FAQ | When should I use hard links in Q-SYS?
Learn how to use hard links to optimize Q-SYS performance and troubleshoot common issues.
Answer
Hard links only apply to Q-SYS Designer and the UCI Viewer app. If a Q-SYS Core processor cannot be discovered (for example, if the Core is on a remote network), you can specify the target IP address of that Core. Provided there is sufficient routing in place, Q-SYS devices could be on the same or a different subnet than the computer running Q-SYS Designer or UCI Viewer.
As a practical example, let’s say that multicast traffic is not allowed on a Q-SYS network. A hard link to the IP address of each device in Q-SYS Designer allows Q-SYS Configurator to see these devices. However, if you create a design and send it to the system, the Core will still not be able to configure any peripherals without functioning multicast discovery.
Note
In this scenario, static routes do not assist with device discovery between the Q-SYS Core processor and peripherals, as discovery is a multicast function on behalf of the Core. The OS doesn’t even consider static routes unless there’s broadcast/unicast traffic to route to other subnets.
To learn more about hard links in Q-SYS, refer to the Remote Connectivity topic in Q-SYS Help.