Use NDI Router to assign local NDI sources—such as cameras, game captures, and media feeds—to virtual destination outputs; use Studio Monitor to preview feeds; and use NDI Bridge when you need to connect separate NDI networks over a WAN. Router controls which source a receiver gets, while the NDI media stream travels directly between the transmitter and receiver.
What NDI switching and routing do
NDI carries video over a network between compatible transmitters and receivers. In a local setup, NDI Router acts as a software routing panel: it creates named virtual outputs, and you assign a source to each output. A receiver connects to the output it needs. NDI describes Router as a virtual switcher, so the documented workflow does not require a separate hardware video matrix.
Router is not the same as a multiview monitor or a video mixer. It assigns NDI sources to destination outputs; it does not replace a tool used to inspect feeds or establish the remote network link itself.
Choose the right NDI tool
| Tool | Use it for | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| NDI Router | Local source-to-destination assignment | Creates virtual outputs for NDI receivers and lets you assign an available source to each destination. |
| NDI Studio Monitor | Preview and inspection | Lists available NDI channels, displays feeds, can show multiple sources, and provides PTZ controls for supported cameras. |
| NDI Bridge | Connecting NDI infrastructures across networks | Provides Host, Join, and Local modes for remote interconnection or local stream handling. |
Prepare the network and install NDI Tools
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Open NDI’s official Tools download page and select the installer for the operating system you will use. The download page listed NDI Tools version 6.3.2 on October 3, 2026; that version number can change, so use the current listing rather than relying on an old installer.
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Check the current requirements for your operating system and package before installing. NDI’s Windows Tools overview lists a 1Gbps LAN as a minimum requirement. The Router product page lists Windows 10 64-bit or later, an Intel or AMD processor with SSE4 or later, 6 GB RAM or better, a supported GPU/APU, and 1Gbps LAN. These are published minimums, not a guarantee that a particular network can carry any chosen number or format of feeds.
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Put the Router computer, NDI transmitters, and receivers on a network where they can discover one another. NDI’s 2023 NDI 5.6 white paper describes using Access Manager to set a Discovery service address and notes that devices must discover one another before video can pass. The paper is general discovery context, not a complete current network configuration guide.
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Launch Studio Monitor and confirm that the expected NDI sources appear. If a source is missing, resolve discovery and network visibility before configuring routes; Router can only assign sources it can see.
Route an NDI source to a receiver with Router
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Open NDI Router and enter its configuration mode. Create source buttons for the NDI sources you intend to route, destination buttons for each receiver output, and preset buttons if you want to save repeatable assignments.
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Name or select each source so the operator can identify it clearly. Give each destination a virtual stream name that the intended receiver can recognize. Router documentation states it can manage up to 64 sources and 64 destinations; this is an application limit, not a recommended active-feed count for every system.
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On each receiver, select the Router virtual output named for that destination. Router creates these virtual outputs for receivers; it does not carry the media through the Router application.
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In Router, select the destination and then select the source to assign to it. The receiver connected to that destination output should now receive the assigned source.
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Use Studio Monitor to preview the source feed, and if useful, monitor more than one available feed. This helps distinguish a routing assignment issue from a source that is absent or not producing the expected picture.
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Preview and inspect sources in Studio Monitor
Studio Monitor is the practical companion for checking what is available before and during switching. Choose an NDI channel from its source list to view it. Where the source and camera support PTZ, Studio Monitor offers PTZ controls. It can display multiple feeds, which is useful for comparing sources while Router handles destination assignments.
Connect remote NDI networks with Bridge
Router’s documented workflow is for source and receiver routing on an NDI network. For separate NDI infrastructures connected over a WAN, use NDI Bridge rather than treating Router as a remote transport. Bridge provides Host, Join, and Local modes; its Local mode can transcode or repeat a requested stream to multiple receivers.
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Choose Host or Join for the two ends of the remote connection, and configure the group and connection settings required by the selected mode.
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Ensure the remote endpoint can be reached at the required IP address and port, and that the Bridge endpoints use matching encryption settings. NDI’s Bridge product page lists port 5990 as the default and describes 256-bit encryption; confirm the actual settings in the current Bridge configuration rather than assuming defaults are unchanged.
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Adjust buffering with the WAN conditions in mind. Bridge documentation describes buffer as a trade-off between latency and smooth playback: more buffering can help smooth delivery but adds delay.
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Once connected, use Bridge’s Local mode where appropriate to transcode or repeat a requested stream for multiple local receivers.
The Bridge product page lists H.264 and HEVC compression. Those Bridge details apply to remote-link operation, not the local Router workflow.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common problems and fixes
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A source does not appear in Router or Studio Monitor: confirm that the transmitter is running and visible on the intended network. Check discovery configuration, including the Discovery service address in Access Manager where used, then reopen the source list.
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The receiver cannot find the Router output: verify that the destination is configured in Router and that the receiver is selecting the virtual stream name assigned to that destination.
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The receiver sees an output but receives the wrong feed: select the intended destination in Router, then assign the desired source to it. Preview the source in Studio Monitor to verify the feed itself.
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A Bridge connection will not establish: check endpoint reachability, the configured IP and port, group details, and matching encryption settings. The listed default port is 5990, but verify the configured value at both ends.
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Remote playback is uneven or feels delayed: adjust Bridge buffering against the smoothness-versus-latency trade-off. Network workload and conditions affect results; a published 1Gbps minimum for Windows Tools does not establish a bandwidth calculation for a specific deployment.
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Quick Recap
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