Apologies if this question has already been answered but a hasty search through the forums hasn't provided the answer yet.

I've just set up a small network of render cows but I can't get Hyper Vue to successfully connect to them. This is a network of macs, though the platform (I think) shouldn't matter.

Each computer has a render cow installed, opened and presumably running. Hyper Vue says they are "disconnected" when I search the systems by name or IP address. As far as I can tell, there are no firewalls enabled, the ports are set to default, "desktop sharing" is enabled, and I have no difficulties browsing the systems with Finder (the equivalent of Windows Explorer).

Browsing the archives I noticed that a render cow must be installed on the host - will try that next - but open to other ideas and suggestions. Thanks in advance.

You have to add the mac's by IP address into the hypervue manager. Delete what's there, then add them one at a time. It just seems to be a peculiarity of the rendercow system (unless they changed it, of course. I'm on windows, so I can only repeat other solutions I've heard about).

Will try and report back.

Prior to reading your response, tried changing settings in the router - I can see the host + 1 render cow, but don't know why the other three aren't showing. No worries; the time I invest here will be well worth the time I will save, no?

Any software firewalls enable on the computers that could block them from seeing each other?

Interim solution: 

per original post, no firewalls enabled, and on a separate, non-internetted wired 1000 mbps network.

Within each node's render cows, there is an "auto-discovery port" 5591 and a "command port" 500X. Though the IP addresses keep changing (hmmmmm....... ; will perhaps need a different switch), giving each node a distinct command port address and corresponding Hyper Vue address - though dodgy, at the moment - has me now seeing 3/5 nodes so I'm getting closer, though not yet seeing the speed gains I'd hoped for....

But why doesn't HyperVue (8.0) open as it's own executable (for offline / pre-render confirguration), rather than as an online Vue utility? ARGH!!!!

Are you using DHCP or static for the IP address assignment on each computer?

Currently using DCHP, but Hyper Vue and the switch are reporting wildly different IP addresses. One reports 10.1.x.x while the other reports 192.168.x.x. Weird.

You need to plug your computers into a router then to assign their IPs automatically.  Or assign each computer its own static IP:

192.168.2.20 (main computer)

192.168.2.21 (render node)

192.168.2.22 (render node)

192.168.2.23 (render node)

192.168.2.7 (printer/scanner)

192.168.2.10 (network backup drive)

192.168.2.11 (backup of the backup)

etc.

Success!!!

(1) each cow receives its own command port

(2) each system receives its own static IP. Not crazy about the idea but it works.

Cerro Verde.vue, rendered internally: 13m49s

Cerro Verde.vue, one node external: 18m18s

Cerro Verde.vue, five nodes external: 03m38s

Definitely worth the investment in time.

Yey!