What You Need

What You Need

Before you install the manager or plug anything in, make sure you have everything on this list. Missing any one item is the most common reason a first-time setup stalls.

Computer

• Windows 10 (21H2 or newer) or Windows 11: 64-bit. The manager does not run on macOS or Linux.
• Two network adapters: one for your internet connection (Wi-Fi is fine), and one wired Ethernet adapter dedicated to the cockpit boards. Most desktop PCs already have a built-in Ethernet port; a USB-to-Ethernet adapter works if you don't have a spare port.

Important

The cockpit network runs on its own subnet, and the cleanest setup keeps it on its own Ethernet adapter, separate from your internet connection. A USB Ethernet adapter (about $15) is an easy way to add a dedicated cockpit port. If your PC has only one Ethernet port and you need internet on it too, it can be made to work: see Internet and the cockpit on one Ethernet port in Set Up the Cockpit Network.

Network gear

• An IEEE 802.3at PoE switch: sometimes labeled "PoE+" or "802.3at." Your boards draw power from the Ethernet cable. AIM boards require 802.3at. They are not compatible with 802.3af-only switches. An unmanaged switch is fine; you do not need managed VLANs or QoS.
• Standard Cat5e or Cat6 patch cables: one per board, run from the board to the PoE switch. Length limit is 100 m (328 ft) per Ethernet spec.

Tip

If you're building a full pit, a small 8-port 802.3at PoE switch mounted inside the cockpit keeps the wiring clean. You only need one Ethernet cable running from the pit to the PC.

Flight simulators

Install whichever you plan to use before running through the sim setup steps.

• DCS World 2.9 or newer: the manager installs the integration automatically; you don't need to edit any files by hand.
• Falcon BMS 4.37 or newer: fully supported as of manager v1.1.0. BMS 4.38+ is recommended for cockpit displays (RTTClient is more reliable on the newer build).

Invictus AIM hardware

You'll need at least one configured AIM board to get anything working. A Sidewinder (46 GPIOs, 8 Potentiometers, 2 I2c Channels, and 2 SPI Channels) or a Phoenix (16 GPIOs, 8 I2C channels). See the product pages at invictuscockpits.com for details on what's in each board.

The VFT5 force-transducer side-stick connects via USB separately from the board network and has its own section: VFT5 Side-Stick.

What you do not need

• A separate driver install for the panel boards. They're discovered over the network with no additional software.
• Admin rights for day-to-day use. The manager runs as a normal user. You'll need to approve one elevated action when setting up the cockpit network for the first time (the manager walks you through it).
• A DHCP server. The boards and the PC use static IPs on the cockpit subnet.

Note

Falcon BMS users: BMS requires a virtual joystick driver to receive button and axis inputs from your cockpit hardware. The manager installs this for you. It's a one-time step covered in Install the Virtual-Joystick Driver. DCS World does not require it.

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Next: Install the Manager