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Network troubleshooting

For boards that won't show up, lose their address or keep dropping off

Finding boardsStatic IPsDropouts

Network problems are the most common reason people open a triage case with us. Most come down to the board and your computer being on different networks, a static IP that doesn't fit your router, or a cable or power problem. Work through the section that matches what you're seeing.

Start with Buddy

Baldrick Buddy finds every board on your network and checks its settings. If you still need us, its Get help button opens a case with everything it found already filled in.

FindingA new board doesn't show up

Check the Ethernet port's lights are on. If they aren't, try another cable and another port on your switch.
Plug the board into your router or a switch connected to it, not straight into your computer. Your router is what gives the board an address.
Make sure your computer is on the same network. A laptop on a guest Wi-Fi network, or a VPN, can't see the board.
Use Buddy or your router's list of devices to find the board's address. baldrickboard.local only works when there's a single board on your network, and not on every computer (why).

AddressesIt lost its static IP, or vanished after you set one

A static IP has to be on the same range as your router (the first three numbers usually match, for example 192.168.1.x) and must not be one your router could give to another device. If two devices end up with the same address, both drop off at random.

Prefer a DHCP reservation: leave the board on DHCP and tell your router to always give it the same address. If the board is ever reset, it still gets that address.
If you've set a static IP that doesn't fit, the board won't be reachable. On a Baldrick8 or Baldrick17, hold B1 while it powers on to clear the network settings; on other boards, press the Oh No button 3 times within 3 seconds as it powers on. See resetting a board for more.
If a board forgets its address every time it loses power, update its firmware, then set the address again.
To check your own computer's address and range, see finding your network information.

DropoutsIt keeps dropping off, or the show freezes

What you seeCheck
Drops off at random, sometimes with another deviceAnother device has the same IP. Move the board to a reserved address outside your router's DHCP range.
Drops off when the lights get brightThe power supply. A board on a struggling supply can restart. Check the supply's rating and the cable size to the board.
Only one board drops, others are fine on the same switchSwap the cable and the switch port with a board that works. If the problem moves with the cable or port, it's not the board.
Show freezes while the board stays onlineThe show computer or Wi-Fi in the path. Run show data over cable, not Wi-Fi, and keep it off busy home networks if you can.
Needs a power cycle before it can be found after start-upUpdate the firmware. If it still happens, open a case with Buddy so we can see its settings.

FPPBoards on their own network behind FPP

Keeping show traffic off your home network avoids most dropouts. The FPP Proxy guide sets this up step by step.

EscalateStill stuck?

Open a case from Baldrick Buddy so we get the board's settings with it, or use the triage form. Tell us what you've tried from this page.

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