Why Your PC Can not Connect to the AV Video to IP Converter

When setting up an AV Video to IP Converter Board (such as an HDMI/AV/SDI to IP encoder), many users encounter the issue:

“My computer cannot connect to the encoder board.”

In most cases, the root cause is very simple:
your computer and the AV-to-IP converter board are not in the same subnet.

This article explains why this happens, how to check it, and how to resolve the issue quickly.

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Why the Same Subnet Is Required

An AV Video to IP Converter Board provides video streams through:

• Web configuration page
• RTSP stream
• UDP multicast/unicast
• ONVIF (if supported)

All these methods require the computer to reach the board’s IP address directly.
If the converter board and your computer are in different network segments, the computer cannot locate the device.

For example:

• Encoder board IP: 192.168.1.188
• Computer IP: 192.168.0.188

These two IP addresses are in different subnets.
The third octet (1 vs 0) does not match, so the devices cannot communicate.

Correct configuration should be:

• Encoder board: 192.168.1.188
• Computer: 192.168.1.50
• Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

Now both devices can communicate normally.

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How to Check If They Are in the Same Subnet

With the most common subnet mask 255.255.255.0, simply compare the first three numbers:

Device	IP Address
AV → IP Encoder Board	192.168.1.188
Computer	192.168.1.x

If the first three octets match, they are in the same subnet.
If not, they cannot connect directly.

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Common Real-World Scenarios

1. The Encoder Board Uses a Default Static IP

Most converter boards ship with a static IP such as:

• 192.168.1.168
• 192.168.1.100
• 192.168.0.155

If your computer is using DHCP and gets an address like 192.168.0.55, you will not be able to access the board.

Solution:
Temporarily assign your computer a static IP such as 192.168.1.50, log in to the board, and reconfigure it if needed.

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2. The Encoder Board Is Connected to a Router

If both the board and the computer are connected to the same router, the router normally assigns IPs in the same subnet.

Example:

• Encoder board → 192.168.31.40
• Computer → 192.168.31.80

In this case, they are already in the same network and should connect without modification.

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Quick Troubleshooting Steps

1. Ping the Encoder Board

Open a command prompt and type:

ping 192.168.x.x

If it does not respond, subnet mismatch is likely.

2. Check Your Computer’s IP

• Windows: Run ipconfig
• macOS: Check Network Preferences

Compare it to the encoder board’s default IP address.

3. Adjust Your Computer’s IP if Necessary

If the networks don’t match, set a temporary static IP in the encoder’s subnet.

4. If You Changed the Encoder’s IP and Forgot It

If you previously modified the IP address of the AV Video to IP Converter Board and later forgot it, you can still recover it easily. Connect the encoder board directly to your computer using an Ethernet cable, then download an IP Search Tool (sometimes called Device Search, IP Scanner, or Encoder Finder). Run the software and click Search.

If the encoder is powered on and properly connected, the tool should display its hardware information, including the current IP address of the board.

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Practical Tips for Setup

• Some encoder boards include a search/config tool that auto-detects devices even in different subnets.
• Avoid IP conflicts by ensuring each device has its own unique IP.
• If using multiple boards, label them with IP addresses for easier management.

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Conclusion

Yes — your computer must be in the same subnet as your AV Video to IP Converter Board in order to access:

• Web configuration page
• RTSP stream
• UDP video
• ONVIF services

If you cannot connect, the fastest solution is:

1. Compare both IP addresses
2. Check if the first three segments match
3. Adjust your computer’s IP to the same subnet as the encoder board

Once both devices share the same network segment, the converter board will be easily accessible and all video streams will work normally.