Cubase 10.5 Pro with USB over ethernet dongle

Hi all,

Looking for tech support here - I have Eltima’s USB network gate installed (single device licence), running as server on Windows 10 machine, client on MacOS Sierra.

I use USB NG to get around the annoying need (for me, anyhow - not interested in debate on whether this is good or bad, just would like to remain focused on tech here) for Cubase to need my USB dongle (aka ‘eLicencer’ in Steinberg speak) to be physically connected to my Macbook to run the s/w.

Its been running fine on Cubase version 7.5 for a few years till now, the odd flaky start but generally OK - even when running over VPN (Zero Tier One) over the Internet. Which has been great, as I dont have to bring the USB dongle with me everywhere and risk losing/breaking it - I’ve just got plugged in to my always-on Windows server and make the logical USB-over-ether/inter-net connection fine.

This weekend I just upgraded to the latest version of Cubase (Cubase Pro 10.5) which has the same eLicencer requirement - same dongle being used, same two client/server machines, same USB over ethernet s/w - only diff being the new version of Cubase.

But now I cant get the Cubase 10.5 to ‘see’ the USB dongle, reports it as missing or bad port - its trying but it flakes out, usually resulting in a Force Quit of Cubase. With the dongle connected as Steinberg would like i.e. into the Mac USB poort, startup and run of 10.5 is fine - so my installation is good.

Checking on wireshark (I’m a network eng) there’s no TCP problem or firewall etc - same LAN, and I can see the TCP stream is fine on the port in use (in my case TCP 17436 for my shared device).

Its possible that the new software is ‘fussier’ or runs more checks I guess, it looks like your USB NG s/w is doing its job OK - the Mac client shows as connected (green dot),and server shows the device shared OK.

Just wondered if you had any advice or whether others had written with same prob?

Any info greatly appreciated,

Best wishes
David

Sorry - forgot one other bit in the post below.

If there’s no way that this is going to continue to work using my USB-over-net frig, then is there any way in which I can get around using the doingle - e.g. add to soft e-licencer (in the EL control center app)? - I can see a soft EL which has no licences on it in the EL control center, my 10.5 Pro one is shown on the USB EL.

Just seems clunky - at least for my use case - to depend on the dongle after all these years. Reason works just a-OK with soft licence for example…

Cheers
David

Cubase/Nuendo started to check for virtual USB ports a few versions ago and refuse to start in this case. So you’re out of luck.

Artist and Pro cannot run from soft licenser but requires the USB dongle.

Hi folks,

Thanks ever so much for the swift replies - looks pretty much like you’re confirming my suspicions on both fronts - namely that (a) the latest revs of Cubase are pickier / able to detect virtual ports and (b) the licence must live on the physical dongle as opposed to the software licencer.

Sigh - it was all working so elegantly too, even over Internet VPN. I did also try Virtualhere again which I’d messed with before, but that isnt reliably setting up a share of the device between the Win server and the MacOS client on the machine with Cubase on.

I did log a support ticket with Eltima who make USB Network Gate, and if I get anything useful back I’ll post it. But their s/w seems to be doing its job just as it should, it’s just Cubase seemingly not playing nice.

If anyone else has any bright ideas or experience please feel free to add to this thread. Cheers again for the help so far guys, appreciate it.

David

this is a helpful thread. I just set up VirtualHere with 3 dongles directly connected to my Synology NAS and they seem to work fine on my LAN.

Does this mean that this virtual port sniffing has been changed by later versions of Cubase? I’m running v.11 on Windows 10…

I now need to test the LAN connection but I’m afraid of driving 2 hrs from my home NAS to find out it doesn’t work over a LAN…

Good to hear you have VirtualHere running OK, I might have to re-visit this on Cubase Pro 10.5 to see if I can get it working again, but I did try this before and failed :frowning:

Eltima support have been really good trying to help re USB Network Gate - but I think we have hit a dead end, because after lots of USB Debugging and logging on both the (in my use case) Windows ‘server’ (where the dongle is physically plugged in) and the MacBook Pro ‘client’ (where Cubase is installed) all they can be sure about is that there is some sort issue on the communication where Cubase fails to connect to the dongle.

Without having remote access to my server over the Internet (which I’m afraid I’m not allowing) or me sending the physical dongle to their test lab (which obv means I cant use Cubase for weeks/months so also wont be happening…)

I did log a call with Steinberg who predictably did nothing with it, it took a phone call to Hamburg after a month of no replies to requests for updates and all they said was ‘it is not supported’ - they wont enter into any further discussion into this.

If I get any further results I will post them here.

In response to your problem about driving a few hours away and then waiting with baited breath to see if it still works… why not test it before you go in a dummy /lab setup?

If it works all OK locallyy on the LAN with your NAS, then you can be reasonably sure that all your config is correct when using local network transport, which is good. Not sure how you would then be expecting to connect to your NAS remotely over the Internet - I’m assuming a VPN - you could perhaps set up the client to be connected to the Internet via mobile phone hotspot so that it is not on your local LAN any more via wifi (and disconnect ethernet too). That way your client machine is ‘on the Internet’ from the NAS’ perspective, even though you and your client are still physically at home. Then establish your VPN and test it.

Same would go for a non-VPN solution, but then you have the task of port-forwarding on your local router to allow the inbound VirtualHere port from outside the local LAN (i.e. Internet). That would work but also be less secure as you’re opening up that specific inbound port direct to your NAS - I wouldnt .

HTH
David

Slight edit to the above - I previously got VH working itself, i.e. the client can see the server across the LAN/WAN ok. But Cubase couldnt start using the dongle in the remote machine. Just wanted to be clear :slight_smile:

I tried a WAN configuration using my phone as a hotspot for a laptop, and could not get either VH’s EasyFind to work or setting up port forwarding on my router to allow for a direct connection. I’m pretty much at the limit of my own IT capabilities unless I figure out how to set up a VPN. EasyFind is supposed be a VPN-for-dummies solution, so if that doesn’t work, I’m not sure that I will be more successful… //tony