TiVo Community Forums Archives - Wired and Loving It!

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Wired and Loving It!
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Posted by: W Auggie H

I love to play with technology. I have 2 TiVos and a Wireless network so when HMO first came out I signed up for the free trial. Since wireless was all the buzz with HMO, and the rest of the world for that matter, I hooked my TiVos up to my wireless network and gave it a spin.

To put it simply, I was very disappointed. Viewing pictures, listening to MP3s was very unreliable. I was never able to transfer a show because it would either take 2 days or would not work at all. All in all I love the concept of HMO but with the current state of wireless in my house I wouldn't buy HMO. I left my TiVos hooked up to the network because dialing home to the TiVo mothership through the network instead of using the old phone line was a plus.

Months pass time moves on... Then one day I decided to upgrade my network to 802.11g (for my laptop). I sat down looked at some options and worked out a new network plan for my home. Instead of a doitall Wireless Router/AP I went with a D-Link DI-707P wired 7-port router and a D-Link DWL-2100AP 802.11g Access Point.

I am fortunate to good access to my basement so the idea of wiring is not all that bad. It just takes a bit of time. I placed the router in the basement next to my cable modem and proceeded to run Cat5e network cable from the router to a few rooms in the house. I ran 2 lines to my den and 1 to my bedroom. I already had one to my office. The wiring was not bad at all. I got everything from Home Depot and it worked great. If someone wants details on installing the jack I will be happy to elaborate. I did not cut holes in my wall. I already had holes in my floor/baseboard. I used a baseboard stick-on ethernet jack that was very easy to install and looks fine.

Ok, now with ethernet jacks at both my TiVos, I hooked up some old usb ethernet adapters I had and was up and running wired in no time. All this was done right around the time of another Free Trial of HMO. So I gave it another try. To my elation everything works GREAT!!! Everything is much more reliable and I can now transfer shows in realtime!!! Needless to say I purchased HMO for both TiVos and downloaded JavaHMO.

The moral of this story is that wireless is great for mobile applications. It works great for browsing the web with our laptop in different places around house. But, my TiVos, Desktop PC, etc... are stationary, they don't move about the house. A wired connection makes the most sense.

I am now a full blown fan of HMO and would love to help anyone with advice on wiring their TiVos.

Posted by: VinceA

I've mentioned that to a lot of people. If the machine ain't movin' it can be hardwired and you get much better speed. I use wireless for laptops & such but wired for desktops, TiVos, PS2 & XBox.

Just because you can go wireless doesn't mean you HAVE to go wireless :)

Posted by: X-Files

I switced my TiVo to a wired connection and HMO is much better. If you can do it wired seems better.

Posted by: markp99

Auggie,

I followed the same path as you. Wired was just too slow and unreliable. I bit the bullet and pulled CAT5 to my TV/TiVo via the basement. Soooo happy I did.

Posted by: headroll

I moved from WIRELESS to WIRED this weekend. I was going to post practically the same as you.

Yes, wireless (although neat) does not work well (fast) enough for TiVo like data moves (specifically MRV)

Now, I just gotta make one more LONG RUN from attic to basement to get the downstairs wired.

Anyone have any experice with OUTDOOR GRADE CAT5e? Maybe as a interim solution I can just drop it out the window ...

-Roll

Posted by: VinceA

I've got some CAT 5e running around the back of my house into the basement then up into my son's room. It's survived the NJ weather for the last year or so and it doesn't seem any worse for wear.

Posted by: Kindred

I have always had wired intranet in my house. Now I am renting, waiting for a new house to be finished. It has Cat 6 run throughout the house, with two drops on each side of the living room and a drop to be used by my laptop on the kitchen bar. I had an experienced contractor put it in along with CATV, Phone, and ethernet. He is supplying the modems and router for it all in a cabinet in the garage. Don't think I'll use the phone, since we have switched from land line to wireless.

While I am waiting I have a wireless for my Mac and a USB200M for the usb to ethernet connection of the TiVo. Can't seem to get the TiVo to work with a WUSB11. I thought I read about someone having problem with the supplied cable, could someone elaborate?

Thanks...

Jack Kindred

Posted by: kwijybo

total newb - so be kind.

i got the tivo hooked up to my mac, wired thru a linksys NR041 Cable/DSL 4-port router - not too much of a hassle.... but now my mac does not see the internet, and the tivo cant call in to (yes i changed the phone set up to use the network)

any ideas on why the mac will not see the modem?
OS 10.3.4 old G4 with lots of ram

thanks

Posted by: Kindred

kwijybo:

Has your TiVo loaded the 4.01b OS? It should have by now, but you should check anyway. Can you ping anything, to see if you are getting out or it's something else. My Mac (G5, 2.5 gig ram) has a "Network Utility" in the utilities folder that has the ping software. You should be able to ping the router. Just use the address that you use for configuring the router. I can ping my Linksys, less than a couple ms. That will tell you if the link to the router is funtioning ok. If that works, then your problem may be how the router is configured. Then try stuff like google. If that fails then the problem is local. Double check the Ethernet configuration on board the Mac. You might try switching out some of the cables and see if the problem follows the cables. You should be able to get to the router in order to set it up for your environment.

Let us know what happens!

P.S. How are you accessing this board?

jack

Posted by: kwijybo

re: p.s. - i have to disconnect everything and hook it up the old way to get on the boards.

yes, i do have 4.01b

i think maybe the cable is the thing, because when its hook up like this the 'data' light flashes on the cable modem as soon as i hook it up to the router, that stops. i'll check someof the other ideas, but its a busy day, and i'll have to re-cable everything each time - pain in the ...

Posted by: Crrink

My 802.11b setup was fine for everything but MRV.
I tried a jury rigged 802.11g setup and got great transfer speeds...until one TiVo would lose the signal and the adapter would need to be rebooted.

I finally bit the bullet and spent a day in the attic fishing wires down the rooms my wife was waiting in to pull the cables through.
Yeah, I hit a few unexpected hitches (I always do), and yeah it took longer than I thought it would, but in the end it's well worth it. Rock solid stability and lots of speed.
If only the TiVo's had built in Ethernet jacks...... Imagine being able to transfer a medium quality show in 5 minutes or so...

Posted by: Georgia Guy

quote:
Originally posted by Crrink

If only the TiVo's had built in Ethernet jacks

That would be too easy. :D
But it sure would add a little bit more to your "rock solid" description, wouldn't it?

Posted by: Crrink

quote:
Originally posted by Georgia Guy
That would be too easy. :D
But it sure would add a little bit more to your "rock solid" description, wouldn't it?

It sure would, plus then we might have true random access to shows on other TiVo's the way the ReplayTV guys do - but no, we get to copy shows instead :(

Posted by: simonalope

*Computer networking is not my specialty, so please bear with some possible confusion on the subtler distinctions between routers, hubs, bridges, etc.*

I live in a dorm and have a single ethernet drop. There is no wireless network in the building, nor does my computer have a wireless card, so I'm looking at a wired HMO setup - from reading this thread, it looks like that's the best way to go anway :) .
Here's the complication: our network terms of use bar wired routers and hubs. For folks wanting to set up their own wireless network, they do permit hooking up a wireless access point to your ethernet jack, but *only* if it's operating in bridge mode - again, no routers.
Is there a wired equivalent to a bridge access point?
Is there any way to wire the TiVo directly to the ethernet-connected computer?
Does anyone have experience hooking up a TiVo to a larger ethernet network which uses dhcp? It is possible I could temporarily wire the TiVo to the drop in the room next door, which is empty for the summer.
Thanks,
Simone

Posted by: Kindred

simonalope
I think what you need is a 2 port switch (I think they only come in 4 ports, but). Plug in the switch to the Ethernet connection (to the wan connection) and 1 line to the computer the other to the dongle that converts the usb to Ethernet on the TiVo. It should be that simple. The switch will handle getting the data to the correct port (really just splits address for all practical purpose's). Doesn't act like a router, so you should be safe and it is really cheap. I think I paid 19.95 for my Siemens switch.
Good luck, let us know how you make out!

Jack

Posted by: musicforme

quote:
Originally posted by simonalope
*Computer networking is not my specialty, so please bear with some possible confusion on the subtler distinctions between routers, hubs, bridges, etc.*

I live in a dorm and have a single ethernet drop. There is no wireless network in the building, nor does my computer have a wireless card, so I'm looking at a wired HMO setup - from reading this thread, it looks like that's the best way to go anway :) .
Here's the complication: our network terms of use bar wired routers and hubs. For folks wanting to set up their own wireless network, they do permit hooking up a wireless access point to your ethernet jack, but *only* if it's operating in bridge mode - again, no routers.
Is there a wired equivalent to a bridge access point?
Is there any way to wire the TiVo directly to the ethernet-connected computer?

One way you could get around this is to have two network cards in one machine. Since I use DHCP on my Tivo at home, I don't know if you can use a static ip address and gateway. If so, you could use your PC as a gateway to your campus network. I know Windows XP has the ability to share a Internet connection with other devices. I once did this the hard way with Windows NT around 4 years ago and got it to work.

Posted by: Georgia Guy

quote:
Originally posted by musicforme
One way you could get around this is to have two network cards in one machine.

Or, instead of the 2 cards, you could add a "D-link usb2.0-Fast Ethernet adapter" to your computer. Then plug into the new ethernet port a "D-link 10/100 fast Ethernet Switch" . Then CAT5 to the "Linksys USB200M" attached to your Tivo.

Exactly the way I've got my 3 Tivos hooked up, and it works very well (and very fast).

I had already added a usb2 card to my computer since it is several years old and did not come equiped with anything but usb1. I had no available slots left inside my computer for an additional network card.

Posted by: Kindred

Georgia Guy...

basically that's exactly what I said!! Did you read my post?

Jack

Posted by: Georgia Guy

quote:
Originally posted by Kindred
Georgia Guy...

basically that's exactly what I said!! Did you read my post?

Jack

Exactly what you said, except I was responding to the suggestion about adding a 2nd NIC to the computer. I was mainly explaining how to use usb-ethernet OUT of the computer. Many people don't have a spare ethernet port on their computer after hooking up to the incoming broadband connection. Then, on to what you said about the reverse adapter back into the Tivo. That part of my post was the same as yours, I guess.
You also lost me with the "dongle".

Did you read my post?

Posted by: Kindred

I thought most people knew about a 'dongle'! I guess I shouldn't assume too much... I have heard about a dongle for at least 20 years! Thanks for writing back!

Jack

Posted by: Georgia Guy

quote:
Originally posted by Kindred
I thought most people knew about a 'dongle'! I guess I shouldn't assume too much... I have heard about a dongle for at least 20 years! Thanks for writing back!

Jack

My knowlege of dongles has always had them pertaining to software security. Did not know they also had some new meaning...sorry.

We used dongles back on my 1st multi-user workstation back in 1983, but their purpose was to stop unauthorized use of the computer. Much as the Tivo folks have been talking about a dongle being used a means of encryption security.

Thanks to you for writing back, also.

Jack

Posted by: bedelman

Dongles are commonly in use with embroidery software used by modern sewing machines.

By the way, the urban myth about the association between "dongle" and "Don Gall" is untrue. It's a good story though...

Posted by: simonalope

Generic PCI NIC: $0.99 (after MicroCenter rebate)
Netgear FA120 USB 2.0 ethernet adapter: $24 (open box)
50' crossover cat5e cable: $15
TiVo automatically detecting the new connection and properly configuring itself: Priceless

As it turns out, the only option my campus network would permit for creating a second network connection was to drop a second NIC into the already-connected computer and share its connection. Not ideal, but still pretty cheap.
The ridiculous part: because I have a single drop, located in my living room, I am currently running 50' of cat6 from the drop in the living room to the computer in the office, and then 50' of cat5e from the computer to the TiVo, back in the living room. All this because I can't put in a switch and I can't drill holes in the wall (which would allow use of 15' cables). But hey, it's a free apartment, can't complain too much :)

Thanks for the advice on getting wired!

Simone