Listen Technologies EVERYWHERE LWS-10 User manual

ListenTech-Note
Doc. # LTN0061 Page 1 of 9 Revision: 08-23-22BC
Listen EVERYWHERE Troubleshooting Guide
Contents
Overview -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
Unable to Perform a Successful Venue Scan--------------------------------------------------------------------1
Front Power LED is Solid -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
Front Power LED is Blinking Steadily (1 Blink Per Second)------------------------------------------------4
Front Power LED is Blinking Rapidly (2 Blinks Per Second) -----------------------------------------------4
Server is Unable to Connect to Cloud Services -----------------------------------------------------------------5
High Latency, Noise, Crackling, or Dropouts in Audio---------------------------------------------------------5
No Audio or Partial Audio---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7
Overview:
The purpose of this tech note is to provide a troubleshooting guide for the Listen
EVERYWHERE (LE) server. Most of the issues outlined are usually encountered when initially
installing the LE server or after altering a pre-existing installation of the LE server in a
significant way (i.e., installing into a different location, changing networking or audio equipment,
etc.). There may be issues or resolutions that extend beyond this document. If so, please do
not hesitate to contact Listen Technical Support using the contact information located at the
end of this document.
Unable to Perform a Successful Venue Scan:
If you are reviewing this section, you are not able to connect to the Listen EVERYWHERE server
through the Listen EVERYWHERE app using the Venue Scan option. The user will witness a 30-
second countdown timer and/or an error message. To preface, the
user must be physically present in the venue location where Listen
EVERYWHERE is installed and must be connected to the same
network. The server is not designed to stream over the internet or
traverse networks. The Venue Scan feature also requires the
allowance of particular ports and services mentioned later in this
section. If this is not desired or possible in the venue, please consult
the Mobile App Connection Methods tech note for alternative
connection methods.

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Note: The first time the app is opened on devices running iOS 14 or higher, you will see the prompt
“Listen EVERYWHERE would like to find and connect to devices on your local network. This app will be
able to discover and connect to devices on the networks you use”, press “OK”. This can be changed at
any time in Settings > Privacy > Local Network on the iOS platform.
Front Power LED is Solid
This section will provide solutions in a situation where a Venue Scan will fail while the
front power LED on the LE server is solid.
•Enable Multicast UDP / Multicast DNS (mDNS) on the network. This is a common
problem on guest networks or networks with high levels of security because this
feature may be disabled. Multicast DNS (mDNS) is used in the discovery process
for the app and the server to connect via a network scan. This then allows
automatic connection when the app is opened. To enable mDNS, perform the
following:
oAdd the following services to the allowed list in the Gateway/WAP mDNS
settings:
▪_ExXothermic._tcp
▪_AsClient_ExXothermic._tcp
oOpen Port 5353.
oAdd the mDNS IP address to the
allowed subnets list. 224.0.0.251 is
the most common mDNS IP
address, but it could be any of the
224.0.0.0/24 range.
•Whitelist the LE server on the network. On
guest networks and VLANs, it’s possible
that client isolation is enabled. Client
isolation prevents connected wireless
devices from communicating with other
devices on the network (such as
iOS/Android devices communicating with
the LE server) and disables mDNS. In
conjunction with enabling mDNS on the
network (see previous bullet point), the IP
address or MAC address must be added to
the allowed address list (Whitelist) for the Guest
Figure 1: Ports and services
used by Listen EVERYWHERE

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Network/VLAN in the Router and/or WAP configuration.
•Expand the allocation of IP addresses.The network may be limited by the
number of host devices that can acquire an IP address (i.e., connect to the
network). This will be evident when the LE server is successfully connected to
the network but only some users cannot successfully connect to the network
and therefore, are unable to successfully perform a Venue Scan in the LE app. In
that case, the subnet mask may need to be expanded to include more hosts. A
calculator can be found here. For networks with a single Listen EVERYWHERE
server, it is recommended to set the subnet mask to at least 255.255.252.0/22
to accommodate the 1000 user specification of the server. This may vary based
on the network infrastructure needs. Class B (default subnet mask of
255.255.0.0) is best for medium to large venues.
•Consider IP address lease time. Lease time refers to how long a device will
reserve an IP address on a network before it is renewed and re-added to the IP
address pool availability. Similar to expanding the IP address allocation, the IP
address lease time may also be adjusted based on the needs of the venue. It’s
recommended to place a Listen EVERYWHERE server on a network with a 24-
hour lease time so that devices do not encounter any disruption while
streaming audio through the Listen EVERYWHERE app. However, a venue may
want to consider lowering the lease time in high traffic environments or for
applications that required a user to be connected for a predetermined finite
amount of time (e.g., a guided tour).
•Ensure that users are connected to the correct network and are not using
mobile data. As mentioned previously, make sure that users are connected to
the same network as the LE server. To help verify, it may be beneficial to
perform a network scan from a mobile device using a network analyzer app.
Usually, the LE server should appear with the Server ID (e.g., AEL6-XXXX-XXXX-
XXX) as the name and “WIBRAIN” as the manufacturer. If using the LE server on a
network without internet connection, some devices may have trouble
connecting. Below are a few tips to help connect to these networks:
oWhen first connecting to the network, you may see a prompt to stay
connected even if the network does not have internet. Select Yes or
Keep Trying Wi-Fi. Do not manually switch to mobile or cellular data.
oForget the network and reconnect. This may elicit a prompt to stay
connected even if the network does not have internet. Select Yes or
Keep Trying Wi-Fi. Do not manually switch to mobile or cellular data.
oTurn off Mobile / Cellular Data and connect to the network.
oTurn on Airplane Mode and connect to the network.

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Front Power LED is Blinking Steadily (1 Blink Per Second)
This section will provide solutions in a situation where a Venue Scan will fail while the
front power LED on the LE server is blinking once per second.
By default, the Listen EVERYWHERE server is designed to acquire an IP address
automatically from a DHCP server. This is typically the router. While acquiring the IP
address from the network, the user will see the power LED blink once per second for
roughly 30 seconds. If the blinking pattern persists beyond that, an IP address isn’t
properly being assigned to the server or the internal components are not functioning
properly.
•Verify that a DHCP server / router is properly setup and installed. Follow the
steps provided by the manufacturer of the networking hardware to set up and
prepare the network for use. Sometimes, these devices may fail over time.
Performing a factory reset on the networking equipment and following the
setup procedures may resolve the issue.
•Check the network cable and Ethernet port. The network cable may be faulty,
disconnected, or connected into the wrong Ethernet port on the network switch
or router. The Ethernet LAN port may also be faulty, disabled, or configured
incorrectly.
•Check the Power supply. A faulty or incorrect power supply will cause internal
components of the Listen EVERYWHERE server to function incorrectly. The LE
server uses a 5V / 6.0A / 30W power supply.
Front Power LED is Blinking Rapidly (2 Blinks Per Second)
This section will provide solutions in a situation where a Venue Scan will fail while the
front power LED on the LE server is blinking twice per second.
•Verify that the network settings placed on the Listen EVERYWHERE server are
correct. Network settings can be adjusted on the LE server through the Server
Admin interface. Some errors, such as IP address conflicts on the network, will
occur after the configuration is saved and the server is rebooted. When errors
like this are encountered, the front panel LED status will flash in panic mode (2
blinks per second) indicating the server has an improper network configuration
and cannot communicate on the network. When this happens, the server will
revert to a known working DHCP configuration after 5 minutes.

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Server is Unable to Connect to Cloud Services:
If you are reviewing this section, you are able to successfully connect to the Listen
EVERYWHERE server through the Listen EVERYWHERE app. However, the Listen EVERYWHERE
server is not able to communicate with Cloud Services and appears to be offline.
•Ensure that the router is connected to the wide area network (WAN). Routers will
typically have a physical WAN or Internet Ethernet port. Make sure that an Ethernet
cable is properly connected from the WAN port of the router to the internet source.
This will commonly be the case if other connected devices are also not able to get
internet access.
•Enable ports and services. This will likely be necessary if the network has a high level of
security or firewall in place. Cloud Services communicates via HTTP with the LE server
through *.exxothermic.com over port 1025, with updates communicating over port 80.
Refer to Figure 1 on Page 2.
High Latency, Noise, Crackling, or Dropouts in Audio:
If you are reviewing this section, you are able to successfully connect to the Listen
EVERYWHERE server through the Listen EVERYWHERE app. However, the latency of the audio
stream through the app seems excessively high or the audio stream has excessive noise,
crackling, or dropouts. These audio effects may be heard immediately, occasionally, or
infrequently. An example can be heard here.The average latency on the Listen EVERYWHERE
server is 60ms but can vary by network and device.
•Upgrade the networking equipment. Older and/or low-cost networking equipment may
result in unreliable and slower packet delivery, especially when many users are
connected to a single network. It is highly recommended to use high-end consumer-
grade networking equipment or enterprise-grade networking equipment to improve
packet reliability and speed. More information and recommended networking
equipment can be found in our Wireless Access Point Optimization for Listen
EVERYWHERE tech note.

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•Do not use a mesh network. A mesh network is
comprised of multiple nodes that communicate
with each other to provide wireless access to a
single network. These nodes may also be called
points or extenders. You may also think of these
nodes as being wirelessly daisy-chained to one
another. Mesh networks have a high likelihood of
causing excessive latency, dropouts, and
unwanted noise because it extends the pathway
from the user device to the Listen EVERYWHERE
server. Refer to Figure 2 on the right.
•Use an open network (no encryption). Using
encryption can lower the number of users that
can connect to the WAP and add latency to the
LE system. TKIP encryption should not be used.
•Enable Quality of Service (QoS) for the LE server
on the network. By default, the LE server uses
the 0xB8 Type of Service/Differentiated Services
(ToS/DS) tag so that audio data can be prioritized over other data traffic on the network.
This priority allows the latency and dropouts to be as low and infrequent as possible
while travelling over the network. The QoS setting may still need to be enabled on the
managed network, especially if there are many other connected devices or there are
existing QoS prioritizations on other connected devices.
•Ensure that there is adequate Wi-Fi coverage. If latency improves as a user moves
closer to the wireless access point or when there are less users connected to the
network, the venue may need to consider adding additional wireless access points for
adequate coverage and bandwidth allocation. Network speeds can also be tested using
third-party apps. Refer to our Wireless Access Point Optimization for Listen
EVERYWHERE tech note for more details.
•Consider network frequency. Typically, users will receive better performance on the
5GHz frequency versus a 2.4GHz frequency. The 2.4GHz frequency can usually be
turned off through your network’s admin interface. However, 2.4GHz frequencies will
work more efficiently as the user moves further away from the access point. Both may
be considered depending on your wireless access point placement.
•Check your mobile device. Some third-party, low-cost and/or older mobile devices may
not have high computing power or strong Wi-Fi antennas. Test with multiple mobile
devices to isolate the problem. If the problem exists on one or few devices, it may be
necessary to use an alternate mobile device to stream audio.
Figure 2: Example of a mesh network

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•Set a static channel on the wireless access point(s). Many WAPs can automatically
change channels to try and find one with the least interference. This feature can cause
audio dropouts each time the channel changes, as often as every 20 seconds. If it does
not settle on a channel after 30-60 minutes, it may be best to choose a channel
manually.
•Check your Bluetooth device (if applicable). Bluetooth speakers and headphones can
potentially cause an additional 200-700ms in latency. The amount of latency can vary
between Bluetooth devices. Utilizing devices with Bluetooth 5.0 or higher and Bluetooth
Low Energy (BLE) can help reduce latency. If using a hearing aid or cochlear implant
with Bluetooth technology, try toggling between listening modes to reduce latency.
Bluetooth devices are also susceptible to interference from Wi-Fi signals. Try moving
closer to the wireless access point.
•Be mindful of cable runs. Cable runs from the audio source to the Listen EVERYWHERE
server should be balanced to avoid introducing interference or noise. If an unbalanced
cable is used, you can reduce noise by improving cable shielding, avoiding long cable
runs (usually over 15ft), and by avoiding objects that can be picked up by the ground
wire.
•Avoid ground loops. A ground loop is characterized by the introduction of a humming
noise in the audio and can occur when multiple devices are interconnected through a
shared ground reference. Grounding is needed for both power and audio connections,
so it’s important to not allow these ground references to create a loop within the device
setup. When it comes to Listen EVERYWHERE, it may occur when the source audio,
other audio devices, and LE server are connected to the same ground reference,
usually in the form of a shared power strip or electrical outlets with interconnected
ground references. In order to combat a ground loop occurrence, the equipment’s
circuitry will need to be separated or a ground loop isolator can be installed.
No Audio or Partial Audio:
If you are reviewing this section, you are able to successfully connect to the Listen
EVERYWHERE server through the Listen EVERYWHERE app. However, no audio or partial audio
is heard on the channel after channel selection within the app. The LE server contains green
LEDs on the front of the unit that will illuminate when audio is present and at an adequate
level. This may help determine if the issue is audio-based or network-based and can be
troubleshot accordingly.
•Correctly connect audio to the Listen EVERYWHERE server. If the server is set up for
mono, connect to a single terminal block input, or connect to one vertical pair of red
and white RCA connections (LW-100P only). If the server is set up for stereo, connect to
a pair of terminal block inputs, or connect to one RCA input on the left and one RCA

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input on the right (LW-100P only). The LW-150 Dante connection handles both mono
and stereo with the same connection. Refer to Figure 3 below.
•Verify that audio cables being used are working properly or have been properly
assembled. This can be tested by using a different cable. If a custom-made cable is
being used, some wiring diagrams are available on our Audio Input Connection for
Listen EVERYWHERE tech note to ensure that it had been made properly. A multimeter
may also be used to check for continuity between the two connectors of the cable.
•Verify that headphones are working properly. This can be tested by using a different
pair of headphones and/or confirming that the audio can be heard through the
speaker of the smartphone or tablet used for streaming.
•Audio input should be line level. Mic level audio sources are not meant to be used on
the Listen EVERYWHERE server. Doing so may result in low level audio and pitch where
no audio or only partial audio may be heard.
•Ensure that traffic is enabled on port 16384. The LE Server sends RTP packets via UDP
to the app over a range of ports, including dynamic ephemeral ports. The mobile app
listens via UDP over port 16384. If these ports are not enabled, no audio will stream
through the app. See Figure 1 on Page 2. It also may be necessary to perform a
Figure 3: Listen EVERYWHERE audio input connections

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network scan or capture (e.g., through Wireshark) to identify which ports the network is
utilizing. See example below.
•Do not attempt to stream audio across different networks. Attempting to stream across
different networks will likely end up producing no audio within the Listen EVERYWHERE
app.
Should you have any further questions or concerns, please contact Listen Technologies’
Technical Services team at 1-800-330-0891 or [e-mail] for assistance.