Questions about Commander Pro and Lighting Node Pro

I'm new to this RGB lighting thing and I'm having a bit of trouble trying to figure out what exactly I need (other than the fans) to make it work with Corsair Link, so I'd appreciate if someone could help me out.

Currently my build looks like this:

Case: Obsidian 450D

Mobo: MSI Z270 Gaming M7

Memory: Dominator Platinum with Dominator Airflow LED fans

GPU: MSI GTX 1080 Sea Hawk X

Cooler: H100i v2

PSU: HX750i

The case has 2x140mm fans in the front (no LED), the video card's liquid cooler has one 120mm fan in the back (white LED), and the H100i v2 on top has 2x120mm fans (no LED). I want to swap out all of these fans to ML RGB fans. The Dominator's fans are already RGB I think so that's fine.

The question is: other than the fans, what else do I need to make all of this work, and how do I set them up? Do I buy the 120mm 3-pack (with Lighting Node Pro) and the 140mm 2-pack (also with Lighting Node Pro)? Or do I buy 3 individual 120mm fans and 2 individual 140mm fans and one Commander Pro? Do I still need the Commander Pro if I buy the two packs that come with two Lighting Node Pros?

So ... let me see if I got this straight.

You are planning on 3x ML-120 RGB and 2X ML-140 RGBs, correct?

If so ... you'll only need to buy one multipack. As long as they are all of the same type (ML), then they can all use the same RGB Fan Controller Hub.

You won't need the Commander Pro for this. The RGB fan multi-pack will come with a Lighting Node Pro and, if that's all that you want to do, that will work for you. You will run the fan speeds from your motherboard and the LNP + the Fan hub will handle the RGB.

The Commander Pro would allow you to control both your lighting and your fan speeds right from Link. It will also perform the job of the Lighting Node Pro, add 2 internal USB headers and give you 4 temperature probes. So it does more than just control lighting.

Now ... with your system liquid cooled, those temperature probes could come in handy. Most motherboards will default to CPU temperatures for can control. But with water cooling, that's not appropriate. Many will allow you to use motherboard temperature sensors, which might be handy if they told you where they were on the motherboard. With Commander Pro, you can place your sensors where it is most appropriate and then control your fan speeds based on internal case temperatures at various locations.

Here's a diagram of both options, so you see how it all goes together.

Thanks a lot for the detailed reply and the diagram, that's exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I didn't even realize that the RGB fan controller hub was a separate thing... So then it sounds like I need to buy a Commander Pro + 120mm ML 3-pack + 2 individual 140mm ML fans.

A couple of follow-up questions based on your reply:

- Do I understand correctly that the Commander Pro does not come with an RGB hub, and that I can't buy an RGB hub on its own either? I need to buy the fan pack because that's the only way to get an RGB hub?

- You said that the fans can go on the same hub as long as they are the "same type". I also have the Dominator Airflow thing on the RAM modules. Would that qualify as "different"? Can I plug that into the 6th slot on the hub? Or would that need to go into a different hub? Or would I plug it directly into LED 2 on the Commander? (With LED 1 being the 3x120mm and 2x140mm fans.)

- Currently the radiator's two 120mm fans are plugged into the Y cable coming off the pump, as instructed in the manual. Would I need to plug the two RGB fans into this same Y cable, instead of into the Commander? Or if I need to plug them into the Commander, then wouldn't the H100i lose the ability to control the fans itself?

- This is a bit of a different question: do you know if Corsair Link does the real time fan speed and lighting control from software, or does the Commander do it from hardware? I'm asking because for example the MSI motherboard lights seem to be controlled by a mix of the two: the temperature-based colouring effect only works as long as the MSI Gaming App is running (which suggests it's done from software), but the glowing effect keeps working even after I exit the app (which suggests that the motherboard takes care of that). The issue is that there's a noticeable negative effect on 3D performance when the temperature-based lighting is turned on: there's a "twitch" every second or so, which I assume corresponds to the temperature polling and RGB colour updates done by the MSI Gaming App. Are you aware of similar issues with the Commander and Corsair Link?

Thanks a lot for the detailed reply and the diagram, that's exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I didn't even realize that the RGB fan controller hub was a separate thing... So then it sounds like I need to buy a Commander Pro + 120mm ML 3-pack + 2 individual 140mm ML fans.

Well, you don't need it unless you want the software based control. There are definitely advantages to the CoPro and if they are what you're looking for, then go for it. But you can run your LEDs with a LNP and motherboard headers.

A couple of follow-up questions based on your reply:

 

- Do I understand correctly that the Commander Pro does not come with an RGB hub, and that I can't buy an RGB hub on its own either? I need to buy the fan pack because that's the only way to get an RGB hub?

Correct ... the Commander does not come with the fan hub. You can buy the fan hub by itself at http://www.corsair.com/en-gb/corsair-rgb-fan-led-hub.

- You said that the fans can go on the same hub as long as they are the "same type". I also have the Dominator Airflow thing on the RAM modules. Would that qualify as "different"? Can I plug that into the 6th slot on the hub? Or would that need to go into a different hub? Or would I plug it directly into LED 2 on the Commander? (With LED 1 being the 3x120mm and 2x140mm fans.)

I'm not familiar with this device personally so this is completely based on what I can tell from the quick start guide. It looks like the Dominator Airflow connects directly to the Lighting Node Pro that it comes with. So it wouldn't go in the RGB fan hub.

- Currently the radiator's two 120mm fans are plugged into the Y cable coming off the pump, as instructed in the manual. Would I need to plug the two RGB fans into this same Y cable, instead of into the Commander? Or if I need to plug them into the Commander, then wouldn't the H100i lose the ability to control the fans itself?

If you are using 2 of the fans for the radiator then yes, I absolutely would plug them into the radiator's Y cable and control them from the radiator. You did mention the radiator in your original post; I missed that and didn't include it in the diagram.

- This is a bit of a different question: do you know if Corsair Link does the real time fan speed and lighting control from software, or does the Commander do it from hardware? I'm asking because for example the MSI motherboard lights seem to be controlled by a mix of the two: the temperature-based colouring effect only works as long as the MSI Gaming App is running (which suggests it's done from software), but the glowing effect keeps working even after I exit the app (which suggests that the motherboard takes care of that). The issue is that there's a noticeable negative effect on 3D performance when the temperature-based lighting is turned on: there's a "twitch" every second or so, which I assume corresponds to the temperature polling and RGB colour updates done by the MSI Gaming App. Are you aware of similar issues with the Commander and Corsair Link?

It's a little of both. RGB lighting is purely software based (right now ... they are working on hardware RGB for at least some fans/devices). The fan control, however, can be either. If your source/control temperature for the fan curve is one of the temperature sensors that's built into the Commander Pro, it'll be handled in hardware. You could shut down Link and it'd chug right along. If, however, it's based on a temperature that's not on the Commander Pro (say, GPU temperature), then it'll need to be software based. I've not seen Link impact performance in games negatively. It does get a little clogged up when I do stress testing on the system with ROG Real Bench ... but that does that to just about everything on the system.

Thanks again.

I've just realized that USB 2 headers would also be an issue, as I only have two on the motherboard, and they're already occupied by the HX750i and the H100i v2. I'd need to buy an extra internal USB hub to plug in the LN Pro. But if I go with the Commander Pro, then I can plug the HX750i and the H100i v2 into the Commander, and the Commander into one of the onboard USB 2 headers.

Anyways, I think the options are clear now, I just need to make up my mind.

If you got the Commander Pro, you could plug the HX750i into the USB on the Commander Pro, the Pro into your USB header.

Otherwise you might be heading towards NZXT USB Hub territory. You really have to sit down and map this stuff out. I have 7 fans myself and it took a bit of work to get everything situated.

I'm sure you are plowing through the forums, tons of info scattered around here.

Otherwise you might be heading towards NZXT USB Hub territory.

Yep, that's the exact hub I've been looking at. (In fact it's the only one I've found on Amazon.)

Yep, that's the exact hub I've been looking at. (In fact it's the only one I've found on Amazon.)

I think it's the only one in existence. I'm using one ... have my CoPro and my case front panel USB plugged into it. Works fine. The magnet is a little weak, though ... and it has molex connection, which might have been cool in 2002 but now is just ghetto. It's the ONLY molex device I have. :mad:

It's the ONLY molex device I have. :mad:

What is this molex you earthlings speak of? 😁

Just as an FYI, the Dominator Platinum Airflow you have won't be compatible with our Commander Pro or Lighting Node Pro, as it uses our older LEDs. We've produced a new one that's compatible with these products and has more advanced lighting control:

 

http://www.corsair.com/en-us/dominator-airflow-platinum-rgb-fan

In that case what does the below section mean on the product page? What am I supposed to connect it to?

With Corsair Link, you can control PWM fan speed directly from your Windows desktop, and change the built-in LEDs from their default red to any of 16.8 million colors to indicate fan speed, ambient system temperature, or GPU temperature. Or, just set the LED lighting color to match your system or your style.

Dominator Airflow

That version worked with the Commander Mini and the original lighting node (and still does if you can find one of them.. rare as hens teeth) .. it was a daisy chain system and also used a different voltage to the new Pro range devices....

That version worked with the Commander Mini and the original lighting node (and still does if you can find one of them.. rare as hens teeth) .. it was a daisy chain system and also used a different voltage to the new Pro range devices....

That's a bummer... Thanks for the info.

And in that case the product page is very misleading. Perhaps Corsair could either update the information and mention that this is a legacy product which no longer works with their current product range. Or even better, they could start bundling the newer RGB fans with their RAMs.

product page is very misleading

Been there done that dude.. but in the end.. I didn't need the cooler and the ram looks better with the light bars IMHO,, to add,, I am near enough 50. when i fitted the cooler my son said "thats a bit dated in that modern system isn't it dad" lol...

I realize I'm a bit late to this thread, but after doing some searching, this thread seems to be the closest to my problem which is similar to the original poster's question.

I have this package of RAM with the LED fan assembly: http://www.corsair.com/en-us/dominator-platinum-series-64gb-4-x-16gb-ddr4-dram-3466mhz-c16-memory-kit-cmd64gx4m4b3466c16

Right on that page it says, "With CORSAIR LINK software combined with CORSAIR Lighting Node PRO or Commander PRO (sold separately), you can control PWM fan speed directly from your Windows desktop, and change the built-in LEDs from their default red to any of 16.8 million colors to indicate fan speed, ambient system temperature, or GPU temperature. Or, just set the LED lighting color to match your system or your style."

Corsair Dustin indicated that it will NOT work with Commander PRO. The RAM + LED-fan package I have, the LED connector has a 4-pin connector, and the 2 LED connectors on the Commander PRO are only 3-pin connectors. Why on the product page does it clearly state that it WILL work with the Commander PRO to change the lighting when it seems unlikely, and what would I need to change the LED color on the fans that I have?