Can anyone help with how to install this in Windows11 ? I tried both itused and mocha releases, but neither one opens properly in Ableton. It only opens the connector and says -

"midi bro connector plugin"
"status checking..."
"file none"
"playback stopped"

It just hangs on that message.

I followed the instructions, block all hosts file, and for mocha it only says to install and register kg, but they are incomplete because during install it asks where to install, which I always choose common/VST3, "install for all users or install only current user", then also "open after finish install tick box". trying other suggestions in the release comments about copy and paste the included files into app/roaming/midibro folder and replace those, but also not work. I try install as administrator. I try uninstall and reinstall this time tick the "open when finish" box to open standalone then close it and open DAW plugin, also not work.

I asked several times for help and others did too, but nobody replied so I ask here for us. I want to test if its any good but cant figure out how to fix this?

Thanks guys!

 

yeah, this plugin works like Loopcloud in your DAW. You need the plugin open and the app open at the same time, outside of your DAW. All the action takes place in the standalone application. Those "connecting" issues show that the DAW plugin is not connected to the app. It is a typical Midi network bridge deal. Unfortunately, unlike Loopcloud, it does not have a button on the DAW plugin that launches the application. I use Loopcloud all the time so that omission was immediately obvious.

You have to figure out firewall settings after you still have a connection problem. Or reconsider how you edited your hosts file, but this is likely not the issue. A simple network monitor application would let you see the traffic and figure it out way easier. You could also use MS TCPView, Glasswire, Wireshark or other. If you ever used Sonible SmartEQ4, it's the same kind of scenario with your firewall or networking settings.

I think it will be a very handy utility when the developer has ironed out any bugs. If you throw a few hundred K midi files at it, it can crash.

Once you have it actually connected, then you need to do some settings in the Audio Settings menu. This is how I got it to work in Logic, but your DAW may be a little different settings:





Once that is setup right, the Connector plugin will show this:

 

Last edited: May 20, 2026 at 2:09 AM

Well, even if the Mocha version doesn't work, then cracking probably has nothing to do with it, he's much more experienced than me, and if everything works the same way, it means we didn't make any mistakes. As if the problem is on your side, my connector is working, standalone connects to it, not immediately, but connects.

 

^ it's not the cracking. Even if your license is not accepted correctly, it will just popup a nag window and you can just click continue again.

this is completely a case of connectivity between the plugin and the standalone application. Mochas instructions say to block api.gumroad.com and api.lemonsqueezy.com both using 127.0.0.1, which is a loopback. 0.0.0.0. would be a null route. It probably doesn't matter, but here is a more lengthy explanation than I'm going to type out (spoiler#2). People get this wrong all the time.

One thing I did notice, is when you launch the application, it also tries to phone home to German domain, midibro.de. You might want to block that also.

Otherwise, this is pure networking issue as the app has to connect to the plugin, but without traffic ever leaving your internal network. Some suggestions to check (spoiler #1):

Spoiler

For Windows, a GUI network monitor is a much better route than telling someone to stare at netstat.

A few good options:

• Microsoft TCPView
  Probably the easiest recommendation. Lightweight, portable, made by Microsoft Sysinternals. Shows live TCP/UDP connections, which process owns them, ports, remote IPs, and connection state. Great for quickly checking “is Midibro even trying to connect?”
• GlassWire
  Very user-friendly GUI. Excellent if the guy is not technical. Shows firewall blocks visually and makes it obvious when an app is denied network access. Good for catching Windows Defender Firewall silently blocking something.
• Wireshark
  The nuclear option. Extremely powerful packet analyzer, but overkill unless they really need to inspect UDP broadcasts, multicast, OSC/MIDI-over-network packets, etc. Can absolutely solve the problem, but has a learning curve.
• CurrPorts
  Similar to TCPView, but with more filtering/logging. NirSoft tools are usually solid and tiny.

For a Midibro-type issue specifically, I’d start with TCPView or GlassWire.

A lot of these MIDI/network bridge apps fail because of:

• Windows Defender Firewall blocking inbound traffic
• Public vs Private network profile
• UDP broadcast discovery getting blocked
• Two apps using different subnets/adapters
• VPN software hijacking routing
• Multiple network adapters confusing discovery

One important thing: many MIDI bridge tools use UDP, not just TCP. So if he sees “nothing” in TCPView, that doesn’t necessarily mean the app isn’t communicating. Wireshark becomes useful there because it can actually see the UDP packets.

Also tell him to temporarily:

1. Set the network to “Private”
2. Disable VPNs
3. Temporarily disable Windows Firewall for a quick test
4. Run both apps as Administrator

That alone fixes a surprising number of Windows audio-network app issues.

(info about hosts file blocks, other possible causes and fixes of problem, etc.)

Spoiler

Windows hosts file only affects hostname resolution — basically translating names like example.local or midibro-server into IP addresses. It does not block ports, packets, LAN discovery, or app-to-app communication directly.

For a MIDI/network bridge app, the hosts file would only matter if:

• the software connects using a hostname instead of an IP
• or it relies on .local, mDNS, Bonjour, etc.
• or somebody manually added a bad redirect entry

Example:
127.0.0.1 midibro-server
That could break connections because it forces the app to connect to itself instead of the real machine.

But if Midibro is discovering devices over:

• UDP broadcast
• multicast
• Bonjour/mDNS
• direct IP

…then the hosts file usually has nothing to do with it.

Much more likely culprits on Windows:

• Defender Firewall
• “Public Network” mode
• VPN/Tailscale/Hamachi/VirtualBox adapters
• antivirus network filtering
• missing Bonjour service
• blocked UDP broadcast traffic

One sneaky thing on Windows: virtual adapters can completely confuse discovery-based audio apps. Examples:

• VMware adapters
• Hyper-V
• VirtualBox
• NordVPN/Tailscale/WireGuard
• old Hamachi installs

…cause apps to bind to the wrong network interface.

If he runs:
ipconfig
and sees like 12 adapters, that’s a clue.

A good quick test:

• disable every adapter except the active Ethernet/Wi-Fi one
• restart the app
• see if discovery suddenly works

That fixes a lot of “devices can’t see each other” problems in music networking software.

 

Yours works for me fine.
Clone has covered the setup well - I think anyone with a problem should get it working

 

EDIT* never mind what I said before, I delete that because

I install itused version-
3 hosts address blocked.
As admin, I install program to common/VST3 folder, then when asked where install actual VST3 into new self created folder "MidiBro".
I create desktop shortcut myself. open desktop icon as admin. it asks if I want to update to v1.7.1? anyway I said not now (I guess this update wont work, will it?). Open Ableton and then put VST3 plugin on track. NOW IT CONNECTS!

I scan one small midi folder with my own created midis I made 100 or so. It took less than 1 second hehe

I need to watch a video on how to use because I guess there is no VST3 plugin interface gui to work in, I must work in the standalone and then go back and forth to Ableton? Hm.. only when use hardware synths, I didnt ever work that way before so strange to me.

Thank you itused for this. Your version is way more straightforward and simple process than mocha. Just suggest to you, maybe some instructions for this type of "connect" standalone + VST3 would eliminate confusion (there were others in comments said they are also confused).

Thank you all you guys who tried to help! Now just need to figure out how to use it lol

 

Last edited: May 20, 2026 at 11:47 AM