Connection Methods - Astropad Slate

There are three ways to connect your Mac and iPad to use Astropad Slate: 

• WiFi connection
• Peer-to-Peer connection
• USB cable connection

Below, we'll go over these different connection methods, when to use them, and how to set them up. 

WiFi Connection

WiFi connections allow your devices to connect automatically without the need for a cable. This option can offer more flexibility, however, you may notice higher latency speeds. WiFi performance can be more complicated since it may vary based on your router, Mac, iPad, other nearby Wi-Fi networks or users, or even the weather! 

Recommendations for using Slate over WiFi 

• Use a modern wireless router that supports 802.11ac
• Use the 5GHz band when possible 
• Move closer to your router, or move your router to improve signal

If normally you have good performance, but experience an unusual or temporary slow down, try:

• Rebooting your router (typically done by unplugging the power)
• Rebooting both your Mac and iPad

How to set up a WiFi connection with Astropad Slate

1. Ensure that both your Mac and iPad are connected to the same 5GHz network (you can double check in the device's Network Settings)
2. Open and launch Astropad Slate on both your Mac and iPad 
3. Tap on the "Connect..." tab on the top right of the iPad Slate application
4. Select "WiFi" as your connection method
5. Your devices should automatically connect via the Astropad Slate applications and establish the connection 
6. In the top right-hand corner, you'll see a WiFi symbol 

Peer-to-Peer Connection

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) is a way for devices to link up with each other without using a middleman connection. This is unlike our usual WiFi connections that rely on standard networks. Typical WiFi connections use a router to link devices, but it can face problems like traffic and interference. 

Peer-to-Peer lets devices connect directly without a router (although, your devices will require WiFi to be turned on, you do not need to connect to an actual WiFi network).

Software requirements for Peer-to-Peer

• Mac: macOS 10.15 or later
• iPad: iPadOS 13 or later

How to set up a Peer-to-Peer connection with Astropad Slate

1. Ensure that both your Mac and iPad have WiFi enabled on each device (you do not need to connect to a network, but WiFi must be enabled)
2. Open and launch Astropad Slate on both your Mac and iPad 
3. Tap on the "Connect..." tab on the top right of the iPad Slate application
4. Select "Peer-to-Peer" as your connection method
5. Your devices should automatically connect via the Astropad Slate applications and establish the connection 
6. In the top right-hand corner, you'll see a Peer-to-Peer symbol 

USB Connection 

USB connections allow you to connect your devices in a wired fashion. This will help to cut out any interference and latency issues caused by the network environment. We typically recommend USB connections when using Astropad Slate in a public environment or when you notice any lag or latency issues between your devices. The USB cable needs to be capable of data transfer, so not all USB cables will work.

How to set up a USB cable connection with Astropad Slate

1. Plug one end of a compatible USB cable into your Mac and the other end into your iPad (the cable must be capable of data transfer)
2. Open and launch Astropad Slate on both your Mac and iPad 
3. Your devices should automatically connect via the Astropad Slate applications and establish the connection via USB
4. In the top right-hand corner, you'll see a USB symbol