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Network and connectivity troubleshooting

What you'll learn

  • How DICOM connectivity between ultrasound machines and Sonio is set up.
  • How to test a connection (Verify, not Ping).
  • How to tell a single-machine issue from a site-wide one.
  • Who handles which fixes, and when to raise it with Solutions Engineering.

How DICOM connectivity is set up

Sonio connects to ultrasound machines using the DICOM protocol. The path is consistent across sites:

  1. Each machine is configured with Sonio destinations.
  2. Data flows from the machine to Sonio AWS-hosted Uplink or Sonio's on-site Uplink (also called Sonio Edge).
  3. The Uplink forwards that data to Sonio Cloud (the app).

Each machine carries three Sonio configurations:

  • DICOM Destination: receives images.
  • SR Destination: receives structured-report measurements.
  • WORKLIST: pulls scheduled patients onto the machine.

Two configuration details matter on every machine:

  • AE Title: each machine has a unique AE Title (no spaces). It must be identical on the machine and in Sonio modality configuration.
  • TLS: TLS must be off on the machine.

The standard ports are commonly the DICOM/SR port and the worklist port. The ports that are used are configurable within the uplink as we have sometimes run into a port conflict with an existing service. By default, we use port 4001 for DICOM traffic including storage and SR, and port 1234 for worklist.

Verify, not Ping

To test connectivity from a machine, run Verify (a DICOM C-ECHO) against the Sonio destinations.

  • Verify is the source of truth. If Verify passes, the path is open. If Verify fails, it points to a machine, network, or configuration issue.
  • Ignore Ping. Ping almost always fails by design, because Sonio blocks it. A failed Ping does not mean the connection is down. Do not use this as an indication that the machine is connected.

Troubleshooting connectivity

Start by determining scope. This single step usually narrows the cause.

  • One machine affected: look at that machine's configuration and its send queue (spooler, typically in the bottom corner of the ultrasound screen).
  • All machines at a site, or multiple sites affected: look for a shared dependency. Common ones are the Uplink offline, the VPN tunnel down, a backed-up send queue (spooler being full), or a site network change (a firewall, router, or VLAN swap, or a security update).

To tell these apart, compare the affected machine against another machine or room.

Common causes to check:

  • The Uplink host computer went to sleep or lost power (if the uplink is locally hosted).
  • The VPN tunnel went down (if the uplink is hosted in Sonio AWS).
  • A network change happened at the site.
  • The machine points at the wrong destination or AE Title.
  • TLS was accidentally turned on.
  • The machine's send queue (spooler) is stuck.
  • They unchecked the Sonio DICOM destination from the group (Samsung machines only)
  • They changed or removed Sonio from the button configuration

What an admin/champion and Solutions Engineer typically check together (often with the site IT): the Uplink is running and reachable; the VPN tunnel is up; AE Titles and destinations match between the machine and Sonio; TLS is off; the send queue is moving, not stuck. Do not rely on the Uplink heartbeat indicator alone to decide the Uplink is down, as it can read offline when the Uplink is actually up.

Open a Sonio Support ticket when connectivity setup or a network change is involved (AE Titles, destinations, the VPN, the Uplink, or firewall rules).

💡 Tip: compare against another machine first

Before anything else, compare the affected machine against another machine or room. If others are sending fine, the issue is likely local to that one machine (its configuration or queue). If everything is down, suspect a shared dependency such as the Uplink or the VPN tunnel.

⚠️ Connectivity changes are an admin / Solutions Engineer task

Connectivity and network changes (AE Titles, destinations, the VPN, the Uplink, firewall rules) are handled through Sonio support, with your admin or champion and your Solutions Engineer. Do not change these settings on the machine yourself. Also remember: Ping fails by design, so never use a failed Ping as evidence the connection is down.

Common questions / troubleshooting

Verify fails. What do I do?

A failed Verify means the path is not open. Note which machine and which destination failed, then open a Sonio support ticket. Your Solutions Engineer will work with you (and site IT if needed) on the AE Title, destinations, VPN, or Uplink.

Is it one machine or the whole site?

Compare against another machine or room. If others send fine, focus on the affected machine's configuration and send queue. If all machines are affected, suspect a shared dependency: the Uplink offline, the VPN tunnel down, a backed-up send queue, or a recent site network change.

My images are not arriving. What should I check?

Follow the symptom-first guide: "Images not flowing from machine to Sonio". It walks through that specific symptom step by step.