Resi Support.

Check Your Bandwidth

1. Find Your Bandwidth Requirements

The bandwidths allocated for an encoder or decoder should equal or exceed a minimum of 2.5x the total encoding bitrate (video + audio).  For example, (5000 kbs video bitrate + 128 kbs audion) x 2.5 = 12820 kbs.

For Example:

After you create an encoder preset, Studio will calculate and show your recommended bitrate based on your encoder preset. To determine your recommended bitrate:

1. Log into Studio.
2. Navigate to Settings > encoder Presets.
3. Click the Actions button and View Details.
4. See the Bandwidth Recommendation Calculator at the bottom of the page.

2. Perform a Bandwidth Test

Make sure to perform a bandwidth test on-site for decoders and encoders.

• Decoder - There is an in-app bandwidth test for decoders, which determines download speed for both video and non-video content. Read Get Started With a Decoder to learn more.
• Encoder - For an estimate of encoder upload speeds, confirm using your preferred third-party testing tool, such as https://speedof.me on a device using the same network as your decoder. While this may not always determine your encoder’s actual upload speed, it can help make sure you have enough bandwidth to broadcast your event. It is also important to remember that your encoder may be experiencing issues with your network unrelated to bandwidth. You can contact Resi Support for more information.

Other Considerations for Your Network

Using a Multi-Wan Router for Multisite

If your upload bandwidth does not meet the minimum requirements, you may opt to use a multi-wan router to utilize two network connections. Unlike traditional streaming technologies such as RTMP, Resi encoders do not need to maintain a persistent TCP connection to a specific remote server while streaming. The internet connection of the encoder can be completely interrupted without losing A/V data.

After a connection to the internet is restored, 100% of the A/V data that was encoded during the outage gets transmitted. If you use multiple network connections, a multi-wan router must manage the connections while a single cable runs to the encoder. For more information, look over our list of recommended peripheral devices.