cueSystem quick start#

This guide takes a fresh cueServer + cueDesk bundle from "still in the box" to "calling cues in tech rehearsal". It applies whether you bought the bundle or each unit separately.

If you only own the cueServer, every browser device on your venue network can act as a virtual desk — the cueServer's web UI gives you the same Stand By / Go / Clear workflow. The cueDesk is the dedicated hardware operator desk for stage management; it's not required, just much nicer to use in a darkened booth.

What's in the box#

For each unit:

• The device itself (cueServer in a small steel chassis, cueDesk in a slimline desk-mount enclosure with six channel groups and three master buttons).
• USB-C cable (1 m) for power.
• Quick-start card with a QR pointing here.

You'll also need:

• A short Ethernet cable for each device — they share the venue LAN.
• A switch port (or two) reachable by the rest of your stage-management gear. House networks usually have a free port at the SM desk, in the booth, or at FOH.
• A 5 V USB-C power supply per unit, or PoE if your switch supplies it (cueSystem hardware is USB-C-powered today; PoE is on the roadmap).
• A browser device on the same network for the operator UI (laptop, tablet, phone — anything modern).

Step 1 — power and network the cueServer#

Plug the cueServer into a switch port on your venue network and apply USB-C power. After a few seconds:

1. The front LED pulses dim cyan while it boots.
2. It moves to steady green once it has an IP address and is ready to serve.
3. If the LED stays red, the Ethernet link didn't come up — check the cable and switch port.

Network defaults#

On any reasonably modern network you can reach the operator UI at http://cueserver.local/. Failing that, find the leased IP in your router's DHCP client list (it'll show up as cueserver) and visit http://<that-ip>/.

For pure point-to-point use (cueServer plugged directly into a laptop, no network), set the laptop to a manual IP like 10.20.0.2 / 255.255.255.0 and visit http://10.20.0.1/. See cueSystem network setup for richer topology guidance.

Step 2 — power and pair the cueDesk#

Plug the cueDesk into a different switch port on the same LAN and apply USB-C power. As long as the cueServer is reachable, the desk discovers it automatically over mDNS and pairs without any configuration. On boot:

1. All channel LEDs flash amber once — power-on test.
2. The desk's status indicator (top-right of the chassis) pulses cyan while it searches for a cueServer.
3. Once paired, it goes steady green. You're connected.

If the desk's status indicator stays red, it didn't find a cueServer on the LAN. The two most common causes are (a) a switch with broadcast filtering / VLAN isolation blocking mDNS, or (b) the cueServer being in static-fallback mode on 10.20.0.1 while the desk took a DHCP lease elsewhere. See the network setup wiki for fixes.

You can also pair manually from the cueServer's Settings → Devices page — paste the desk's serial number (printed on the back of the chassis) and the desk swaps over within a few seconds.

Step 3 — call your first cue#

From any browser on the network, open http://cueserver.local/. You should see:

• A grid of six channels down the left side (numbered 1–6 by default; rename in Settings → Channels).
• The current state of each channel — Off, Stand By, Ready, Go, or Clear.
• A history of recent events on the right.

The standard cueing workflow is:

1. SM puts the channel into Stand By — the corresponding red LED on the cueDesk turns solid; the actor / cue point is informed they're up next.
2. The remote operator acknowledges by pressing their channel's button, which moves the channel to Ready — the green LED on the desk turns solid.
3. SM presses Go when it's time — channel briefly flashes; everyone sees the cue fire across every connected device.
4. Clear resets the channel back to Off, ready for the next call.

You can drive every step from either the cueDesk hardware or any browser on the network — they all see the same state in real time.

The three master buttons#

The cueDesk also has three master buttons that act on all six channels at once:

The masters also fire on the browser UI — same button, same effect.

Step 4 — name your channels and set defaults#

By default channels are numbered 1 to 6. Most stage managers want them named — Flys, FOH, DSL, Booth, Trap, Conductor, whatever fits the show. From the cueServer web UI:

• Settings → Channels — rename, reorder, or hide channels you aren't using on this show. Channel 1 of the hardware desk always maps to the first visible channel; channel 6 to the sixth. There's no per-button override.
• Settings → Operators — optional access control. By default the operator UI is open to anyone on the network (which is the right default for a closed venue LAN); add a passcode if you've got techs on the wifi who shouldn't be able to fire cues.
• Settings → Show profile — save the current channel naming + colour assignments as a named profile. Useful when the venue runs more than one show on the same hardware.

What to read next#

• cueSystem network setup — drop the cueServer onto a venue LAN that already has other gear on it, deal with WiFi-only stations, run it behind a managed switch.
• cueDesk operator reference — the desk's exact button + LED layout, fault states, and what every colour means at a glance.

If you hit anything that doesn't match this guide, email support@expanseelectronics.com and we'll get you unstuck.