Solstice Pod Quickstart

User Testing Quickstart Video

Connect

• Open the app and find your display in the list of discovered displays.
• Don’t see your display in the list? Make sure your device’s wifi is enabled and connected to the same network as the display.
• If prompted, enter the screen key shown on the display.
• You can also connect by opening a browser and entering the IP address shown on the display.

Share

• For Windows or Mac users, you can mirror your screen on the display by selecting ‘Desktop’. You can choose to share your system audio with the display if you wish.
• You can also share a specific app window to the display, if you’d rather not share the whole desktop.
• On Android, you can mirror your device to the display by selecting ‘Mirror Screen’.
• On iOS, you can mirror your device using AirPlay. Swipe up from the bottom and find the display name in the list of AirPlay Mirroring options.
• You can also share image or video files directly to the display.

Helpful Tips

• Do you typically connect by typing the IP of the display in a browser? After doing this once, the app is on your device and you can save time by launching it from the shortcut on your desktop.
• The layout panel on your app is a drag and drop interface that allows you to modify the layout of items on the display. You can drag an item to the bar on the left to hide it from view.

How to Configure 

• Configure directly on the Pod (requires mouse and/or keyboard): Simply hit the ESC key or click the bottom right icon and select ‘System’ -> ‘Configure’ to access the configuration panel.
• Web Config: You can configure the Pod from a browser on a separate device. Simply type the IP address of the Pod (shown on the splash screen) in your browser and select ‘[Configure]’ on the bottom left of the page. Note: Your device must be on the same network as the Pod. For first time configuration, the Pod by default will act as a Wireless Access Point. Connect your device’s wifi to the SSID of the Pod before accessing the web config panel.
• Solstice Dashboard: If you have multiple Solstice displays, configuring via the Dashboard is highly recommended. It allows you to remotely configure and check the status of all Solstice displays on your network from a single location and apply settings to groups of displays instead of managing them individually. Dashboard also allows you to enable features that aren’t accessible by other means, such as Message Center / RSS tickering and network QoS support. Download the Dashboard here. Note: Dashboard configuration requires Enterprise licensing on your Pods, you can upgrade here

Network Setup

• The first and most important thing to configure is networking. The Pod must be network-accessible to users in order for them to connect and share. With this in mind, the Pod was designed as a flexible, enterprise-ready networked device that supports several deployment options to fit your needs. Highlights are below but please consult Network Deployment Guide for more information.
• Attach via ethernet: Simply plug an ethernet cable into the Pod and enable ethernet under the ‘Network’ tab of configuration.
• Attach to a wifi network: No ethernet cable? Simply configure the Pod to attach to an existing wifi network. You can also connect to a wireless network securely while still using Ethernet to a second network (see ‘Multiple Network’ below
• Keep it as a Wireless Access Point: Users must attach to their device’s wifi to the Pod’s WAP before connecting to the display.
• Multiple Networks: The Pod supports multiple network connections simultaneously. For example, you can use ethernet to connect to your internal network and use wifi for guests. Download the Network Deployment Guide for more options and details.

Recommendations

• Give your display a meaningful name, like ‘Front Huddle Room’, so users can easily locate it. Solstice displays are often named according to the room they’re in.
• Determine desired security and access control. For instance, you can set an admin password to restrict who can make configuration changes, require users to enter a Screen Key when connecting, encrypt traffic between users and the display (requires Dashboard), and many other options.
• Tagging: Have multiple Solstice displays? Make it easier for users to find the right one with Tags (requires Dashboard). You can assign Tags to displays which will allow users to quickly and easily filter the discovery list (for example ‘Floor 21’, ‘Sales Dept’, etc). The Tagging scheme is fully customizable and color coded.
• Message Center / RSS: The Pod has a built in message ticker that can display custom messages or RSS feeds when not in use. Configure your Pod to show information useful to your organization (requires Dashboard).
• For more information and a full list of features, please view the Solstice Pod Guide

Advanced Setup and Troubleshooting

• Network Requirements: The following ports need to be open for Solstice to work properly: 53100, 53101, 53102. To enable iOS mirroring, these additional ports must be open: TCP: [6000 – 7000], 7100, 47000, 47010 UDP: 5353, [6000 – 7000], 7011
• SDS: By default, Solstice uses UDP broadcast for discovery. If that is restricted on your network, a lightweight application called Solstice Directory Service (SDS) can be installed that will enable discovery without using broadcast. See the Network Deployment Guide for more information.
• AirPlay Proxy (Bonjour): Similarly, if UDP broadcast is unavailable, Bonjour will also be unavailable. In this situation, you can still allow iOS mirroring by enabling Solstice’s AirPlay Discovery Proxy option. Once users are connected (via the Solstice iOS app) to a display with the proxy enabled, the display will be available as an AirPlay device.
• Using a Web Proxy for internet traffic? The Pod can support that. Simply configure the Pod with the proxy information under the ‘Network’ tab.
• Using SCCM? There is a separate installer for the Solstice Windows app that supports SCCM and allows several customization options. Contact support to get the installer.
• Enable Quality of Service (QoS) headers for Solstice traffic (requires Dashboard) to improve reliability.
• Connectivity problems? If the Pod’s WAP is enabled and not used very often, try disabling it. Environments with several access points can increase wireless interference, leading to connection drops.
• Troubleshooting an issue? Check out the common troubleshooting topics or contact support
• For more resources on Solstice, visit the Mersive support portal