Considerations for Sigma system controllers on multiple VLANs

[Product_Support]

Issue

Can Sigma system controllers sit on multiple VLANs?

Product Line

Satchwell Sigma

Environment

• Sigma all Ethernet controllers
• Link Addressing

Cause

Question by IT departments before upgrading BAS to Sigma systems

Resolution

You can put Sigma controllers onto different VLANs. But there are considerations:

1. Sigma global data to be passed between controllers on different VLAN's will require Link Addresses to be configured.
   This is because Sigma globals are transmitted using the Ethernet broadcast address. Typically, most broadcast address messages are blocked by the routers used to link/connect the VLANs. Hence Link Addressing is used to 'tunnel' through the VLAN routers.
2. A DNN will have to be added to each sub-LAN for Link Addressing configuration.  For configuration details click Link Addressing.pdf.
3. All Sigma devices (controllers, Servers and DNN's) will have to be configured with default gateway IP Addresses.
   • For controllers use pocket terminal command GW +  192.168.0.1  (where 192.168.0.1 is the default gateway for the local network)
   • For DNN's set a Static Route as defined in Having set Link Addressing in a Sigma DNN3 can no longer communicate to the DNN3 and Link Addressing....
   • For Sigma servers set the PC default gateway IP address via network settings - Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) - properties.

Therefore, although the answer is yes - Sigma controllers are supported on different VLANs, a 'flat' VLAN architecture is a simpler solution.