5. Troubleshooting

Common issues that can arise while using OSC and MXW are generally linked to network malfunctions.

Network diagnostics

Make sure that the system you want to control is correctly connected to the same network as the ‘master’ machine.

To proof if the two machines are able to communicate in the network try to ping reciprocally the two systems:

• For Windows users:

1. Open the “Command Prompt” in the ‘master’ system as Administrator

2. Type ipconfig take note of the IPv4 Address

3. Repeat for the ‘slave’ system

4.In the ‘master’ test if the other machine is reachable by typing ping followed by the IP of the ‘slave’ (e.g. ping 192.168.178.7 )

5. If the machine is reachable a similar message will appear:

             Pinging 192.168.178.7 with 32 bytes of data:
             Reply from 192.168.178.7: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
             Reply from 192.168.178.7: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
             Reply from 192.168.178.7: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
             Reply from 192.168.178.7: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
             
             Ping statistics for 192.168.178.7:
                 Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
             Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
                Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

• In case it is not reachable the message will show in the statistics

             Received = 0 , Lost = 4 (100% Loss) 

• Repeat the steps sending the ping from the ‘slave’ to the ‘master’ IP to proof the connections

• For Mac OS X users:

1. Press “Apple” + "SPACE BAR" and search for “Terminal” in the ‘master’ system

2. Type ping followed by the IP Address of the ‘slave’

3. Proof if the ping get through

4. Repeat for the ‘slave’ system pinging the IP of the ‘master’

In case of failure to connect:

• Verify that the firewall is not blocking the communication:

• For Windows users:

1. Search for “Firewall & Network Protection” in the “Start” menu

2. Deactivate all three (Domain, Private and Public) firewalls by entering the respective window and switching the protection to “Off” in all of them

• For Mac OS X users:

1. In the Apple menu, select “System Preferences”

2. In the System Preferences window, select “Security and Privacy”

3. In the tab “Firewall” turn off the Firewall by pressing the “Turn Off” Button (10.6 or higher) or by deselecting the checkbox “Block all incoming connections” (10.5 or lower)

• In your Router settings page (see the manufacturers manual for instructions) disable AP (access point) isolation, also known as 'Client Isolation' or 'Guest Mode' when active

In case of occasional loss of OSC packages:

• The maximum size of every OSC package is defined by the MTU (minimum transport unit) of the network in use. Big packages tend to get lost more easily depending on the characteristics of the network so reducing the amount of big blobs (e.g. preview requests) can lower the loss rate. See
• In case of loss of small packages, verify if the packages are getting sent and their size with a package sniffer (e.g. "Wireshark") and try different settings on your receiving console/device.

If none of the above solutions solves the issue try by restarting the software and reconnecting all the network chain from start.

For further diagnostics activate the Log of received data in MXW and the dispatch of livesigns (See Points 2.2 and 2.2 d. of the Open Sound Control References) to test the receiving and sending functionality on the wished OSC console, Pd patch or the Protokol App for a mobile option (see point 4.).