Until we get wireless power, running wireless data to our lights is one of the biggest time-savers and problem solvers that we can use in our lighting.

As a educational lighting website, that means we hear one of 2 things from folks, either:

•  “Which brand should I buy?” and/or
• "I can't use that, it's glitchy and not predicable."

In this article, I want to share with you the pros and cons of wireless DMX and help you decide if it’s right for you. Then we'll go ahead and let you know where to go to find wireless DMX that meets your needs.

I’ve seen wireless DMX save time, money and make life great. But I’ve also seen it crash and burn, and I want to minimize the chances of that happening to you!

How Does Wireless DMX Work?

If you’re at this post, you probably already understand the basic point that wireless DMX allows you to send DMX lighting signal to fixtures near or far without a physical cable.

Most wireless DMX systems operate in the 2.4ghz frequency range, which is the same space as wireless WIFI networks.  Some offer 5ghz or 900mhz functionality as well.

A wireless DMX transmitter turns regular, wired DMX into a wireless signal that is then turned back into regular DMX by a receiver.  It’s a lot like a digital wireless microphone, actually.

Many wireless DMX units are actually transceivers and are able to transmit or receive DMX (but not at the same time).

Each manufacturer that makes wireless DMX has their own way of doing it, and so one brand of wireless DMX equipment will may not work wirelessly with another brand’s equipment.  However, many of the wireless DMX manufacturers use one or 2 main protocols, so it's a bit of a coin flip whether it'll work across brands of wireless products or not.

The 2 big “standard” protocols of wireless DMX are Lumenradio and W-DMX.

Some consoles and fixtures actually come with wireless DMX built-in, and do not require a separate transmitter or receiver. Other fixtures contain the antenna, but require a simple USB receiver to be plugged in to get the wireless signal functional – making wireless DMX even easier!

What are the problems and limitations with Wireless DMX?

The biggest complaint we get with wireless DMX is that it hasn’t always and isn’t always trustworthy.  However, with a little bit of work and the correct environment, wireless DMX can be as trustworthy or even more trustworthy than wired DMX.

Cheaper wireless DMX systems will work ONLY in the 2.4ghz wireless spectrum, which has a few problems.  The first is that there are really only 3-4 good open channels that you can use in a given space - and those 3-4 channels need to be shared between wifi networks, wireless DMX, and other random devices in the facility. 

Doing a wireless scan with a free app or a device like an RF Explorer (affiliate link) can let you know what channel is the most open, and you can place your 2.4ghz wireless DMX on that channel.  Keeping antenna's within line-of-sight of each other and as close as possible, and getting transmitting antenna's up in free and open air is always a great practice as well.

Because most budget wireless DMX is generally in the 2.4ghz spectrum, we can have issues with signal dropouts when the wifi spectrum gets crowded.

I was recently on a show in a new facility where their wifi, ticket scanner system and other networks crowded out the airwaves and we could not find ANY open channels for our wireless intercoms or show routers.  Because they were broadcasting everything at full power, you couldn’t get ANYTHING in the 2.4ghz range to work!

This is becoming more and more common as we move forward in time.

At this point, it doesn’t matter if you have the fanciest, most expensive wireless DMX. If there isn’t a frequency open, it’s not going to work, no matter how much it tries to find open air!

That's why you will often have to work with your venue to ensure the wireless space is open for your event to be successful....and also why the 900mhz and 5.6ghz products are often more reliable.

I am all good with using wireless, but when it comes to crunch time, please do have the DMX cable on site to wire if needed, or a plan to change your lights to a static, stand-alone look – or you won’t be able to control your lights!  As much as I'd love for everyone doing events to have the power to make their venue coordinate the frequencies (or at least cooperate), I realize that's not always possible, and sometimes the best plan is to have a backup plan.

What About Art-Net and sACN over Wireless?

Art-Net and sACN are 2 different ways to run your DMX signal over a network.

And yes! – Like any network protocol, this can totally be run wirelessly using standard computer networking equipment over 2.4ghz or 5ghz.

Like anything wireless, be sure to test your setup and always have a backup plan!  When working with networks, be sure either you are knowledgeable OR you grab the advice of someone who knows what they’re doing.  

For smaller events, cheaper, consumer-grade wireless may work, but if you want something that's going to be highly reliable, you want to upgrade to something a little more professional.

Wireless DMX Buyers Guide:

Like many things in the lighting world, there are a LOT of different options when you’re looking to invest in wireless DMX. Some are good, some are bad, but you generally get what you pay for.

As always, do your own due diligence and use this guide to help steer yourself into a purchase decision that you’ll be thankful you made for years into the future!

Our TOP picks for wireless DMX are here, on our gear guide - always updated to the latest best picks!