Switches prioritize packets using what are called DSCP (Diffserv Code Point) values. Although Dante packet priority values have been chosen to make it simple to configure QoS with many switches, some switches require special configuration to recognize and prioritize specific DSCP values.DSCP for Dante HardwareThe table below shows how Dante hardware devices apply DSCP packet priority values:
| Priority | Usage | DSCP Label | Hex | Decimal | Binary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | Time critical PTP events | CS7 | 0x38 | 56 | 111000 |
| Medium | Audio, PTP | EF | 0x2E | 46 | 101110 |
| Low | (reserved) | CS1 | 0x08 | 8 | 001000 |
| None | Other traffic | BestEffort | 0x00 | 0 | 000000 |
DSCP for Dante SoftwareDante software does not apply DSCP to audio, control or PTP packets. This is because computers sometimes transmit packets in bursts, and a burst of packets tagged as high priority could block out other network traffic, causing issues for other applications.