Setting the Stagehand IP Address
Every Stagehand ships with a default IP address of 192.168.10.32. If you're only connecting one Stagehand to your network, you may not need to change this at all — just make sure Spikemark's Stagehand Properties are set to match. If you're connecting multiple Stagehands, each one needs its own unique address.
Not sure what address to use? See the IP Address & Network Connection overview for recommended address ranges and the one rule that makes everything work.
Which Card Do You Have?
There are two generations of Stagehand control card, and the procedure is different for each. The quickest way to tell them apart is to look at the display on the front panel:
Multi-line display with a menu system → you have a Unipolar V6 card. Follow Procedure A.
Two-line display → you have a Legacy Stagehand card. Follow [Procedure B] (#procedure-b-legacy-stagehand-card).
Procedure A: Unipolar V6 Card
(Multi-line display)
The Unipolar V6 card uses a full menu system. You navigate to the IP address setting rather than landing on it directly.
1. Open the menu.
Press the jog wheel on the front panel once to open the settings menu.
2. Navigate to CHANGE IP ADDRESS.
Turn the jog wheel to scroll through the menu options until CHANGE IP ADDRESS is highlighted. Press the jog wheel to enter the IP address settings.
3. Select the segment you want to change.
The IP address is shown with its four segments. Turn the jog wheel to navigate to the segment you want to change. Press the jog wheel to select it.
4. Set the new value.
Turn the jog wheel to change the value. Press the jog wheel to confirm. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for any other segments that need to change.
5. Save.
Turn the jog wheel to navigate to Save and press to save.
6. Exit.
Turn the jog wheel to navigate to Exit and press to return to the main display. The new IP address is now active.
Procedure B: Legacy Stagehand Card
(Two-line display)
The legacy card takes you directly to the IP address screen as soon as you press the knob — no menus to navigate.
1. Open the IP Address screen.
Press the knob on the front panel once. The SET IP ADDRESS screen appears immediately on the display, showing the current IP address with a blinking cursor.
2. Navigate to the segment you want to change.
Turn the knob to move the blinking cursor across the four segments of the IP address. The default last segment is 32 — in most cases, this is the only segment you need to change.
3. Select and change the value.
Turn the knob to land on the segment you want to edit, then press the knob to select it. Turn the knob to dial in the new value. Press the knob again to confirm.
Repeat for any other segments that need to change.
4. Save and exit.
Turn the knob to scroll to OK and press the knob to save the new address and return to the main display. The new IP address is now active.
Changed your mind? Scroll to CANCEL instead and press the knob to discard any changes.
Changing the Subnet Mask
You almost certainly don't need to do this — the default subnet of 255.255.255.0 works for every standard Spikemark installation. Only adjust it if you have a specific reason to (for example, integrating with a show control network that uses a different subnet).
Legacy card: Press and hold the knob until the SET SUBNET screen appears. Follow the same steps as changing the IP address.
Unipolar V6 card: From the settings menu, navigate to CHANGE SUBNET ADDRESS and follow the same steps as changing the IP address.
Next Step
Once the Stagehand's IP address is set, you need to enter that address in Spikemark so the two can find each other. See Connecting to a Stagehand in Spikemark →
Troubleshooting
Two Stagehands have the same IP address. This is a common issue when adding a second unit without changing the default address. Both units will fail to communicate reliably. Change the address on one Stagehand, adjust the values in Spikemark and you will be ready to connect.
I set the address correctly but Spikemark still won't connect. The address on the Stagehand and the address entered in Spikemark's Stagehand Properties must match exactly. Double-check both. Also confirm your PC's IP address is set and that Spikemark Options reflects the correct PC address. See Setting the Computer IP Address if needed.
The address I set isn't showing up. Make sure you completed the Save step before exiting the menu (Unipolar V6), or scrolled to OK and pressed the knob (Legacy). If the address reverts to 192.168.10.32, the change wasn't saved — run through the procedure again and confirm each step.
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