Documentation

Virtual NIC (Loopback Adapter) Installation & Configuration

When running MA2 console software and Unreal Engine simultaneously on a single computer, they need to communicate via network protocols (such as Art-Net). To achieve stable communication without a physical network connection or router, we need to install and configure a “virtual network adapter” (Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter) on the computer.

Step 1: Add Virtual NIC Hardware

  1. Open Device Manager:
    • Right-click the Windows desktop’s “Start” menu icon (or press Win + X).
    • Select “Device Manager” from the popup menu.
  2. Add Legacy Hardware:
    • In the Device Manager window, arbitrarily click any item in the list (e.g., select your computer name).
    • Click “Action” > “Add legacy hardware” in the top menu bar.
  3. Hardware Installation Wizard:
    • After the wizard window pops up, click “Next.”
    • Select “Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced)”, click “Next.”
    • In the hardware type list, scroll down to find and select “Network adapters”, click “Next.”
  4. Select Adapter Model:
    • In the “Manufacturer” list on the left, find and select Microsoft.
    • In the “Model” list on the right, find and select Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter.
    • Click “Next,” then “Next” again to begin installation, and click “Finish” when done.

Step 2: Configure Virtual NIC IP Address

To allow MA2 and UE to recognize each other, we need to set a fixed static IP address for the newly installed virtual NIC (typically using the Art-Net standard 2.x.x.x subnet).

  1. Open Network Connections Panel:
    • Press Win + R on the keyboard to open the “Run” dialog.
    • Type ncpa.cpl and press Enter to open the “Network Connections” control panel directly.
  2. Identify and Rename NIC (Optional but Recommended):
    • In the network connections list, find the newly added NIC (usually shown as “Unidentified network” with Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter text below).
    • For easier future identification, it is recommended to right-click the NIC, select “Rename,” and name it MA2 or ArtNet.
  3. Set IPv4 Properties:
    • Right-click the virtual NIC and select “Properties.”
    • Find and double-click “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” in the list.
    • Select “Use the following IP address.”
    • IP address: Enter 2.0.0.100 (or any other valid address on the 2 subnet, as long as it doesn’t conflict with other devices).
    • Subnet mask: Click the input field and it will auto-fill to 255.0.0.0.
    • Click “OK” to save settings, then click “OK” again to close the properties window.

Core Tip: After configuration, your computer now has a local Art-Net communication environment. Be sure to restart both the MA2 software and Unreal Engine so they can read and bind to this newly created 2 subnet IP address.

Step 3: Verify NIC in MA2

  1. Open the MA2 onPC software.
  2. Click Setup in the top menu bar and go to MA Network Control.
  3. In the Station IP dropdown menu, check if you can see the 2.0.0.100 address you just configured.
  4. If you can see and select that address, the virtual NIC configuration was successful! Click Create Session to create a session and prepare for communication with UE.