Getting Started

What you need

How it works

The phone is the controller. The Art-Net node is the physical interface. DMX data travels from the app over Wi-Fi as Art-Net packets, which the node converts to a physical DMX signal on the XLR output.

Your first lighting setup

Follow these steps to go from unboxed hardware to your first controllable fixture.

1. 01

   Prepare the fixture

   Find the DMX channel count and start address for your fixture's current operating mode. Check the fixture's documentation or the DIP switch settings on the fixture itself. Note the channel count — you will need it when configuring the fixture in DMX Node.

2. 02

   Connect the fixture to the Art-Net node

   Run a DMX cable (5-pin XLR or 3-pin XLR with adapter) from the DMX output of the Art-Net node to the DMX input of the fixture. If you have multiple fixtures, daisy-chain them and terminate the last fixture with a 120Ω DMX terminator.

3. 03

   Power the hardware

   Power on the Art-Net node and the fixtures. Allow the node a moment to boot and join your Wi-Fi network.

4. 04

   Add the node in Settings

   Open DMX Node and go to Settings. Add a new Art-Net node entry. Enter a name for the node, then enter its IP address. Configure the output port's universe address (N/S/U) to match the Art-Net node's DMX output setting.

   The phone and the node must be on the same Wi-Fi network. The node's IP address can be found in your router's connected device list.

5. 05

   Confirm the connection

   After saving Settings, DMX Node begins sending Art-Net packets to the configured IP address over UDP port 6454. No further connection step is required.

6. 06

   Create the fixture in DMX Node

   Navigate to the Fixtures tab and add a new fixture. Enter a name that identifies this fixture (e.g., "Front PAR 1"). Select the fixture type that best matches the physical fixture.

7. 07

   Configure the fixture mode

   Define the channel mode for the fixture. The mode specifies how many channels the fixture uses and what function each channel performs. Consult your fixture's DMX manual to get the exact channel order for the mode you have selected on the physical fixture.

   DMX Node does not include a built-in fixture profile library. You must configure the mode manually based on your fixture's documentation.

8. 08

   Assign the starting DMX channel

   Set the fixture's start address to match the address configured on the physical fixture. For example, if the fixture's DIP switches are set to address 001, set the start address to 001 in DMX Node.

   If the start address in the app does not match the physical fixture's address, the fixture will not respond correctly.

9. 09

   Open the Mixer

   Navigate to the Mixer tab. You will see faders for all 512 DMX channels. The fader at the position matching your fixture's first channel represents its first parameter.

10. 10

    Test a channel

    Move the fader for channel 1 of your fixture up to 255. If your fixture has a DIMMER channel first, the fixture should light up. If it has a color channel first, you'll see the color change. Verify the fixture responds as expected.

    If nothing happens: check Wi-Fi connection, verify the node IP in Settings, confirm the fixture's power is on, and double-check the start address setting.

11. 11

    Save the setup as a Scene

    Once you have a working lighting state, navigate to the Scenes tab and save the current channel values as a Scene. This captures the current DMX universe snapshot so you can recall it instantly later.