Connect over network

Hi,

Brand new user. I suspect this is something very obvious, but I can't get the Bomebox to find my laptops over network.

-Macbook pro, Mojave 10.14.5

Network utility is showing a green light connecting using DCHP. I've tried client, master and fixed IP address, no change.

In Overview when I click 'network connectors' the laptop doesn't come up.

I want to send some USB midi over an ethernet network to two laptops. Bome Box can't find either laptop at the moment. It's finding the USB midi signal fine, but I can't find the laptops to send it to

Cheers, can't wait to get this working

Tom

 

Hi Tom,

By default the ethernet port is configured as a client but the WiFI is configured as a Hotspot. If you want to connect to an existing network via ethernet, you should just be able to plug your BomeBox into an available ethernet jack on your router.

However, if you want you BomeBox to connect to your existing network, you will need to set up WiFI as a client.

To do this, from your computer, you disconnect from existing WiFi network and then look for a SSID called \"BomeBox\". Make sure the WiFI light is on, on your BomeBox and if it is not, press the WiFi button. It will start blinking and then go solid.

Once your computer shows connected input the following address on your web browser:

http://192.168.153.1

 

You should the be able to get to a login page on your BomeBox. The password will be the serial number on the bottom of the box. Once you are logged in, you will need to change the password.

Once the password is changed, you can then go to the network setting page and set up your BomeBox Wireless as a DHCP client.  To do so you will also need to enter the network SSID and password for your existing network (just like you had to do for your computers). After this is set up, then you can remove and reapply power to the BomeBox and it will come up on your existing network just like your computers. Of course the computer you used to set this up on BomeBox should now disconnect and you can re-connect to the original (existing) network.

Your BomeBox should then be discovered by Bome Network and you can use the Bome Network tool (in the system tray) to connect to your BomeBox, set up MIDI routes. You should then see your BomeBox name as a MIDI port on your computer and you should see the computer names on the BomeNetwork as MIDI ports on your BomeBox.

There are several tutorials that may help with this whole process.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzwHsH6-VZ8SJw5VztKiEDleEFAx8p7K8

Oh, if you mess up and cannot get to your BomeBox web config in any way, please follow the instructions for resetting the BomeBox network back to it\'s default and start over.

Of course if you simply want a point to point WiFi connection just between BomeBox (as a HotSpot) and your computers, all you need to do is to connect them both to the BomeBox Hotspot to access them that way, but you do, you will not have access to your existing internet connection.

Let me know if this helps.

 

Steve Caldwell
Bome Q and A Moderator and
Independent Bome Consultant/Specialist
bome@sniz.biz

Hi,

Thanks for the fast response. I think i've followed all those steps but I can't get it to see the computer as a network midi device. All the setup is working well from the computer over wifi but it won't see the box over ethernet in the 'bome network midi' page.

also, Your BomeBox should then be discovered by Bome Network and you can use the Bome Network tool (in the system tray)  where is the "system tray" on a mac?

Thanks

On a Mac, the Bome Network App should show up on the menu tray at the top of the screen. Can you get to the BomeBox with a Browser? Is your BomeBox and Mac on the same network? They must be connected on the same network in order to see each other unless you have set up special routing tables on your browser (which is not very common). Also look at your Security and Privacy accessibility settings under security on your Mac to make sure Bome Network is included.

Also, did you try using the pairing button on your BomeBox? Doing this should automatically pair you to any discovered Bome Network devices on your system. You should then be prompted for on your Mac to accept the connection. P.S. I'm installing Catalina on my Mac now. I'm not sure you will need to set up security -> accessibility - privacy options though as I didn't have it set up that way on my Mac with Mojave.

Any progress, I just upgraded to Catalina and everything works just fine. After you initially pair your device, they will then automatically pair themselves when they discover each other thereafter.

Hi, Yes, when connected via wifi to the bomebox, I can access the bomebox app through the brower by inputting the IP address. However I can't access it when connected via ethernet. It sounds like it could be the privacy thing (it often is). Which privacy option should it be coming up in? It isn't in any of them and hasn't prompted me for that when connecting via wifi or ethernet. Pressing the 'pair' button has no effect for me. I tested this with the wifi on and off. Thanks for your help

Hi, when connected over ethernet, do you have your BomeBox connected to a router or directly to your Mac

If connected to a router, you need to set ethernet  up as a DHCP client.  If connecting directly to your Mac via ethernet, you need to set it up as a DHCP master, however unless you set up a network bridge on your Mac, you will not be able to access both BomeBox and your existing network that way at the same time.  Also, do not try to connect via both ethernet and WiFi at the same time as the BomeBox will be confused on which connection to use by default.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Q and A Moderator and
Independent Bome Consultant/Specialist
bome@sniz.biz

 

Hi, thanks again for your prompt help. I've tried both with a hub and without. For this test I'm plugged directly into the laptop via ethernet from the bomebox. I set it to DCHP master via the wifi set up tool. I then turn off the wifi, connect via thunderbolt ethernet, this connection is listed at "connected" with a green light in the mac system prefs/network, but I then can't log into the bomebox via the IP address nor will the pair button do anything, nor is there anything in the privacy options. :(

OK, for this to work you will need to set up your Mac as an DHCP client for ethernet? Is it set up that way? If the Mac is set up as fixed IP address for thunderbolt ethernet, maybe it is set up for a different network. The other common issue I've seen is when setting up for ethernet master not pressing save before re-booting your BomeBox. Did you look into this?

Also, when BomeBox is ethernet master it is usually set to default of 192.168.1.1 If this doesn't work, try doing a complete network reset. Then set it up for ethernet master and then connect your Mac to it and try that address.

Or maybe go to settings and set to factory defaults and see what happens when you try from there.

I had a similar issue except my WiFi connection was hosed instead of my ethernet connection. I went to the setting menu and did a factory reset. Then set up my country, BomeBox name, network and web config password and everything came back to life.

To be clear, once I've finished setting up the bomebox over wifi, setting it to be either ethernet Master (for direct connection) or Slave (when going through a hub), I should then be able to turn off the wifi on both the laptop and bomebox then access the same bomebox setting page by putting that IP address into a browser. Is that correct? At IP 192.168.1.1? I don't need to download any software or anything, it should just come up in the browser?

For MIDI connections to a computer, you need to install the free Bome Network tool:
https://www.bomeloft.com/products/bomenet

Check out this tutorial for setting up Bome Network:
Tutorial: MIDI Pairing from Computer to BomeBox using Bome Network

As Steve has said, in an Ethernet network, one device must be DHCP master, the others DHCP clients. Mac computers are typically configured as DHCP clients, so setting one BomeBox to DHCP master is the correct way here.

Let us know how that works.

Hi Tom, do you have the Bome Network tool installed on your Mac? It will certainly need this to be able to connect MIDI. https://download.bomeloft.com/BomeNet1.2.1.dmg If the network settings ever get to a point you cannot connect, you should be able to do a network reset using a USB thumb drive. If that doesn't work and you can get to any type of network connection, you can lo into BomeBox (on the working connection) and perform a factory reset. Also make sure you are using the latest BomeBox firmware (1.4.1): https://download.bomeloft.com/bomebox_firmware_1.4.1.bxfw Steve Caldwell Bome Q and A Moderator and Independent Bome Consultant/Specialist bome@sniz.biz

this what it. Thanks guys. I needed the network tool.... I feel like a tool now

Yes, sorry I thought you had Bome Network Installed.