IN THIS ARTICLE
Software-based platforms
As the professional AV industry moves to software-based platforms, there’s growing demand for network solutions that deliver exceptional audio, video, and control performance without complex setup. The collaboration between Q-SYS and NETGEAR addresses this transformation by combining the Q-SYS Full Stack AV Platform with NETGEAR’s purpose-built AV Line switching infrastructure.
The collaboration between the two global leaders shows how intelligent software-based audio, video, and control systems work with enterprise-grade networking to create plug-and-play installations. These systems deliver power, media transport, and centralized management across corporate environments, educational institutions, and collaborative spaces worldwide.
Revolutionary Software-Based Integration
Q-SYS delivers exceptional unified platform performance through its software-based audio, video, and control engine. This eliminates traditional AV silos while maintaining enterprise-grade performance for demanding applications. The Q-SYS Platform leverages Q-LAN protocol suite for seamless audio and video distribution, device discovery, synchronization, and control across standard IT networks.
The NS Series Gen 2 network switches are NETGEAR-manufactured, enterprise-grade solutions pre-configured specifically to meet the rigorous performance requirements of Q-SYS, AES67, and Dante protocols. These switches provide real-time transport of Q-LAN, AES67, and Dante audio streams in addition to Q-LAN video streaming and distribution, simultaneously within the same VLAN, without requiring manual QoS configuration.
NETGEAR’s specialized switching infrastructure provides the bandwidth, timing precision, and protocol awareness supporting the Q-SYS software-based platform architecture. The combination enables integrators to create complex enterprise AV systems where audio, video, and control elements can be independently managed through Q-SYS Designer while benefiting from NETGEAR’s reliable network backbone and intelligent multicast management.
&nsbp;
Plug-and-Play Enterprise Performance
The switches deliver true plug-and-play deployment through comprehensive pre-configuration. Each switch features standard PoE on all ports (excluding uplinks and SFP ports), providing combined power, data, and control for Q-SYS devices, while PoE++ models support up to 90 Watts for higher-power requirements like Q-SYS NV Series video endpoints.
Together, NETGEAR and Q-SYS deliver consistent performance whether powering a single conference room or campus-wide installations. Each deployment benefits from award-winning unified platform capabilities from Q-SYS and NETGEAR’s proven enterprise networking reliability. Integrated NETGEAR IGMP Plus technology provides automatic multi-cast data management between multiple switches, while optional built-in DHCP servers enable automated connectivity for standalone AV systems.
&nsbp;
Comprehensive Control Ecosystem
The collaboration extends beyond hardware compatibility to encompass deep software integration through the Q-SYS Ecosystem. NETGEAR AV Line switches feature dedicated plugin integration with Q-SYS Designer, enabling monitoring and management of switch status, PoE control, and diagnostic information directly from the Q-SYS environment .
This integration ensures that network infrastructure and AV technology work together seamlessly, with Q-SYS serving as the centralized brain for audio, video, control, and network management functions. The result is a complete ecosystem where IT-standard protocols enable easy integration with modern network infrastructure while maintaining the specialized performance requirements of professional AV applications.
More information
More information about our AV Solutions
Learn everything about IP-networking on our NETGEAR ACADEMY
Our engineers will help you on your project for free
