Network Components

Linn's digital media products use standard IP networking for audio distribution and control.  The recommended specification for the networking products is outlined below.

Ethernet Switch

The Ethernet switch is the connection point for all other components on the network allowing them to communicate with each other.

Ethernet Switches

Requirements:

• Linn recommends a dedicated, stand alone switch. Switches built into consumer grade ADSL routers, cable modems, or wireless access points tend to be compromised. The processing power of such devices is often shared between its various functions and is therefore not always capable of full performance.
• 100 Mbps or 1000 Mbps full duplex switch.
• Must be capable of fully utilising all ports simultaneously. On vendor’s specification pages this is sometimes listed under a category called the “switch backplane” or the “switch bandwidth”. (For an 8 port 100 Mbps switch, this “switch bandwidth” should be 1.6 Gbps. This number comes from 100 Mbps in, plus 100 Mbps out, times the 8 ports. For a 16 port gigabit switch, the “switch bandwidth” would be 32 Gbps. (2*16*1000 Mbps).)
  

Wireless Access Point (WAP)

The WAP connects the wireless control point to the network.

Recommended WAPs Linksys wap200 Dlink Dwl-3200AP

Linn recommends using a standalone wireless access point. Wireless access points built into switches and other consumer grade products are frequently (but not always) of a lower quality.

Requirements:

• "Enterprise grade"
• Wireless G
• Robust connection quality

and optionally

• Power over Ethernet (PoE)
  

NAS

Stores your music on the network.  See NASes.

Media Server

• UPnP AV 1.0 certified or DNLA 1.0
• FLAC support

and preferably

• Easy installation on the NAS
• Album Art support
  

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Control Point

Wireless control point

The wireless control point provides the user interface (via the Linn GUI) for accessing music and controlling playback. The device can be either a UMPC (ultra-mobile PC), Internet Tablet, or a standard computer/laptop.

The Linn GUI runs on .NET 2.0

Minimum requirements:

UMPC

• 800 x 480
• 600MHz processor or greater, (800Mhz preferred)
• .NET 2.0
• Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC edition 2005

Windows PC/laptop

• Windows XP Professional 2002
• 800 MHz processor or greater
• .NET 2.0

Specific UMPCs that Linn have tested:

Samsung Q1 (NP-Q1/V000/SUK), (NP-Q1/M02/SUK), (NP-Q1/S000/SUK), (NP-Q1/UF000/SUK) running Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC edition 2005, Version 2002 and Service Pack 2
ASUS Notebook R2H Series, 1Gb 900Mhz Celeron M, running Windows Vista Home Premium

Specific Internet Tablets that Linn have tested:

• Nokia N800/N810 (running Media Streamer). Note: The N800 must be running Nokia's OS2008 firmware to operate with Linn's Compatibility Families of software other than Auskerry.