The other option is our Power over Ethernet solution, the Airtame PoE Adapter. Wireless screen sharing requires power and a constant, stable network connection. That’s why we’re big fans of Power over Ethernet (PoE). If you’ve got an Airtame in a hard-to-reach place and a lot of traffic on your network, you probably are too.

The Airtame PoE Adapter will soon be available for sale. While you’re waiting for the release, we suggest you sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest news on when the Airtame PoE Adapter is ready, plus receive many other cool product updates and inspiring articles.

How does the PoE Adapter work?

In order for a device like Airtame to work, it needs 1. a network connection in order to be able to communicate with the display and your computer, tablet or smartphone and 2. a power connection that delivers the electrical power your Airtame needs to operate.

But what if your power outlet is far away or if you have heavy traffic on your network? Enter the Airtame PoE to USB Adapter! It’s a product that provides the necessary power as well as an Ethernet connection over USB to the Airtame. When a user’s network is set up accordingly to provide Power over Ethernet, the Airtame only needs a network connection as it will receive power from the same cable.

There is nothing the user has to do to actually ‘enable’ PoE for the Airtame – just make sure that the network is all geared for PoE.

When you combine the Airtame PoE Adapter with the Aircord, it is a three-in-one solution that provides the Airtame with power, an Ethernet connection, and connects it to the HDMI port on your display. This gives you a nice, clean setup.

To use the PoE Adapter with the Aircord, our custom power cable supplied with every Airtame 2, simply plug the Aircord’s power cable into the PoE Adapter. On the other end of the PoE Adapter is where you plug in your Ethernet cable.

Note that you’ll need a PoE-enabled network switch (or an injector, whatever works in the setup) already set up on your network. A PoE-enabled switch is a network switch that has Power over Ethernet injection built-in.

Just connect to the switch like you normally would, and the switch will detect whether there is a PoE device (in this case the Airtame PoE Adapter) on the network and negotiate power with it automatically. Take a look at our Help Center for more information on network requirements for Airtame and the PoE Adapter.

Want to learn more? Check out our nerd-friendly deep dive on all things PoE.

Benefits of using PoE

Power over Ethernet is known for making IT admins’ lives a lot easier. These are the reasons IT admins often prefer this setup:

Higher Airtame 2 performance reliability

A wired Ethernet connection is much more stable than a regular WiFi connection. But it’s not just more reliable, it’s faster too. According to our hardware team, you can actually increase the connection speed up to  5 times.

Cleaner setup with fewer cables

Using the Airtame PoE Adapter allows for a single cable (the Aircord) to provide the Airtame with HDMI, as well as power and ethernet. Because the PoE Adapter pulls power from the switch, it removes the need for an AC power adapter and plug.

Lowers operation costs

PoE allows for power to be delivered to more areas in a building without the need to install additional electrical infrastructure or have power outlets at every endpoint. So there’s no need to get an external contractor to install extra power outlets.

With the Airtame PoE Adapter, you can also utilize pre-existing cabling infrastructure and take away the need for added power receptacles in the hard-to-reach places.

Easy to install

No need for expensive, external contractors to come by and help you set things up. Just plug the USB Type-A from the end of the Aircord into the Airtame PoE Adapter, and the other end into a PoE-enabled network cable.

Are you ready for PoE? Reach out to our sales team today to get a free product demonstration or sign up for our newsletter for the latest product updates and interesting articles.

The post Introducing the Airtame PoE Adapter and Extension Cord appeared first on Airtame.

Already set up and ready to go wireless? Download the Airtame app directly from your computer.

1) Setting up and powering Airtame

Plug Airtame into the HDMI port on your TV or projector. Use an adaptor if there’s no HDMI input. Use the included AC adaptor to ensure Airtame has power or alternatively power Airtame through the TV via the micro-USB to USB cable. You will only be able to set up Airtame through a computer, as you need access to the Device Management Panel.

2) Placement for best stability and performance

If your WiFi signal is blocked, your streaming performance may be inhibited. Make sure that the AIrtame is placed as close to the edge of the TV as possible and preferably pointed towards the nearest access point. The distance from the access point to Airtame should be no more than 10 meters/32 feet, and with no WiFi blockers in between.

3) WiFi or Ethernet connection

Airtame relies on a good connection to stream without interruptions. We recommend using an Ethernet connection between Airtame and the network for optimal performance and minimal delay.

Many of the obstacles found with WiFi are not adherent with Ethernet. If you’re using a WiFi connection, however, make sure to limit the number of obstacles in between Airtame and the network, as described above. Remember that walls, other access points and physical objects will impair the connection.

Before setting up Airtame, we suggest to map out where your access points are and how your Airtame will be set up in relation to them. If you’re unsure whether your WiFi signal is strong enough to carry a good connection with Airtame, use a signal strength app or go to Airtame Cloud to check it.

4) Access and installation

We’ve made installing your Airtame as easy possible. Once you have plugged in the device via the HDMI port, select the correct HDMI input on your TV or projector. You’ll be presented with a welcome screen, and asked to visit airtame.com/setup to download the Airtame app to your laptop or computer.

Once the app is installed and launched, just follow the simple set-up instructions: name your Airtame, and connecting it to your preferred network.

5) Get the most out of Airtame Cloud

Go to https://airtame.cloud/ and set up a fee Airtame Cloud account. Add the Airtames in your organization It’s your cloud management tool where you can manage and monitor all of your devices.

In addition, you’ll be able to select the content shown on screens when no one is streaming to Airtame. Create groups of devices and set permissions in the Cloud, perform reboots or update chosen devices. In the cloud, you’ll see Homescreen. That’s your screens when Airtame is idle.

With the newest firmware update, you’re also able to customize Homescreen to show images, websites, custom backgrounds or app integrations. Currently, we offer these four app integrations for Homescreen: Trello, Unsplash, World Clock and Google Slides. They’re perfect for digital signage purposes, something we believe every business can benefit from exploring and utilizing.

Invite other users by clicking on “Invite user” in the upper right corner of the Cloud and entering their email. In the overview of users, your coworkers will now show up.

You can set-up your colleagues as any of the three user roles: Administrator, Manager and User, each featuring different levels of maturity and access to the Cloud. If you need to remove a user, you can do so by going to the “Team” tab and removing the person.

6) Set up more than one Airtame

Mass deployment to more than one computer is also possible. For Windows users, download a mass deployment installer here to pre-configure and install on many PCs.

For Mac OS, use a third party deployment service along with the existing .dmg file along with Soundflower for audio capturing. The Soundflower driver is included in the .dmg package, but for mass deployment you need to install it separately.

Here’s some more general points about mass Airtame installation and deployment in business environments, and here for schools.

7) Calibrate your display ?

Pre-set image settings on most TVs and projectors work best with watching satellite TV. To improve image quality when streaming, you can calibrate your screen to best fit Airtame. Adjust screen settings by opening a blank spreadsheet document for color reference.

Find standard mode or reset adjustments on your screen and reduce contrast (often around 70-80% of max value) until all lines in the spreadsheet are visible. Reduce sharpen until the text is easy to read (often 0-20% of max value). See more tips on how to adjust display settings here.

8) Troubleshooting

If a problem should occur either with the connection, updates or other, we recommend first checking the source of the problem. If you have no connection, check your WiFi signal. With update issues, you should look at your firewall restrictions.

We also have a help center with many useful articles on troubleshooting and getting the most out of Airtame. If you aren’t able to fix the issue yourself, we’re always ready to assist you. Go to our website and chat directly with one of our competent Customer Success team members by clicking the chat icon in the bottom right corner.

9) Customize your Airtame settings

There are many ways you can personalizing Airtame for your workplace. Beyond the digital signage options outlined above, you can find the many settings for your device(s) in the Airtame app, such as framerate (Frames Per Second) and buffer time. You can even download your log files if you need to troubleshoot, and contact us directly via the chat functionality.

 

10) Audio and video streaming

Click the sound button in the Airtame app to enable audio. Audio is disabled by default to minimize latency, but with a stable connection, you can stream both audio and video with sound.

11) Setting up guest networks

Creating guest networks within your internal networks is not only smart for security purposes, it’s great for organizations with a steady flow of guests too. We also offer a Windows Guest app for one-time users so they don’t have to install the regular app.

We’ve created a list of network configurations and requirements to accommodate internal and guest users. See more recommendations for Airtame and guests here.

Enjoy your wireless working experience! Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

The post 11 important steps to consider for your first Airtame installation appeared first on Airtame.

Some of the improvements you’ll find in this new app include:

• New Setup Flow, including support for Ethernet and ad-hoc network
• Chromebook streaming to multiple screens
• Fixed MSI and portable issues (related to autostart, autoupdate)
• Re-allowed dot in the name of Airtame devices

Ready to update? Of course you are! Go click the green banner in your app ?

Have a question, request or a product feature idea? We’d love to hear from you. You can reach our support team directly via email (support@airtame.com) or setup a call time and we’ll get back to you.

The post Download v3.2.0 of the Airtame app appeared first on Airtame.