Sirocco Support FAQ

The Sirocco Support FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is a list of solutions to the most common questions people have when setting up their Sirocco. If there isn't an answer to your question here, visit the Sirocco Support forum and ask it there, so that we can help you directly and update this FAQ based on your feedback.

Looking for help with Windows Vista? Check out our new Sirocco Vista FAQ

 

Q: Are there any adjustments that I need to make to my wireless network before I set up my Sirocco?
A: By following the included Quick Start Guide, Sirocco will work without problems on most 802.11b/g networks. If you have problems, you should ensure that your network has the following settings:

  • SSID broadcast is enabled (it is enabled by default on almost all wireless routers)
  • MAC address filtering is either off, or your Sirocco's MAC address is allowed to access the network.
Q: When I disconnect from my Sirocco Wireless Bridge, why can't I hear my audio program through my computer's speakers?
A: Normally, in Windows®, when you switch between audio devices, you have to restart your audio programs before they can "talk" to the new device. However, if you want your audio to switch between devices seamlessly when you connect and disconnect, enable the "Dynamic Audio Switching" feature from the Advanced menu in Sirocco's control panel.

Advanced Setting Dialog
Q: Is Sirocco incompatible with any wireless routers?
A: There have been reports of problems with the 2Wire 1000SW. In each case, trying a different router fixed the problem, so we suggest upgrading your router if you are using a 1000SW.

Some users have also had a problem with Belkin Pre-N routers (see http://www.sondigo.com/node/559). Others have used the Sirocco with this router successfully; it's possible the problems are only evident with more recent versions of firmware.

There is a problem with the default settings on the Linksys WRT54GX4 that cause it to be incompatible with Sirocco out of the box. However, this problem is easily remedied by making a small change in the WRT54GX4's web utility. To do this , follow the steps below:

  1. Open up the WRT54GX4 web utility. You can do this by opening your web browser (like Internet Explorer) and typing the address of the router. If you're not sure what this address is, try 192.168.1.1.
  2. If your router is password-protected, enter your password and you will be taken into the web utility.
  3. In the web utility, click on the "Applications and Gaming" tab at the top of the page.
  4. Click on the "QoS" link near the top of the tab.
  5. Where you see "802.11e/QoS", select DISABLE from the pull-down list.
  6. Click on the "Save Settings" button at the bottom of the page.
  7. You should now be able to use Sirocco on your WRT54GX4 network.
Q: I just installed the Sirocco software and want to hook Sirocco up to my A/V receiver using Dolby Digital. How do I do this?
A: Simply follow the steps below:

  1. After going through the installation process, the Sirocco Control Panel will appear. Your Sirocco's name should also appear under the "Device Name" heading. Click on your Sirocco's name and click the "Connect" button.
  2. Click on the "Audio Setting" tab in the Control Panel.
  3. Under "S/PDIF Output", select "Dolby Digital Live"
  4. Ensure that your Sirocco is connected to your receiver using the included optical digital cable.
  5. Turn on your A/V receiver, set the volume level as you wish, and stream your music in from your PC!
Q: I want to connect to Sirocco over a wired Ethernet connection, but it won't let me finish the setup wizard.
A: Sirocco is designed primarily as a wireless device, but you can also use it over a wired connection. During the setup wizard, simply press "Cancel" once you see your device in the "Available Devices" window. Then press "Cancel" again to exit the wizard. The Sirocco Control Panel should come up and you will be able to connect to your device.
Q: I can’t find the Sirocco Control Panel- how can I get it back?
A: The Sirocco Control Panel should be accessible in the System Tray, in the right-hand corner of your screen. If it's not, follow the steps below to access it.

  1. Click on the Start menu, and open the (Windows) Control Panel.
  2. There should be an icon in the Control Panel called “Sondigo Sirocco”. Click it to open the Sirocco Control Panel
  3. If you wish to have the Sirocco icon in your system tray, click on the “Information” tab and check the box at the top of the page. This way you can always access the Sirocco Control Panel easily from the lower right-hand corner of your screen.
Q: I can’t connect to my Sirocco receiver or see it in the Sirocco Control Panel, under "Device Name".
A: Try the following tips until you see the receiver again in the Device list.

  1. In the Sirocco Control Panel, click the “Scan Audio Device” button to scan the network for Sirocco receivers
  2. Close the Sirocco Control Panel and re-open it.
  3. Ensure that the Sirocco receiver is still plugged in to wall power and the “Power” LED is lit (I know, it’s obvious, but the power cord could’ve been dislodged accidentally or unplugged by someone else).
  4. If you’re connected to Sirocco on a wireless network:
    • Check if the Wireless light is blinking periodically. If not, try unplugging and re-inserting the power plug into Sirocco

    If you’re connected to Sirocco on a wired network:

    • Check if the Wireless light is blinking periodically. If not, try unplugging and re-inserting the power plug into Sirocco
  5. If you still can’t see your Sirocco receiver in the Device list, try connecting it to your computer with the Ethernet cable and running through the setup wizard again to ensure that your settings are correct.
Q: My music cuts out momentarily when there is a lot of traffic on my network.
A: Like any wireless audio system, Sirocco needs to have a certain amount of bandwidth on the network to provide a strong audio connection. You may notice momentary drop-outs when the network is extremely busy or there is a lot of interference (from other wireless networks, cordless phones, or microwave ovens).

Thankfully, you can compensate for this by increasing the size of your audio buffer in the Sirocco Control Panel. Simply follow the steps below:

Buffer adjustments
  1. Select a “User-Defined” buffer size
  2. Adjust the Buffer slider (a bigger buffer gives you more resistance to drop-outs)
  3. Press “Confirm”
Q: The audio light on my Sirocco turns solid blue, and I can't hear any audio.
A:
The "solid blue light" issue is something that a few people have seen with the original Windows XP driver. Fortunately, we have been able to resolve it a couple of different ways.

The first thing to check is that your volume is not inadvertently muted. When audio is muted on the Sirocco, the blue light will be solid blue, and you obviously won't hear any audio. This can happen when your audio is muted or your Wave volume is low in the mixer. To fix this, open the Sirocco Control Panel and click on the "Mixer" tab. Underneath the big rotary knob is a small button. Press this so that it lights up, and make sure both the volume and Wave controls are not set to minimum.

Another possible fix is to run a program like CCleaner or Registry mechanic to clean out your registry (ccleaner is free at www.ccleaner.com), and then re-install the driver.
See http://sondigo.com/node/100

Finally, you can also try our newer Windows Vista driver, which has fixed the blue light phenomenon for several of our users. It also works under XP, and you must perform a firmware update to use the new driver. One thing to note is that the newer Vista driver does not include the Dynamic Audio Switching feature. You can download it from www.sondigo.com/drivers.

Q: I can connect to my Sirocco fine, but only some of my programs will stream audio to it.
Sirocco is able to stream audio from any PC application. However, to do so, the audio application must "associate" with the Sirocco as its audio output device. To get a program streaming to Sirocco, the first thing to try is the following:
1. Connect to Sirocco
2. Close your audio program (make sure it isn't still running in the taskbar)
3. Re-open the audio program and play audio

If you are running Windows Media Player 10, it's possible that your output audio device setting is configured in a non-default way. To change this, follow these steps:
1. Open Windows Media Player 10 and right-click the title bar. A menu should appear.
2. Choose Tools -> Options...
3. Click on the "Devices" tab
4. Select "Speakers", and click the "Properties" button
5. Under "Sound Playback", make sure "Default DirectSound Device" is selected from the pull-down menu.
6. Click "Apply". You may need to close and re-open Windows Media Player for these settings to take effect.