# Can I set to use both cpu & gpu on the network rendering?

**URL:** <https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [September 15, 2020, 9:03am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421 "2020-09-15T09:03:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 16\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pun1407](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/76d3ee/32.png) [@pun1407](https://forums.chaos.com/u/pun1407)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 9:03am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/1 "2020-09-15T09:03:55Z")

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I want to set the network rendering to use machine to be..

1) server machine ---\> using gpu  
2) node machine ---\> using cpu

Can I do this?

I am using Rhino 6 + next 4.2.003 + Window 7

thank you very much!

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**Author:** ![nikolay.simeonov](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/nikolay.simeonov/32/33468_2.png) [@nikolay.simeonov](https://forums.chaos.com/u/nikolay.simeonov)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2020, 11:57am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/2 "2020-09-16T11:57:42Z")

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Hello,

V-Ray cannot use distributed rendering with two different render engine types (CPU and GPU). Once you choose the render engine type, from the Asset Editor, the V-Ray Swarm will look for it on the second machine.

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**Author:** ![pun1407](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/76d3ee/32.png) [@pun1407](https://forums.chaos.com/u/pun1407)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 10:48am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/3 "2020-10-07T10:48:46Z")

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Hello,

thank you very much for you info., and I want to know that. Will the Vray 5 fo rhino may be support this?

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**Author:** ![konstantin\_chaos](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/konstantin_chaos/32/52929_2.png) [@konstantin\_chaos](https://forums.chaos.com/u/konstantin_chaos)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 7:04am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/4 "2020-11-20T07:04:13Z")

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Hi pun1407,

Even V-Ray Next supports this in a way.  
The CUDA rendering mode allows you to use V-Ray in Hybrid mode - both CPU and all the GPUs will be utilized.  
You can also specify the devices each render node should use in the following way:  
- On the render node machine open the Start menu and search for ‘Select devices for V-Ray GPU’  
- In the utility App UI check all the devices you’d like to be used for rendering and click Set  
- As for the server machine - you can do the same or you can select the devices in the V-Ray UI  
You can read more about this here - [docs](https://docs.chaosgroup.com/display/VRHINO/GPU+Rendering)

Hope that helps,  
Konstantin

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**Author:** ![CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://forums.chaos.com/u/CANTIERI_NAVALI)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 8:48am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/5 "2020-11-20T08:48:37Z")

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So, if I have understand correctly in CUDA mode, I’d be able to use my new workstation with 2 of latest generation of Nvidia graphic cards and its CPU if I want and also the i7 CPU of my old machine? Is it correct?

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**Author:** ![konstantin\_chaos](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/konstantin_chaos/32/52929_2.png) [@konstantin\_chaos](https://forums.chaos.com/u/konstantin_chaos)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 9:01am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/6 "2020-11-20T09:01:58Z")

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> So, if I have understand correctly in CUDA mode, I’d be able to use my new workstation with 2 of latest generation of Nvidia graphic cards and its CPU if I want and also the i7 CPU of my old machine? Is it correct?  
> Yes, that’s right.

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**Author:** ![CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://forums.chaos.com/u/CANTIERI_NAVALI)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 10:07am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/7 "2020-11-20T10:07:04Z")

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oh that’s great! Thank you for your qick reply. I have another dubt: if I purchase a standard license which includes 1 Graphic User Interface (GUI) and 1 V-Ray Render Node, It means that I could use both my new workstation as server and the old one as render node installing only Swarm on it?

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**Author:** ![Micha](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/micha/32/59168_2.png) [@Micha](https://forums.chaos.com/u/Micha)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 10:30am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/8 "2020-11-20T10:30:17Z")

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@CANTIERI_NAVALI Don’t expect to much speed increase. 2 modern cards + your main CPU could be much more powerful than your i7 machine simulating cuda. If all your devices would add the same power than your i7 will bring 30% more speed. But I afraid it could be 10%. It depends on the used GPU. First you could test how much speed increase you get by the CPU of your main machine. For example I use 2x2080ti and if I add my 2950x in Cuda mode than the speed increase is only a few percent only, some times less. So, I never use the hybrid mode.

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**Author:** ![konstantin\_chaos](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/konstantin_chaos/32/52929_2.png) [@konstantin\_chaos](https://forums.chaos.com/u/konstantin_chaos)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 10:31am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/9 "2020-11-20T10:31:11Z")

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> if I purchase a standard license which includes 1 Graphic User Interface (GUI) and 1 V-Ray Render Node, It means that I could use both my new workstation as server and the old one as render node installing only Swarm on it?  
> Unfortunately no.  
> The render node that comes with the V-Ray for Rhino license is required for local rendering also.  
> When you’re working on your scene in Rhino you’re mostly using the GUI license.  
> But when you start rendering - the Render Node is engaged.

The Render Node License is kept as a separate unit since it can be shared between the different V-Ray plugins.  
If for example you have V-Ray for Rhino and 3ds Max, then one of the render nodes could be used for the second computer.

Hope that makes sense,  
Konstantin

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://forums.chaos.com/u/CANTIERI_NAVALI)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 10:40am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/10 "2020-11-20T10:40:23Z")

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Thanks Konstantin, It makes very sense and now I am sure about this issue which I was confused on it. Regards

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**Author:** ![CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://forums.chaos.com/u/CANTIERI_NAVALI)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 12:54pm UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/11 "2020-11-26T12:54:10Z")

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Sorry, but I’ve another question: If I had a V-Ray 5 licence on my new workstation and a V-Ray licence on the older machine as slave, would do in this way work Swarm? thanks in advance

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://forums.chaos.com/u/CANTIERI_NAVALI)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/12 "2020-11-26T14:22:37Z")

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V-Ray Next in the older one I mean

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jonish](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/jonish/32/37797_2.png) [@Jonish](https://forums.chaos.com/u/Jonish)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/13 "2020-11-26T14:47:00Z")

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Hi, no.

Vray Next and Vray 5 are independent. You can use your slave for Vray 5 rendering, but you cannot render on your workstation at the same time. Same goes for Vray Next.

You would have to buy extra node licence to use both machines at the same time.

For example, if you would be 2 people in one office with 2 Vray 5 licences, you would be able to use your colleague’s computer as a slave because you would have 2 node licences..

Jonas

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CANTIERI\_NAVALI](https://forums.chaos.com/u/CANTIERI_NAVALI)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 3:13pm UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/14 "2020-11-26T15:13:58Z")

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Thanks Jonish, I see

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**Author:** ![akos\_seres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@akos\_seres](https://forums.chaos.com/u/akos_seres)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2021, 3:55pm UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/15 "2021-01-29T15:55:33Z")

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> [@konstantin\_chaos](#):
>
> Hi pun1407,
> 
> Even V-Ray Next supports this in a way.  
> The CUDA rendering mode allows you to use V-Ray in Hybrid mode - both CPU and all the GPUs will be utilized.  
> You can also specify the devices each render node should use in the following way:  
> - On the render node machine open the Start menu and search for ‘Select devices for V-Ray GPU’  
> - In the utility App UI check all the devices you’d like to be used for rendering and click Set  
> - As for the server machine - you can do the same or you can select the devices in the V-Ray UI  
> You can read more about this here - [docs](https://docs.chaosgroup.com/display/VRHINO/GPU+Rendering)
> 
> Hope that helps,  
> Konstantin

I have followed your outline as I was also having this same problem. Ended up needing to download V-Ray Standalone in addition to V-Ray Swarm to all of the nodes in my render farm. I have enabled all the CPUs and GPUs for each node but when I render in CUDA, I am not using all of the CPU and GPU of all of my available nodes. The GPUs are integrated as we are still waiting on ordering external GPUs. Does CUDA not support integrated GPUs? My specs can be found in the forum thread I started here - [original forum post.](https://forums.chaosgroup.com/forum/v-ray-rt-forums/v-ray-rt-general/1099706-v-ray-next-cpu-gpu-cuda-rendering-using-swarm)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![konstantin\_chaos](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/konstantin_chaos/32/52929_2.png) [@konstantin\_chaos](https://forums.chaos.com/u/konstantin_chaos)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 11:29am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/can-i-set-to-use-both-cpu-gpu-on-the-network-rendering/100421/16 "2021-02-26T11:29:12Z")

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> The GPUs are integrated as we are still waiting on ordering external GPUs. Does CUDA not support integrated GPUs?  
> If you are referring to the **NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER** it should work just fine.  
> I’d suggest you run the **GPU Device Select** utility tool that comes with V-Ray on the nodes and make sure that all the devices are active.

Konstantin
