Matrox Extio 3 Series User manual

User Guide
20266-301-0315
2021.04.20
Matrox
®
Extio
™
3 Series
N3408 Transmitter card • N3408 Transmitter unit
• N3408 Receiver unit
N3208 Transmitter card • N3208 Transmitter unit
• N3208 Receiver unit
ENGLISH
www.matrox.com/video

2 Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide
Contents
Matrox safety information ...................................................................................... 6
Installation and operation .......................................................................................................................6
If a power supply (internal or external) was included with your product ............................................ 7
If your product includes laser-based technology ...................................................................................7
If your product includes a battery ...........................................................................................................7
Repair .......................................................................................................................................................8
Overview ................................................................................................................. 9
Hardware supplied ...................................................................................................................................9
Software available ....................................................................................................................................9
Hardware required (sold separately) ....................................................................................................10
Optional hardware (sold separately) ....................................................................................................10
Matrox rack mount kit ..........................................................................................................................10
More information ..................................................................................................................................11
Getting started ...................................................................................................... 12
Networked mode ...................................................................................................................................12
Point-to-point mode .............................................................................................................................12
Virtual private network (VPN) mode ..................................................................................................13
Link redundancy ....................................................................................................................................14
Private wide-area-networks (WAN) ..................................................................................................... 14
Private WAN setup ............................................................................................... 15
Private WAN setup requirements .........................................................................................................15
Private WAN configuration ................................................................................................................... 16
VPN configuration ................................................................................................. 17
Generate the VPN configuration file (network administrator) ..........................................................17
Import the VPN configuration file and connect to VPN (remote user) ............................................18
Configure the units (network administrator) ......................................................................................21
Set the required receiver and transmitter settings ................................................................................21
Troubleshoot ..........................................................................................................................................22
Change the VPN configuration ............................................................................................................22
Make adjustments when necessary .......................................................................................................22
File structure and syntax for Swanctl.json ............................................................................................23
File structure for the VPN configuration file (strongswan.zip) ..........................................................23

Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide 3
Installing your Extio 3 transmitter card ................................................................ 25
Before you begin ....................................................................................................................................25
Step-by-step installation ........................................................................................................................26
Installing multiple cards ........................................................................................................................27
Connecting your Extio 3 devices ......................................................................... 28
Before you begin ....................................................................................................................................28
Extio N3408 or N3208 transmitter card ...............................................................................................30
Extio N3408 transmitter or receiver unit .............................................................................................31
Extio N3208 transmitter or receiver unit .............................................................................................33
Installing the SFP module .....................................................................................................................36
Setting up link redundancy .................................................................................. 38
Connection setup guidelines .................................................................................................................38
Enabling link redundancy .....................................................................................................................39
Disabling link redundancy ....................................................................................................................39
Description of LEDs .............................................................................................. 40
Power/status LEDs .................................................................................................................................40
Network LEDs ........................................................................................................................................42
Updating your Extio 3 firmware ........................................................................... 44
Before you update your firmware .........................................................................................................44
Obtaining the Matrox Extio 3 firmware updater package ...................................................................44
Updating your Matrox Extio 3 firmware (networked mode) .............................................................45
Updating your Matrox Extio 3 firmware (VPN mode) .....................................................................47
Updating your Matrox Extio 3 firmware (point-to-point mode) .......................................................47
Setting up networked mode ................................................................................ 49
Before you begin ....................................................................................................................................49
Validating network discovery ................................................................................................................50
Installing Matrox Extio Central Manager software ..............................................................................50
Accessing the OSD (On-Screen Display) ..............................................................................................51
Using the OSD (On-Screen Display) ....................................................................................................52
Sources ..................................................................................................................................................53
Receiver information .............................................................................................................................54
Aggregator mode ...................................................................................................................................55
Setting up VPN mode .......................................................................................... 62
Before you begin ....................................................................................................................................62

4 Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide
Installing Matrox Extio Central Manager software ..............................................................................63
Accessing the OSD (On-Screen Display) ..............................................................................................64
Using the OSD (On-Screen Display) ....................................................................................................64
Sources ..................................................................................................................................................66
Receiver information .............................................................................................................................67
VPN information ...................................................................................................................................68
Aggregator mode in VPN ......................................................................................................................69
Setting up point-to-point mode ........................................................................... 70
Before you begin ....................................................................................................................................70
Accessing the OSD (On-Screen Display) ..............................................................................................71
Using the OSD (On-Screen Display) ....................................................................................................71
Sources ...................................................................................................................................................72
Receiver settings and information ........................................................................................................73
Rebooting or resetting your Extio 3 device ......................................................... 76
When to reboot or reset your device ...................................................................................................76
Software reboot ......................................................................................................................................76
Hardware reboot or configuration reset .............................................................................................77
Changing the operation mode of your devices ................................................... 79
Changing from copper to fiber optic ....................................................................................................79
Troubleshooting .................................................................................................... 80
What to do if you have a problem .........................................................................................................80
Common problems and solutions ........................................................................................................ 80
Product information .............................................................................................. 83
Hardware specifications ........................................................................................................................83
Product dimensions ...............................................................................................................................85
Maximum distance (point-to-point mode) .........................................................................................86
External power supply ...........................................................................................................................86
Environmental .......................................................................................................................................87
Notes .......................................................................................................................................................87
Fiber optic transceiver SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) modules ................................................87
Battery ....................................................................................................................................................87
Appendix A – Providing adequate airflow to your Extio 3 device ..................... 89
Appendix B – Firewall requirements .................................................................... 90
Extio Central Manager software ...........................................................................................................90

Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide 5
Firmware updater ..................................................................................................................................90
Extio 3 devices ........................................................................................................................................91
Accessing your Windows Firewall settings ...........................................................................................92
Adding rules to your Windows Firewall settings .................................................................................93
Appendix C – Mounting your devices .................................................................. 95
Mounting guidelines ..............................................................................................................................95
Mounting your Extio 3 device ...............................................................................................................95
Appendix D – Configuring your audio settings ................................................... 96
Receiver output ......................................................................................................................................96
Receiver input ........................................................................................................................................97
Receiver audio destination ....................................................................................................................98
Appendix E - File structure for swanctl.json ...................................................... 99
The “connections” section ....................................................................................................................99
The “secrets” sections ..........................................................................................................................102
Customer support ............................................................................................... 103
Matrox web ..........................................................................................................................................103
Technical support ................................................................................................................................103
View your warranty information ........................................................................................................103
View the third party software notices .................................................................................................103
Register your Matrox product .............................................................................................................104

6 Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide
Matrox safety information
To ensure safe and reliable operation of your Matrox product, to avoid personal injury, and
to prevent damage to your computer or Matrox hardware, read the following guidelines.
Installation and operation
 Read and retain all instructions. Only use your Matrox product according to the
instructions, operating ranges, and guidelines provided in the Matrox user guide and
other related Matrox documentation. Failure to follow these instructions could result in
damage to your product or injury to the user or installer.
 Don’t expose your Matrox product to rain, water, condensation, or moisture.
 Caution: Hot Surface, Do Not Touch
Your Matrox product can become hot while operating. Ensure that your
computer cover is secured in place before turning it on.
Always turn off your computer, unplug it, and then wait for it to cool before removing
the cover of your computer to touch any of its internal parts or to install your Matrox
card. Allow hot surfaces to cool before touching your Matrox unit.
 Attention: Surface chaude, ne pas toucher
Votre produit Matrox peut devenir chaud durant son fonctionnement.
Assurez-vous de bien fermer le couvercle de votre ordinateur avant de
l’allumer.
Éteignez votre ordinateur, débranchez-le et attendez qu'il refroidisse avant d'ouvrir
son couvercle pour accéder à ses parties internes ou pour installer votre carte
Matrox. Laissez les surfaces chaudes refroidir avant de toucher votre appareil
Matrox
.
 Static electricity can severely damage electronic parts. Before touching any electronic
parts, drain static electricity from your body (for example, by touching the metal frame
of your computer).
 When handling a card, carefully hold it by its edges and avoid touching its circuitry.
 Don’t stack devices or place devices so close together that they’re subject to recirculated
or preheated air.
 Don’t operate your system or Matrox product near a heat source or restrict airflow to
your system, and make sure the ambient temperature doesn’t exceed the maximum
recommended temperatures. Don’t block ventilation holes on your unit or system.

Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide 7
If a power supply (internal or external) was included with your
product
 Don’t place the external power supply directly on top of the device.
 Only use power supplies originally supplied with the product or use a replacement that’s
approved by Matrox. Don’t use the power supply if it appears to be defective or has a
damaged chassis.
 Any AC-powered product must be connected to a grounded outlet installed by a licensed
electrician. Don’t defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A
polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding-type plug has
two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided
for your safety. If the provided plug doesn’t fit into your outlet, consult a licensed
electrician to replace the obsolete outlet.
 Make sure that nothing rests on the power cables and that the cables aren’t located where
they can be stepped on, pinched, or tripped over.
 Don’t use damaged power cables.
 Unplug your system or device during lightning storms or if unused for long periods of
time.
If your product includes laser-based technology
 The device contains a Class 1 laser product for use only under the recommended
operating conditions and guidelines. For more information, see your Matrox user guide.
 Invisible laser radiation may be emitted from disconnected fibers or connectors. Don’t
stare into beams or view directly with optical instruments.
 Only use optical transceivers originally supplied with the product or use a replacement
that’s approved by Matrox.
 For more information on laser support and compliance, see your Matrox user guide.
If your product includes a battery
 The battery is non replaceable.
 To dispose of your product, see www.matrox.com/environment/weee.

8 Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide
Repair
 Don’t attempt to open or repair a power supply unit (if one was supplied).
 Don’t attempt to open or repair your Matrox product.
 If there’s a fault with your Matrox product, review your Matrox warranty for more
information.

Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide 9
Overview
Thank you for purchasing a Matrox Extio 3 Series product. Matrox Extio 3 is an IP KVM extender
that enables you to work on a computer from a distance. It captures the peripheral signals from the
computer (such as the keyboard, video, mouse, audio, and other peripherals) and extends these
signals to a remote location.
Matrox Extio N3408 IP KVM extenders support up to four (4) monitors. Matrox Extio N3208 IP
KVM extenders support up to two (2) monitors.
Hardware supplied*
Depending on your Extio 3 device, the following hardware is supplied:
 Extio N3408 or N3208 transmitter card – Transmitter card, 1 USB cable (A to mini B
connectors), RJ45 transceiver.
 Extio N3408 or N3208 transmitter unit – Transmitter unit, 1 USB cable (A to B
connectors), 1 power supply.
 Extio N3408 or N3208 receiver unit – Receiver unit, 1 power supply.
Software available
Depending on your setup ( networked mode, virtual private network (VPN) mode, or point-to-point
mode), the following software is available:
* The hardware supplied with your Matrox product may vary depending on the SKU or part number of your product. For more
information, contact your Matrox representative.
On-Screen Display (OSD)*Extio Central Manager
Networked
mode
Log into your receiver and switch to
different transmitters. For more
information, see “Setting up
networked mode”, page 49.
Remotely manage, monitor, and
configure your networked Extio 3
devices. For more information, see
“Installing Matrox Extio Central
Manager software”, page 50.
Point-to-point
mode
Configure and manage your Extio 3
devices. For more information, see
“Setting up point-to-point mode”,
page 70.
—
Virtual private
network
(VPN) mode
Log into your receiver and switch to
different transmitters. For more
information, see “Setting up VPN
mode”, page 62.
Remotely manage, monitor, and
configure your networked Extio 3
devices. For more information, see
“Installing Matrox Extio Central
Manager software”, page 50.

10 Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide
Hardware required (sold separately)
Depending on your device and setup, you may need the following hardware:
 CAT5e, CAT6, or CAT7 cable
 LC-LC fiber optic cable
 Multi-mode (62.5/125 µm (OM1), 50/125 µm (OM2, OM3, or OM4))
 Single-mode (9/125 µm (OS1 or OS2))
 Shielded DisplayPort™ 1.1 or 1.2 cable
*
Optional hardware (sold separately)
You may also need any of the following hardware:
 Multi-mode fiber optic transceiver
†
 Single-mode fiber optic transceiver
†
 Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort adapter
‡
 Analog audio cable
 Matrox secure cable solution
Matrox rack mount kit
Matrox makes available a rack mount kit to mount your Extio devices. To purchase a Matrox rack
mount kit, contact your Matrox representative.
* The On-Screen Display (OSD) is available only on the receiver.
* Shielded DisplayPort™ 1.2 cable is required for 4K60 resolutions.
† To purchase a multi-mode fiber optic transceiver (part number XTO3-SFPMM) or single-mode fiber optic transceiver (part
number XTO3-SFPSM) for your Matrox product, contact your Matrox representative.
‡ Not recommended for 4K60 resolutions.

Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide 11
More information
Your Matrox Extio 3 Series User Guide provides information on installing and connecting your
Matrox hardware, updating your firmware package, and using the Extio OSD.
For information on how to use and configure Extio Central Manager software, see the Matrox Extio
Central Manager User Guide.
Be sure to check for any last-minute release notes included with your product. Also, check the Matrox
web site (www.matrox.com/video) for the latest Matrox software, technical support, and product
information.

12 Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide
Getting started
The following outlines the steps for installing, connecting, and setting up your Extio 3 device. The set
up differs for networked, point-to-point, and VPN modes.
Networked mode
In networked mode, Extio 3 devices operate over a copper-based or fiber-based Gigabit Ethernet
network.
1 Install your card – see “Installing your Extio 3 transmitter card”, page 25.
2 Connect your devices – see “Connecting your Extio 3 devices”, page 28.
3 Validate your setup – see “Description of LEDs”, page 40.
4 Update your firmware – see “Updating your Extio 3 firmware”, page 44.
5 Validate your network discovery – see “Validating network discovery”, page 50.
6 Install your Extio Central Manager software – see “Installing Matrox Extio Central
Manager software”, page 50.
7 Configure your Extio devices through Extio Central Manager software – For more
information on using Extio Central Manager software, see the Matrox Extio Central
Manager User Guide.
8 Log into your receiver and switch to different transmitters (OSD) – see “Using the OSD
(On-Screen Display)”, page 52.
Point-to-point mode
In point-to-point mode, Extio 3 transmitter and receiver devices are directly linked to each other
using copper or fiber optic cable.
1 Install your card – see “Installing your Extio 3 transmitter card”, page 25.
2 Connect your devices – see “Connecting your Extio 3 devices”, page 28.
3 Update your firmware – see “Updating your Extio 3 firmware”, page 44.
4 Enable point-to-point mode – see “Using the OSD (On-Screen Display)”, page 71 and
“Setting up point-to-point mode”, page 70.
5 Configure your Extio devices – see “Basic functions”, page 71.

Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide 13
Virtual private network (VPN) mode
In VPN IPSec mode, Extio 3 receivers operate on a secure connection over a virtual private network.
The Active Directory authentication will be available in this mode.
1 Install your card – see “Installing your Extio 3 transmitter card”, page 25.
2 Connect your devices – see “Connecting your Extio 3 devices”, page 28.
3 Validate your setup – see “Description of LEDs”, page 40.
4 The network administrator must create and configure the Strongswan.zip files so that the
remote receiver units will be able to communicate with the transmitter units. Once these
files have been created, they need to be provided to the remote user.
5 The remote user must then import the VPN configuration ( Strongswan.zip ) from a USB
mass storage device from the OSD and apply to the receiver device. For more
information, see “VPN configuration”, page 17.
6 Connect to the VPN from the OSD. When you are in VPN mode, the interface is similar
to when you are connected in networked mode, except for the additional
VPN tab. Note :
You will not be able to log in unless you connect to the VPN successfully.
7 Update your firmware using the UpdaterOverNetwork.exe tool – see “Updating your
Extio 3 firmware”, page 44.
Note : All of your units need to be running the latest 3.01.50
firmware.
8 Install your Extio Central Manager software – see “Installing Matrox Extio Central
Manager software”, page 50.
9 Configure your Extio devices through the Extio Central Manager software. Note : You
must discover the receivers manually (
Manual device discovery ), then discover the
transmitters using
Transmitter discovery from the receiver settings. For more
information on using the Extio Central Manager software, see the Matrox Extio Central
Manager User Guide.
10 Log into your receiver and switch to different transmitters (OSD) – see “Using the OSD
(On-Screen Display)”, page 52.
Note: The VPN mode is only available on the receiver. The transmitter will just react to the
VPN connection request but will not activate VPN mode like the receiver.
Note: To ensure best performance of the VPN, we recommend that you use a solid
background color in the Windows host configuration.

14 Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide
Link redundancy
For more information on connecting a redundant network, see “Setting up link redundancy”,
page 38.
Private wide-area-networks (WAN)
A private wide-area-network (WAN) is defined by Matrox as a connection between the user and host
system operating on a virtual private network (VPN) network, and not over a public network.
You can operate Extio 3 IP KVM extenders over a private WAN using Extio 3 firmware version 3.01.50
and higher. For more information on configuring Extio 3 with a private WAN, see “Private WAN
setup”, page 15.

Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide 15
Private WAN setup
This section provides guidelines to set up Extio 3 IP KVM extenders to work over private
wide-area-networks (WAN).
Private WAN setup requirements
The following are required to set up Extio 3 IP KVM extenders over a private WAN:
 Firmware version - Extio 3 firmware version 3.01.50 or higher.
 Bandwidth - You need to ensure that the required network bandwidth is available for
your setup. Bandwidth requirement is tied to the video resolution, number of video
streams, and the application running on the source system. For more information, see
“Typical bandwidth requirements”, page 15.
 VPN tunnel - A VPN tunnel needs to be established between the transmitter and
receiver. For more information, see “VPN configuration”, page 17.
 Low network latency - Latency is the measure of time it takes for a data packet to travel
from one point to another. When configuring your WAN network, it would be best to
have as low a latency as possible.
Typical bandwidth requirements
The bandwidth required is typically as specified in the following table:
Resolution per stream Target bit rate (quality) Bandwidth per stream
(Mbps)*
* Note: This is for a single video stream including audio and USB HID.
1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz Low 15
Typical 30
1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz Low 16.5
Typical 33.1
3840 x 2160 @ 30 Hz Low 25
Typical 50
3840 x 2160 @ 60 Hz Low 50
Typical 10 0

16 Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide
Private WAN configuration
To configure your Extio 3 extenders for operation over a private WAN:
1 Connect your devices – see “Connecting your Extio 3 devices”, page 28.
2 Make sure the transmitter and receiver units are on the same VPN and you are connected
to the VPN.
3 Update your firmware to v3.01.50 or higher – see “Updating your Extio 3 firmware”,
page 44.
4 In the Extio Central Manager software, do the following:
 Manually discover the receivers ( Manual device discovery  Scan a list of IP
addresses
).
 If the receivers and transmitters are on different subnets, make sure to configure the
receiver units to scan the transmitter subnets (
Receiver  Settings  Transmitter
discovery
).
 Assign user(s) to the devices using Manage users .
 Allow the receiver and transmitter units to connect to one another using Connection
broker
.
 Set Sharing mode to exclude guests ( Transmitter  Settings  Connection 
Sharing mode  Guest connections  No guest allowed ).
 Set Encoding quality to Low if you require lower bit rate ( Transmitter  Settings 
Streaming
).
 Set a value for Network congestion control ( Transmitter  Settings  Streaming ).
The values are
Off , Low , Mid , and High ,
 Set the Routing scheme to Unicast ( Transmitter  Settings  Streaming ). Note:
This only needs to be done if your setup does not support Multicast packets (for
example, GRE tunnels).
 Set Power recovery policy to Always start ( Transmitter  Settings  More options ).
This will allow the remote units to power up and return to a usable state.

Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide 17
VPN configuration
To configure the VPN IPSec connection on the receiver, the network administrator as well as the
remote user must perform the tasks described in this section.
Generate the VPN configuration file (network administrator)
Matrox Extio 3 uses Strongswan 5.8.4 IPsec VPN in tunnel mode.
The network administrator must do the following:
1 Generate a swanctl file for Strongswan 5.8.4. in the JSON format (2.1) and name it
swanctl.json . Note : Matrox then converts swanctl.json to swanctl.conf internally. Matrox
provides a template JSON file (
swanctl-template.json ) that lists all supported parameters
with their default values when omitted. For more information, see “Appendix E - File
structure for swanctl.json”, page 99.
2 Next, create a “.zip” configuration file containing the s wanctl.json file, and optionally the
certificates and private keys in their respective swanctl sub-folders. For more
information, see “File structure for the VPN configuration file (strongswan.zip)”,
page 23.
3 Name the file strongswan.zip . This file must not be password protected.
4 Place the file in the root of the first partition of a USB mass storage device. Note : The
USB mass storage device needs to be formatted as FAT32.
5 Make the USB mass storage device available to the remote user.
The remote user has to import this VPN configuration file into the Extio3 receiver unit using the USB
mass storage device.

18 Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide
Import the VPN configuration file and connect to VPN (remote
user)
The remote user has to do the following to import the VPN configuration file into the receiver.
1 Install or update to the 3.01.50 firmware and reboot the receiver.
2 In the initial screen, under Select the operation mode , select Configure IPSec VPN and
click
Yes in the confirmation screen. A new screen appears showing the details of the
VPN (for example,
Configuration : Not configured; Connection : Disconnected) and the
Import file from USB option to import the Strongswan.zip file.

Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide 19
3 Insert the USB mass storage device into the USB slot in the receiver. A list of USB mass
storage devices will be displayed below
USB mass storage inventory under Import file
from USB
.
4 Select the USB mass storage device where the Strongswan.zip configuration file is stored
and click
Import. You will see the following status and confirmation messages appear on
the
VPN screen: “ Importing VPN configuration from the USB mass storage device and
applying it on the device.
” and “ Configuration successfully imported from mass storage.
VPN configuration successfully applied on the device.
”.
5 Click Close on the VPN confirmation screen. The Get logs and VPN connect buttons are
enabled at the bottom of the screen.

20 Matrox Extio 3 Series – User Guide
6 Click the VPN connect button. You are now connected to the VPN. The Login button on
the top right of the screen gets enabled.
7 Click the Login button. A screen appears with the Advanced VPN set up option. Now,
you need to contact your network administrator who will proceed to the next step of the
configuration, which is detecting and configuring the devices from the Extio Central
Manager software.