Use NDI Router to assign discovered NDI sources to virtual outputs, Studio Monitor to preview feeds, and NDI Bridge when you need to connect separate NDI networks over a WAN. Router handles local routing; it is not the tool that carries a remote connection across the internet.
What NDI switching and routing mean
NDI devices send and receive video over a network. A source might be a camera, computer screen, or media feed; a receiver is the application or device that needs that feed. NDI Router provides a software way to direct a source to a receiver without requiring a hardware video matrix for this workflow.
The key distinction is that Router creates virtual outputs for receivers. The receiver selects the virtual output, and Router assigns a source to that destination. Router is the control and assignment layer: the media stream itself travels directly between the NDI transmitter and receiver, rather than passing through the Router application. NDI describes its virtual outputs as outputs “which are then used as sources for NDI receivers” (NDI Router documentation).
Prepare the NDI network and software
Install NDI Tools
- Open NDI’s official NDI Tools download page and choose the installer for the operating system you will use. The package listing can change; confirm the current platform availability and version there before installing.
- Check the current system requirements for the intended machine. NDI’s Windows Tools overview lists a 1Gbps local-area network as a minimum, while the Router product page lists Windows 10 64-bit or later, an Intel or AMD processor with SSE4 or later, at least 6 GB RAM, a supported GPU/APU, and 1Gbps LAN. These are published minimums, not a guarantee that a particular network can sustain every combination of feeds. See NDI Tools and NDI Router requirements.
Make sources discoverable
Confirm that the sender, Router computer, and intended receiver can see one another on the network. Discovery is a prerequisite: NDI’s 2023 NDI 5.6 white paper states that once two NDI devices have discovered each other on the network, video can pass between sender and receiver. The paper describes Access Manager as a way to set the Discovery service address; it is useful context, not a complete guide to every current network configuration (NDI white paper).
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- Verify that the NDI source is actually running and publishing a feed.
- Check discovery on the receiving computer before configuring a route. If a source is absent, troubleshoot discovery and network access before changing Router assignments.
- For managed or segmented networks, consult the network administrator about the Discovery service address and the network path between devices.
Route sources with NDI Router
Use Router when sources and receivers are on an NDI network that can discover them. The documented Router workflow is described under NDI’s Mac documentation path, while the product page’s detailed system requirements are Windows-focused; check the current OS-specific installer and documentation for the deployment you are using.
- Open Router and enter configuration mode. Use the configuration control in the application to define the buttons and virtual outputs before routing.
- Create source buttons. Add or name the NDI sources Router should offer. Only sources available to the Router computer through NDI discovery can be selected.
- Create destination buttons and name their virtual streams. Each destination represents a virtual NDI output that a receiver can select. Add presets if you need reusable source-to-destination arrangements.
- Connect each receiver to its destination output. In the receiver application or device, choose the Router virtual output named for that destination. Router supports up to 64 sources and 64 destinations; this is an application limit, not a recommended active-feed count for every system (NDI Router documentation).
- Assign a source to the destination. In Router, select the destination, then select the source to send to it. The receiver connected to that destination should now receive the assigned feed.
- Change the assignment when you need a different feed. Select the destination and choose another configured source. Each destination can be treated as its own route, subject to available source discovery and system capacity.
Preview feeds with Studio Monitor
Studio Monitor is for viewing and inspecting NDI feeds, not for building Router’s source-to-destination assignments. Open it to browse available NDI channels and preview a feed before or during a routing change. It can show multiple feeds, and it provides PTZ controls for supported cameras (Studio Monitor documentation).
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- Use Monitor to confirm the source looks and behaves as expected before routing it to a destination.
- Use multiple views when you need to compare available feeds during an operation.
- Use PTZ only when the selected camera supports the controls exposed by Monitor.
Connect separate networks with NDI Bridge
Router’s documented job is local source-to-destination assignment. When NDI sources and receivers are on separate networks and need to communicate over a WAN, use NDI Bridge rather than treating Router as an internet transport. Bridge offers Host, Join, and Local modes, with group sharing and connection settings for remote use (NDI Bridge documentation).
Host and Join for remote connections
Host and Join are the modes to consider when connecting remote NDI infrastructures. Plan for a reachable public IP and the required port, matching group and key settings, and buffering appropriate to the connection. NDI’s Bridge product page lists default port 5990, 256-bit encryption, and H.264 or HEVC compression; confirm current Bridge documentation and your network configuration before deployment (NDI Bridge product information).
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Local mode for proxy or repeat workflows
Bridge’s Local mode can transcode or repeat a requested stream to multiple receivers. This is distinct from Router’s local virtual-output assignment: choose the tool according to whether you need a remote-network link or a local source-to-destination route. Bridge documentation also describes buffering as a trade-off: more buffer can improve smooth playback when network conditions vary, at the cost of latency.
Choose the right tool
| Tool | Best suited to | What it does | Key consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| NDI Router | Local NDI switching and routing | Assigns discovered sources to virtual outputs used by NDI receivers | Sources and receivers need to discover one another; Router is not the media transport or WAN bridge |
| Studio Monitor | Previewing and inspecting feeds | Displays available NDI channels, including multiple feeds; offers PTZ controls for supported cameras | It monitors feeds rather than assigning Router destinations |
| NDI Bridge | Remote NDI interconnection, or local proxy/repeat operation | Connects NDI infrastructures across a WAN; Local mode can transcode or repeat streams | Remote use requires connection, group/key, and buffering configuration |
Troubleshoot common routing problems
The source does not appear in Router or Monitor
- Likely cause: the sender is not publishing an NDI source, or discovery is not reaching the Router computer.
- What to check: confirm the sender is active, check that the devices can discover one another, and review the Discovery service address in Access Manager where relevant. The NDI white paper explains the discovery prerequisite, but network-specific diagnosis depends on the deployment.
The receiver cannot see the Router output
- Likely cause: the receiver has not selected the destination’s virtual output, or the devices cannot discover one another.
- What to check: confirm that the destination exists and has the intended virtual stream name, then select that output on the receiver. Verify discovery before troubleshooting the source assignment.
The receiver sees an output but gets the wrong feed
- Likely cause: a different source is assigned to the selected destination.
- What to check: select that destination in Router and inspect or change its source assignment. Use Studio Monitor to identify feeds if their names are unclear.
A remote feed is unavailable or unstable
- Likely cause: Router is being used where a WAN link is needed, or Bridge’s network and connection settings are incomplete.
- What to check: use Bridge for separate NDI infrastructures; verify reachable IP and port, matching group and key, and adjust buffer with the latency-versus-smoothness trade-off in mind.
Performance is inconsistent as more feeds are added
The published 1Gbps LAN minimum is not a workload-specific bandwidth calculation, and Router’s 64-source/64-destination limit does not establish that a given machine or network can run that many active feeds reliably. Check the actual network and system capacity for the sources, receivers, and topology in use; the cited pages do not provide universal bandwidth figures for every workload.
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