For parallel connection of multiple ME-1/ME-500 mixers, a Layer 2 network switch can be used, provided it supports Fast Ethernet (100Base-TX) connections.
Layer 3 & 4 protocols including Spanning Tree, Tagged Egress Packets, and Broadcast Storm Protection can cause interruption to audio data or audible clicks.
Smart / managed switches may allow turning off Layer 3 or 4 functions, but to avoid any issue we recommend using Layer 2 devices only.
Note that no other network device should be plugged into the switch unless a dedicated VLAN is set up.
ME-1 and ME-500 are compatible with PoE (Power over Ethernet). Either of the two standards 802.3af (15.4W at source) or 802.3at (25.5W at source) is suitable.
If PoE is needed to power ME-1/ME-500 Personal Mixers over Cat5, check that the overall power rating of the switch is enough to provide power for all ME-1/ME-500 mixers you wish to connect (13W per mixer), and ensure that any PoE devices are IEEE 802.3af or IEEE 802.3at compliant - connecting non-compliant devices could damage the ME-1/ME-500 and invalidate your warranty.
Also we suggest you check for errors and test for functionality and reliability before putting your ME system into service.
Glossary:
Smart / managed switch - a switch with features that can be configured to perform network management functions.
These functions can be as simple as setting the link speed of a port or disabling it entirely, or more complex like limiting bandwidth or grouping devices into VLANs.
Layer 2 Ethernet device – a Layer 2 device is hardware-based. It operates at the Data Link layer, which handles physical addressing.
It looks only at the MAC address and LLC portions of an Ethernet frame and forwards data packets accordingly.
Layer 3 Ethernet device – these devices operate at the Network Layer, which provides network path determination and logical addressing functions.
In most cases, this means that Layer 3 switches handle packets based on their IP address.
Common functions of a Layer 3 or 4 switch (also referred to as multilayer switch) include QoS and IP multicast.