NO - and that’s your problem right there I think - it comes with SE, which DOES NOT work across a LAN (local) only over the internet
FWIW not really sure why anyone would want to use it over the LAN ? ALWAYS better to use a long long long cable if needed ?
Hi, fellow sufferer here. In reading this thread I thought there were a few bit missing that maybe should be spelled out. Forgive me if I’m wrong. I really struggled to identify the requirements and the gotchas. I’m clearly still missing some.
For this s/ware to work over a LAN you need the Pro version of Connect on the Studio PC, with an activated license for it on the licenser. You also need a compatible version of Performer on the performer’s PC. I highly recommend you update to the latest versions of both from connectvst.com. You don’t need any license for Performer. To connect over the LAN I understand that you initiate it from the performer’s PC. You do not need to log in to My Steinberg on either the Studio or performer’s machine. The LAN light should be illuminated on the performer’s machine. You click on it and apparently you get presented with the ip address of the studio machine(s) on the LAN that have VSTConnect Pro activated. You select the one you want and bingo!
However after several days of trying now I have never even got the LAN light to come on, far less got it to connect over the LAN so what do I know?
You have my sympathy. This is shockingly bad software!
I will keep on looking into the license issue. I have a temp license for VST Connect Pro installed on my dongle.
Why use it over a LAN? Because a single CAT6 cable through a thick wall is much neater and tidier than 2 MIDI cables, some XLR cables etc. etc through a propped open door.
Or, to quote a famous explorer: “Because it’s there!”. Anyway, Steinberg added the feature, not me.
I’d strongly suggest that 2 midi cables and some XLR cables are a much more preferable solution - you have to deal with a lot of limitations if you use VST connect - your call of course.
edit: a couple messages were posted while I wrote this…
Here’s a simple sequence to test with, just to see what happens when you try to connect two machines on a LAN.
What happens when you run through this checklist and reproduction sequence?
====
Have two machines connected on the same LAN
Machine 1 running Cubase Pro 9.5
Verify:
Now you have the VST Connect Window,
Don’t login
On Machine 2, verify the LAN connection is the same as Machine 1
Observe the interface, is the LAN button lit up blue? (see attached image)
One more note, you can actually run both on the same computer to test the LAN connectivity button for VST Connect Pro/Performer
Same test sequence as above, just run both Cubase Pro and VST Connect Performer on the same machine, and mute all speaker and headphones, and use different asio devices, for each, eg, one on your main adudio device and the other on Generic ASIO, or asio4all, or even not connected (though I did not test that last one.)
all good information steve 
we all know the documentation isn’t really up to scratch. I have to say though that the plugin has come on leaps and bounds in the last few months.
We waited 18 months for an updated beta last october - and it was so badly broken…
now we are in a much better place - still a lot to do though (I have a big bug list still) - they really need to work on the networking side too
So THAT is the LAN button??! - thank you, Steve. In fairness to me, page 40 of the manual does not make that clear, and the image appears in the section ‘My Steinberg’ - doubly confusing.
OK, well I have seen that button before and I have hovered over it once or twice and seen the other machine there.
Now that I click the button it DOES seem to connect…certainly in a way I haven’t seen before.
This is progress, indeed. I am grateful.
So, my guess is that the mistake I have been making is to try and use key or My Steinberg connections to connect over a LAN - and this is not supported. i.e. Connecting locally is not supported by these methods. Interesting.
I wonder if having the temp license on the dongle has made a difference? I guess I will find out in about 7 days!
So, this is some important progress and I am grateful for your help.
That’s good that you saw that button, this was the point of my post.
Did you click on it? If you did, you have also seen the little drop down menu where you select the the LAN ip address to which you can connect. If you did connect, at the bottom edge of the window you would have also noticed the words, ‘connected to ’. Did you?
Regarding your wonder about the license: LAN connections work if you have an active VST Connect Pro license. Obviously, when it expires, you will revert to the SE version, with its limitations. It’s that simple. End of story. Period. Point finale. This is what is stated on the product page on the Steinberg website. If you are still wondering about whether that’s so or not, you’re focusing on the wrong elements of the story, and sabotaging your efforts to understand.
It works! I have got some basic MIDI from the Performer and have recorded it in Cubase!
I have removed the trial licence from the dongle…and it still works with VST Pro. The option has always been there in my Cubase 9.5. Like a lot of Steinberg documentation, I would strongly argue that the information is misleading, often out-of-date and usually confusing. Even people on this forum can’t seem to agree whether Cubase 9.5 comes with a Connect Pro license. I would argue it does, since I have removed the trial license and it still works. However, if it does cease to work in the future I now know that purchasing it is an option.
Steve, I think I have enough to get started now. Thank you.
Cubase Pro does not include a VST Connect Pro license, and nowhere on the Steinberg site does it say otherwise.
Cubase Pro comes with a VST Connect SE license. You didn’t understand the benefit of the license you removed from your USB key, but it doesn’t matter, because VST Connect SE meets your needs. Have fun!
not sure who is saying otherwise ? It’s pretty clear - cubase/nuendo DOES NOT come with PRO licence
I can see this LAN Button and if i haver oer the VSC Connet Pro name pop up, but nothing happen if I klick on the button. In VST Connect Pro the Mixes stay offline. Any Idea. I found the soution in other comments. Thats now working. Need to click on the IP Address and not on the Button, intersting approach.
hi JotPe01
best to start a new thread
