Publications Quick Start Guides Wireless-Workbench (English)
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    Overview

    Wireless Workbench® (WWB) is free device management, coordination, and monitoring software that helps RF coordinators, touring, broadcast, theater and house of worship audio professionals manage everything from pre-show planning to frequency coordination, live channel monitoring, and post-performance analysis.

    Note: This is a quick setup guide for Wireless Workbench. For the full instruction manual, see the Wireless Workbench help page.

    By bringing together networkable and non-networkable Shure and third-party devices combined with RF data, this software allows you to quickly manage and coordinate your wireless devices so you can focus on mixing. Workbench facilitates quick and easy configuration, operation, and monitoring of your wireless devices, and is compatible with the following Shure networked systems:

    • QLX-D® Digital Wireless System
    • ULX-D® Digital Wireless System
    • Axient® Wireless Management Network
    • PSM® 1000 Personal Monitoring System
    • UHF-R ®Wireless System*
    • Axient ® Digital Wireless System
    • SLX-D Digital Wireless System

    *Current versions of Wireless Workbench do not support control, monitoring, live scan, and threshold alerts for UHF-R systems. If you require UHF-R support in Wireless Workbench, use version 6.15. For more information on support for UHF-R wireless systems, see the Wireless Workbench release notes.

    Resources

    For detailed help with Wireless Workbench, visit the Wireless Workbench Help page. To find the same help content within Wireless Workbench, press F1 or go to Help > Wireless Workbench help system.

    Other online resources:

    Step 1: Download Wireless Workbench

    To download Wireless Workbench, visit the Wireless Workbench page. Launch the installer and follow the steps to complete the installation.

    Note: You must be logged in to your computer as an administrator to install Wireless Workbench.

    Step 2: Connect Shure devices to your network

    Wireless Workbench communicates with connected devices through an Ethernet network. Each device on the network must have a unique and valid IP address assigned to communicate with other devices on the network. IP addresses can be assigned automatically by a computer, switch, or router that employs DHCP addressing.

    A computer running Wireless Workbench connected to a switch that is connected to 3 receivers

    Automatic IP addressing

    To take advantage of DHCP addressing, Shure devices have an automatic IP mode for quick and easy setup. If specific IP addresses need to be assigned, the IP mode can be set to manual.

    1. Connect your computer and devices using CAT5 or better Ethernet cable. For multiple device systems, adding a router or switch as shown in the diagram is recommended. Avoid using cross-over cables for any connections.
    2. Turn on your computer and all devices connected to the network.
    3. For each device, enter the network menu and set the IP address mode to Automatic to enable automatic IP addressing.

    Manual IP addressing

    As an alternative to automatic IP addressing, a manual addressing option is available if you want to assign specific IP addresses to your devices.

    1. Connect your computer and devices using CAT5 or better Ethernet cable. For multiple device systems, adding a router or switch as shown in the diagram is recommended. Avoid using cross-over cables for any connections.
    2. Turn on your computer and all devices connected to the network.
    3. For each device, enter the network menu and set the IP address mode to Manual.
    4. Assign unique IP addresses to each device. Assign the identical subnet mask to all devices.

    Step 3: Configure the firewall

    If you have a firewall protecting your computer, you'll need to grant access to Wireless Workbench. Log in to your computer as an administrator to gain full access to your firewall settings or contact your IT administrator for help.

    For third-party firewall software, refer to the manufacturer's instructions for granting access to each instance of an application (there may be more than one instance).

    Note: If you receive an alert pop-up that blocks Wireless Workbench, check the boxes to allow access for all networks (Domain Networks, Private Networks, and Public Networks).

    Mac

    1. From System Preferences, access firewall settings.
    2. If the firewall is on, open the Firewall Options to view the applications that request network access.
    3. For each of the following applications, select Automatically allow built-in software to receive incoming connections and Automatically allow downloaded signed software to receive incoming connections:
      • snetDameon
      • Wireless Workbench.app

    Windows

    1. Open the Windows Firewall on your computer.
    2. Place a check next to each instance of an application--there may be more than one instance--for the following applications to allow access to Domain Networks, Private Networks, and Public Networks:
      • snetDameon
      • wireless workbench

    Refer to the Microsoft Support website if you need more help with firewall configuration.

    Step 4: Open Wireless Workbench

    In the welcome screen, set up a network connection and choose to create or open a show.

    1. Choose a network: Select the network that closely matches the numbering order and format of the IP address your device is connected to. The first few numbers of the address shown in Wireless Workbench will match the first few numbers of the device's IP address.

      Tip: If you're not sure which IP address to choose, go to the network menu on the device to see what IP address it is using. Model-specific instructions for accessing the network menu are available in the hardware user guides, found on the user guide home page.

    2. Open an existing show or create a new show. If you create a new show, you are prompted to enter show information and add devices to your show. Click Close when you are finished adding devices.

    A welcome screen with network information and options to create or open a show

    Step 5: Verify your network connection

    Once you have selected a network, confirm the connection by looking for the network icon (Icon of connected screens) on the display or front panel of each device.

    Devices connected to the network will automatically appear in the Inventory tab. To verify that your devices are connected:

    1. View the device ID, channel name, and other parameters.
    2. Click a device icon to flash the front panel of the device for remote identification.
    3. Verify that the devices online indicator is green. The number of devices listed should match the number of devices connected to the network.

    The inventory tab with networking information called out

    Network troubleshooting

    Try the following solutions for common problems. If the issue you're having doesn't appear here, see the Network Troubleshooting topic of the full Wireless Workbench help system.

    • If the network icon doesn't appear on a device's screen:
      1. Check all cables and connections.
      2. Click the network status indicator and verify that the IP address of the network in your preferences corresponds with the IP addresses of your networked devices.

    • If one of your devices doesn't appear in the Inventory tab:

      1. Check IP address to verify that device is on the same network as the computer network. Select Reports > Firmware and Network Summary for a report of the IP addresses of your computer and any discovered devices.
      2. Open a terminal and try to ping the IP address of the device (to do this, type "ping" and enter the device's IP address).
    • If the Device online indicator is gray, click the network status indicator and verify that the IP address of the network in your preferences corresponds with the IP addresses of your networked devices.

    Step 6: Coordinate frequencies

    In the Frequency coordination tab, you can organize, manage, and calculate frequencies for your system. As part of the coordination, you can analyze the frequencies to make sure they are compatible with all the devices in your system and then deploy them to your devices.

    1. Perform a scan. In the scanning sidebar, select devices to scan with and start the scan.
    2. Add frequencies to the coordination. In the Add frequencies tab, choose to select frequencies from the inventory. Choose All frequencies from Inventory and click OK to bring frequencies into the coordination workspace.
    3. Select Analyze to check the compatibility of the current frequencies.
    4. Select Calculate to find compatible frequencies for all unlocked entries.
    5. Select Assign and Deploy to preview the assignments of channels and frequencies.
    6. Deploy the frequencies to your devices.

    The frequency coordination tab with the numbered steps to scan, calculate, and assign frequencies called out

    Step 7: Set transmitter frequencies using IR sync

    Performing an IR sync automatically tunes the portable device to the same frequency that was deployed to the networked device. When the IR sync is complete, a wireless audio channel is formed between the two devices.

    Align the IR sync windows of the portable device and networked device, and then press sync or access the sync menu. Refer to the hardware user guides for details about IR sync for your model of transmitter and receiver.

    A handheld and a bodypack transmitter syncing to a receiver

    Step 8: Monitor and control your system

    In the Monitor tab, you can add channel strips and Mini-Timelines to monitor your devices. The properties panel displays RF and audio meters and allow you to adjust parameters in real-time.

    1. Add channel strips and a Mini-Timeline by dragging and dropping channels from the right pane. You can also use the Strip and Timeline checkboxes.
    2. Right-click a channel strip to see configuration options.
    3. Double-click a channel strip to see and change detailed device parameters.
    4. Click Auto to update the way your channel strip is arranged. Snap it to the frame or move it freely about the screen.
    5. Select the gear icon in the lower-right corner of the screen to customize channel strips.

    The monitor tab with numbered callouts

    Step 9: Learn more

    For more information and support for Wireless Workbench, see the following resources:

    Shure Audio Institute - Trainings, educational materials, and other instructional content

    Wireless Workbench video tutorials on YouTube

    Wireless Workbench release notes

    Answers to frequently asked questions