NETGEAR Engage™ Controller 2.4 With Offline Provisioning Now Available

NETGEAR has released Engage™ Controller 2.4, introducing a major upgrade with offline provisioning that allows AV and IT professionals to design and configure network setups without needing physical hardware onsite. The software runs as a portable application on Windows and macOS, enabling users to pre-build virtual networks, apply configurations, and deploy them seamlessly once devices are connected. This significantly reduces setup time and simplifies complex AV-over-IP deployments by automating tasks like VLAN configuration, multicast, and QoS, while supporting key protocols such as Dante, NDI, and SMPTE ST 2110.

Alongside the software update, NETGEAR is expanding its M4350 switch lineup with two new models tailored for high-performance AV environments. The M4350-16C delivers 100G connectivity for core and aggregation layers, while the M4350-16M4V is built for live production with rugged, locking connectors and high PoE capacity. Together, these updates strengthen NETGEAR’s position in delivering scalable, efficient, and deployment-ready networking solutions for modern AV and broadcast applications.

NETGEAR®, Inc., a global leader in intelligent networking solutions designed to power extraordinary experiences, today announced that NETGEAR Engage™ Controller version 2.4 is available for free download for Windows and macOS at netgear.com/engage-controller.

Engage Controller 2.4 runs as a portable application, so no installation is required. It can even be run from a flash drive, on both Windows and macOS. And while it works offline, connecting to the internet enables Engage to detect and apply switch firmware updates with a single click.

The headline feature of version 2.4 is offline provisioning: you can design and fully configure virtual switches and access points for an existing site or an entirely new one without the physical hardware present. When devices arrive onsite, configurations are pushed via Auto-Onboard or manual assignment using serial number or MAC address. Virtual sites are saved as reusable templates, making repeat deployments faster and more consistent.

Engage automates the complex networking tasks that have historically slowed AV-over-IP deployments: multicast configuration, VLAN setup, quality of service, and inter-VLAN routing. Built on certified profiles, it automatically applies the correct settings for Dante, NDI, SMPTE ST 2110, AES67, and many other protocols, then displays a live network topology map so teams can instantly verify their work.

The changes come as a direct response to market demand. Or as Eric Snider, CTO at CTI says: “We were already saving significant time and cost per port on every deployment with NETGEAR switches. With Engage 2.4’s offline provisioning, that gets even better. Being able to walk onto a job site where the network is essentially already built changes everything for our integrators and customers, who experience less downtime.”

“We’re constantly developing our products and services”, explains Laurent Masia, Senior Director of Product Line Management at NETGEAR. “One of our favorite approaches in deciding what should come next, is listening to the pain points of our installers and customers. Offline provisioning is a great new feature, and we’re planning on releasing more capabilities for NETGEAR Engage.”

More details on NETGEAR Engage can be found here: https://kb.netgear.com/000070430/Overview-of-preconfigured-AV-profile-templates

New M4352 models shipping

NETGEAR is also shipping two new M4350 managed switches this spring. The M4350-16C, expected to ship by the end of March, addresses throughput demands in large AV-over-IP environments. It provides 16 ports of 100G connectivity and is designed for aggregation and core layers where multiple high-resolution video streams converge.

Together, these two models bring the M4350 portfolio to 18 models spanning 1G to 100G, all with enterprise-grade management, redundant modular power options, SMPTE ST 2110 timing support with grandmaster and boundary clock functionality, and TAA-compliant SKUs for government deployments.

The M4350-16M4V, expected to ship in April, is designed for broadcast and live production environments where reliable physical connections are critical. It features industry-standard Neutrik® locking connectors throughout: etherCON® for network, opticalCON® for fiber, and powerCON® for power, reducing the risk of accidental disconnection during load-in or live events. The switch delivers 16 x 2.5G PoE++ ports (up to 1,130W total), including eight etherCON ports, plus 4 x 25G SFP28 uplinks via a modular card slot. The optional interface cards support RJ-45, single-mode fiber, or multimode fiber for maximum flexibility. A TAA-compliant SKU is also available.