Clear-Com does not aim to verify Ethernet switch manufacturers or a customer's network topology. Though Clear-Com Engineering has tested specific switches for certain workflows, this information is for guidance only.

The standard AES67 network is a bridging compliance which allows any AES67 compliant device to participate with other compliant devices on a network in order to transport high quality audio over IP (AoIP.) Unlike Dante, this requires a more thorough understanding of the network topology since the mechanics are less automated.

Clear-Com has provided a thorough User Guide that explains what is necessary for a AES67 network, what is required and what has been tested.

AES67 Guide

Click here AES67 AoIP Guide PDF

Network Switches that DO and DO NOT Work with Clear-Com AES67/ST2110-30

PTP GM Clocks that are Known to Work and How To Configure

PLEASE READ THIS SUMMARY

Recommended Features:

PTP Aware Switches (that support Boundary Clock or Transparent Clock Mode.)

Features Required:

Fully Managed switch
1Gb (or more) bandwidth for every port
Layer III - Can perform at or near wire speed, but also acts as a router because it has IP routing intelligence built in.
Switching capacity equal to 2x number of ports (Tx/Rx). To exemplify this, if you purchase a 10-port switch, it should have a switching capacity of 20 Gb/s.
EEE (Energy Efficient Ethernet) or Green Ethernet needs to be disabled.
QoS - Quality of Service prioritization of audio traffic.
Fiber to Copper conversion preferable using the SFP/mini-GBIC form factor.
IGMP snooping must be properly configured.

Additional System Requirements:

Dedicated PTP GrandMaster Clock (separate from the IPA card.)

General System Guidelines

PTP parameters	Value (range	IPT RF Performance
Offset from the PTP reference clock (OFM - Offset From Master, IEEE 1588)	± 100 ns	Excellent
	± 500 ns	Potential for roaming issues
Any PTP offset over 500ns will cause possible audio dropouts and roaming issues
Overall audio packet time @125us	Audio delay must not be more than 2 ms or it will result in loss of audio.

Quality of Service (QoS) Settings:
- Set QoS Trust mode to DSCP.
- Configure the following QoS (Diffserv) values:
  - Use Strict Priority for the queues.
  - The PTP clock class (46 – EF) must be in the highest priority queue.
  - The audio class (34 – AF41) should be in the next highest priority queue.
  - Best Effort (0 – BE) must be in the lowest priority queue.
IP Address Configuration:
- Configure a DHCP server or statically assign IP addresses:
  - Set the host device’s AES67 LAN port to use a static IP address. Avoid using 169.254.xx.xx IP addresses.
  - End devices (IPTs/Iris panels) should also use static IP addresses or DHCP (two IP addresses needed per IPT or panel) on their AES67 LAN port. Again, do not use 169.254.xx.xx IP addresses.

⚠️ Avoid mixing AES67 data on inter-switch trunk ports, even when using 10GB uplinks. Instead, connect the AES67 VLAN through access ports between the switches.

To ensure optimal performance of FSII IP antenna traffic (or any other AES67 traffic), it is crucial to separate this traffic onto a dedicated access port or trunk port for connections between switches. Avoid using a single inter-trunk port for all data types, as trunk ports do not prioritize data effectively. Prioritization is essential, especially for Precision Time Protocol (PTP), which must always be given precedence.

AES67 Requirements and Recommendations