RocknaWAVEDREAM NET / SUPPORT
WAVEDREAM NET · INSTALLATION GUIDE

A fresh start.
Ready for your music.

From a USB stick to your first track. Follow the steps below to install the NET software and bring your system online.

Get the installer Walk through the steps
Browser-guided setupNo monitor required*Ethernet connection
Rear of the Wavedream NET showing Ethernet, USB, digital audio connections and power inlet
YOUR MUSIC. EVERY CONNECTION.
I²S / HD-Link · AES/EBU · S/PDIF · BNC
ALREADY UP AND RUNNING?

For a normal software update, open Updates in your NET interface. A USB installation is for a new system or an approved fresh reinstall.

About regular updates ↗
01 / DOWNLOADS

Everything to get started.

Choose the installation image supplied for your unit. Keep the user manual nearby.

BOOTABLE USB IMAGE · ISO

NET installation image

Write this image to a USB stick. It is not an update file to upload through the NET interface.

Download image
COMPLETE REFERENCE · PDF · 35 PAGES

Wavedream NET user manual

Hardware connections, playback services, music storage, updates and remote support.

Download manual

Installer download requires a registered NET serial number. The user manual is freely available; no serial number is required.

01
BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Protect your music first.

A fresh installation erases the selected physical disk, including any music partition on that disk. Server approval does not preserve your files.

Back up before you install.

Save your music, Roon database backup and any settings you need to another device. Do not rely on a second partition of the installation disk as a backup.

Your checklist

Tick these as you prepare. This checklist is only a reminder; it does not approve or start an installation.

Disconnect unrelated external drives. If your NET has a separate internal music disk, note its model, serial number and capacity so you can distinguish it from the system disk.

02
ON YOUR COMPUTER

Make the installation USB.

  1. Download the production image provided by Rockna or your dealer. Verify its checksum if one is supplied.
  2. Open a disk-image writer such as balenaEtcher ↗ or Rufus ↗ on Windows. Select the downloaded ISO. In Rufus, when prompted to choose a writing mode, select Write in DD Image mode.
  3. Select the USB stick carefully. Writing the image erases the selected USB device.
  4. Start writing, wait for validation to finish, then safely eject the stick.
ISOInstallation imageUSBSelect your stick✓Write & validate

Copying the ISO file onto a USB stick does not make it bootable. If your writing tool asks about partition or boot modes, follow the image-specific instructions supplied by Rockna.

Windows asks me to format the USB after writing

Cancel the format prompt. The installer uses a layout that Windows may not display as a normal writable drive. Do not reformat the completed installer.

03
AT YOUR NET

Connect. Boot. Open your browser.

NET rear panel: Ethernet and USB sockets are on the left, with the power inlet on the right
Connect Ethernet to your router or switch; insert the installer in a USB port. Connector positions may vary by hardware revision.
  1. Shut down the NET normally. Connect Ethernet and insert the installation USB.
  2. Power on and boot from USB. The installer boot menu continues automatically; wait for it to start.
  3. On a phone, tablet or computer on the same LAN, open the installer address below.
INSTALLER ADDRESS · LOCAL NETWORK ONLYhttp://wdnet-install.local

*If your unit does not select USB automatically, contact Rockna for its model-specific boot procedure. A browser cannot change the boot order before the installer starts.

The installer address does not open

Find the NET installer in your router’s connected-device list and open its IP address using http://. Keep your control device on the same LAN, avoid guest Wi-Fi and VPN isolation, and run only one NET installer on the network at a time.

04
IN THE INSTALLER INTERFACE

Your serial. Your installation.

  1. Enter the Device serial number exactly as shown on your NET. The disk section opens as you type.
  2. Choose the Fresh installation disk. Check its model, serial number and capacity, not simply its position in the list.
  3. Select Request fresh install, review the plan and follow the approval status. Do not submit duplicate requests.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Eligible first installation

A registered serial can be approved automatically when Rockna’s checks pass.

Reinstall or manual review

A previously installed serial normally needs staff approval. If an email field appears, enter your contact address. Manual approval can take up to 24 hours.

Serial not recognized

Correct any typing error. If the serial is correct, contact Rockna or your dealer. Do not use another unit’s serial.

The page updates when a decision arrives. If you power off while waiting, boot from the USB again and enter the same serial. The installer must still validate the current plan and authorization.

05
THE FINAL CHECK

You decide when writing starts.

Approval alone does not install the system. At Ready to install, check the complete installation plan, including the chosen disk and any data that will be erased.

Check the disk one last time.

Fresh installation can erase music on the selected disk. Other drives are preserved only as described in the plan. If anything is unexpected, stop and correct the plan before continuing.

  1. Tick I confirm installation in the installer, then start installation.
  2. Follow the progress stages. Leave the NET powered on and do not unplug the USB or any disks while writing is in progress.
  3. Wait for the completion message. Only then follow the instruction to remove the USB stick and reboot.

Note the installed-device address shown on the completion screen. It differs from the installer address.

06
WELCOME BACK

Reconnect with your music.

After reboot, use the address shown by the installer, normally http://wdnet-SERIAL.local, replacing SERIAL with your unit’s serial number. If needed, find the NET’s new IP address in your router.

Device settings: enable your player and select its output. Example interface; layout and values may vary. Device details are masked.
  1. Check the firmware version in Device settings, then inspect Local storage and confirm your music drives are available.
  2. Select Server mode on the NET. Connect your DAC using I²S / HD-Link, AES/EBU, S/PDIF or BNC, and select the matching DAC input.
  3. Enable your chosen playback service. For the main digital connections, choose WDNET output where an output selector is offered.
  4. Open your player app, complete its account setup if required, and test a familiar track at a low listening level.
Setting up Roon without duplicate albums

Choose individual music locations, such as /media/wdnet/drive1, rather than watching all of /media. Do not add overlapping parent and child folders. Roon has its own library and audio-zone settings.

Some streaming services are not visible yet

Keep the NET connected to the internet while it contacts Rockna. Some services become available after authorization. If they do not appear, check connectivity and contact support.

AFTER INSTALLATION

Keep listening.
Stay up to date.

For future updates, open Updates in the NET interface and select Check for updates. Review the available release, then choose Update now.

One action applies the compatible update sequence offered to your unit. An OS update may require a restart. Keep power and network connected until it finishes.

Roon’s own application updates are managed separately through Roon.

A LITTLE HELP, WHEN YOU NEED IT

Let’s get you listening.

Contact Rockna with your serial number, the step you reached and the exact message shown. Do not include passwords.

Contact support

Enable Remote support on your NET only after communicating with the Rockna team.

DOWNLOAD PREVIEW

Download coming soon.

This is a demonstration link. Use only an installation image supplied by Rockna or your dealer.

 YOUR WAVEDREAM NET

Download your installer.

Enter the serial number printed on your NET. We will check it against Rockna’s device registry. Each serial is limited to two download starts. An interrupted transfer also counts.

Serial not found? Email wdnet@rockna-audio.com with your NET serial number.

Download access does not approve a reinstall. The installer will still verify your serial, hardware and installation plan.