TiVo Community Forums Archives - Getting PPP over serial for Windows

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Getting PPP over serial for Windows
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Posted by: BOARshevik

I looked at Frank Pineau's description on how to set up PPP over serial for the TiVo, but it requires a Linux box.

How do I set this up for Windows XP? I already have a BASH prompt set up. I've looked around and found nothing on how to set up a connection for Windows, except with v3.0, and as a DTiVo user, those instructions are useless.

Posted by: Dirac

Try http://black-widow000.150m.com/TiVo-PPP/index.htm

It's for Win9x so make the proper allowances for WinXP. Otto's PPP over Serial with 3.0 will help with the XP details. If you can already BASH you should be in good shape.

Posted by: BOARshevik

I followed the instructions up to the part where it had me edit the file titled "TClient-lib.itcl."

Instead of finding code inside, I found a description on how to use the broadband UNsupport.

I thought the unsupport was unavailable in DTiVo 3.1!

Posted by: Otto

http://users.arczip.com/otto/tivo3xp/

Posted by: gschrock

Has anyone actually gotten ppp over serial to work with a Dtivo 3.1 following Otto's instructions? I know I never seem to get the "User Request" string that is supposed to appear according to the trouble shooting section, and I'm fairly certain I've got everything set right (115200, 8N1, no flow control). I've tried various other speeds to no avail either.

I'm starting to think about giving up and trying one of the ones that allows a more permanent ppp connection so I can try setting things up like the callerid stuff. (I'd consider turbonet myself, but I'm not real convinced I want to deal with running wires upstairs, and the airnet stuff is just a bit more expensive than I'm really willing to pay at this point).

Posted by: BOARshevik

I was informed that DirecTV did not want to allow the ethernet UNsupport, and thus it was not included in 3.1.

So what am I to believe?

Posted by: gschrock

Well, I think I've seen people say that the turbonet stuff works, and the #211 stuff at least spews stuff out on the serial port. Seems strange that it would do that part if it wasn't going to try to connect.

Posted by: BOARshevik

Otto's instructions say that the PPP over serial connection isn't always on and that it can only be used to replace the phone call.

Well, I don't care about replacing the phone call. I want to set this up so I can use features like TiVoWeb. I don't want to commit $70 for a Turbonet card (and work to run an ethernet cable down to the room with the TiVo) without at least playing with some of the things I might want to do.

Posted by: Dirac

I had it working before the 3.1 upgrade, thanks to the link I gave previously. Now I just use ,#211 for the calls... I suppose I'll load everything back when I get around to setting up a gateway for TivoWeb.

Are you having trouble with the TiVo side, or the PC side? I followed those blackwidow instructions pretty closely, except I had to take the reference to the global variable out and just set it so it would use the serial port. (if you need more help with this part let me know and I'll dig out my papers) For XP I just modified the mdmhayes.inf per Otto's instructions, and created a connection for the TiVo. The TiVo would connect to the PC and be online within 60 seconds of boot.

It was fun when it finally worked, and I learned a lot in the process. I had a PC sitting next to my entertainment center for playing mp3s so it was convenient to hook up a USB 802.11b adapter and set up the TiVo to use the serial port.

Posted by: BOARshevik

My problem is with the TiVo side of it, I haven't gotten to the Windows side yet. It tells me I need to edit the TClient-lib.itcl file.

All I found inside that file was instructions on how to use the broadband unsupport. Since the broadband unsupport for serial only supports the calls, I do not want to use it.

Posted by: Dirac

quote:
Originally posted by boarshevik
My problem is with the TiVo side of it, I haven't gotten to the Windows side yet. It tells me I need to edit the TClient-lib.itcl file.

All I found inside that file was instructions on how to use the broadband unsupport. Since the broadband unsupport for serial only supports the calls, I do not want to use it.

code:
# TiVo PPP Modification   
    
if [ info exists env(shondss) ] { // find out if the shondss parameter exists 
     if { $env(shondss) == "false" || $env(shondss) == "FALSE" } { // find out if we're running our ppp 
          putlog "custpppd running, using existing connection"  // for the logs 
          catch { file delete /var/tmp/pppaddr } // delete pppaddr, making TiVo ignore the modem 
     }   
}   
  
# End TiVo PPP Modification

Like I said, I couldn't get the shondss variable to set correctly, so I just typed in the last two lines in the code and ignored the if-then-else-end. The TClient-lib.itcl changes the call from the modem to the PPP connection. The part that actually creates the PPP connection is in ppp-options.cua3 and rc.remote-login, which, if you got to TClient-lib.itcl, you should already have completed. The rc.sysinit modification starts PPP.

While I haven't tried it this way, you shouldn't need to do the TClient-lib.itcl modification if you want to do the daily calls over the modem, but I don't see why you would if you can get your PPP connection up for tivoweb.

I don't see anywhere on the blackwidow site that talks about broadband unsupport.

Posted by: BOARshevik

So if I leave the TClient-lib.itcl file alone, then I will still get PPPoS?

Every line of the file is prefixed with a #, there isn't one single line of code. It can't possibly still be used for something.

I'll re-do the rc.sysinit modifications tonight (I undid them to keep BASH access) and see what happens.

Posted by: stormsweeper

Tclient does nothing for 3.x systems. On standalones, it serves as a README on how to use the new dial codes.

If you want to do permanent ppp over serial, do a search in this forum for "ppp rc.arch"

Posted by: BOARshevik

Me again

I decided to try out making the phone call through PPPoS (just to see how it works).

The process fails at the negotiating stage.

Windows reports one unauthenticated user connecting during this time.

Posted by: Dirac

Sorry for the misinformation, I didn't realize you were talking about the existing 3.x scripts (which I've never taken a look at).

The same thing happened to me, turned out my connection was down. Can you ping a WAN (internet) IP address?

Posted by: BOARshevik

My internet connection isn't down, I am accessing this website.

Originally I had connection difficulties, it didn't even get to the negotiating phase. I connected my cable modem directly to the computer (disconnecting the router) and it still didn't work after a restart of the computer. I needed to restart because my computer didn't accept the router-less connection unless I did.

Posted by: BradJohnson

Otto-

Your great write-up helped me many months ago... now it's 404. I'm trying to help a couple newbies who aren't members here yet (and one who is). I'm just hoping you have it saved verbatim so your excellent work doesn't have to be repeated...?

Thanks
Brad

Posted by: Otto

Heh. I was wondering when they'd get around to finally closing that account's webpage.. I closed the account itself months and months ago..

Only mirror I know of: http://www.lan.com/otto/tivo3xp/

I have no control over that mirror, so you may want to mirror it yourself, images and all. Alternately, I have the whole thing stored somewhere on my hard drive, if someone wants me to upload it somewhere, I can.

Posted by: stormsweeper

quote:
Originally posted by boarshevik
Me again

I decided to try out making the phone call through PPPoS (just to see how it works).

The process fails at the negotiating stage.

Windows reports one unauthenticated user connecting during this time.

On the Windows side, specify an IP range, don't use DHCP.

Posted by: BakerBoy

I followed Otto's guide and the connection works, but it gets stuck hanging up ( I let it go all night). The call itself only takes 1-3 minutes. I've tried deleting /dev/cua1 from the bash prompt as described in another thread, but without that the connection does not work at all.

any suggestions?

Posted by: BOARshevik

I tried another go at it.

This time I did it through Windows 98 using the instructions at the page Dirac provided.

The dial-up server answers, but eventually hangs up. I checked the log for the modem (generic NULL modem) but there is something that might be a problem. CLIENTCLIENT appears with each letter on its own line except for NT which share a line. Is this the problem? The log shows no apparent error message. Neither does the PPP log.

I slowed it down to 57600 just like troubleshooting says, but it still doesn't help.

Posted by: JeffShapiro

Hi,

I have a SA Tivo Series 1 (Sony SVR-2000) and I just successfully connected it to my Windows XP computer with a constant PPP connection.

I can type "telnet 192.168.0.21" from my XP computer and I get a BASH shell.

How can I access my tivo via Telnet and HTTP (for TivoWeb) from the Internet through my router? (i.e. from work). I tried routing incoming requests on port 23 (telnet) to 192.168.0.21 but it doesn't work from the outside.

Some info:

I have a cable modem and a router.

My home network addresses are 192.168.0.x.

My XP computer is 192.168.0.100.

My Tivo is 192.168.0.21 connected through a serial cable seeing my XP computer as 192.168.0.20.

I can "telnet 192.168.0.21" from the XP computer.

My Tivo will do it's daily call from the internet.

I'm using Otto's instructions for configuring my XP computer (i.e. incoming connection on a null-modem).

Thank You!

-- Jeff

Posted by: pastrami

bump, was the serial ppp problem solved?

Posted by: BOARshevik

No. I had no other options to pursue.

Posted by: Carthoris

I had it working and now its not. I had Windows 2000 hooked up with a serial connection following Otto's instructions. (W2K is close but not exact with XP). Now I installed XP onto the machine and followed the instructions again and it does not work this time. I have been beating my head against for awhile now trying to figure out what I did wrong.
My situation is that using HyperTerminal I do get the strings specified in the troubleshooting area but I don't get any incoming connection when the incoming connection is configured. Nothing at all. Not even an unauthenticated one. Is there any log files floating around on XP such that I can see if there is an attempt to connect and XP is shutting it down before I can even see the attempt taking place?

Posted by: Piggers

quote:
Originally posted by Carthoris
I had it working and now its not. I had Windows 2000 hooked up with a serial connection following Otto's instructions. (W2K is close but not exact with XP). Now I installed XP onto the machine and followed the instructions again and it does not work this time. I have been beating my head against for awhile now trying to figure out what I did wrong.
My situation is that using HyperTerminal I do get the strings specified in the troubleshooting area but I don't get any incoming connection when the incoming connection is configured. Nothing at all. Not even an unauthenticated one. Is there any log files floating around on XP such that I can see if there is an attempt to connect and XP is shutting it down before I can even see the attempt taking place?

Try the attachment towards te bottom of the first page.

Posted by: Carthoris

If you mean the link toward the bottom of the first page, it doesn't work but I am pretty sure that's what I was working from. But if any other links are out there that I can use to help me, always willing to look.

Posted by: Piggers

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-v...threadid=167344

This page. I forgot link. Phone rang. At the bottom. It is a file attachment.

Posted by: Will Cunningham

I had some trouble getting the ppp over serial to work. In my case the problem appears to have been NWLink the IPX/SPX/NetBios thing. I enabled all that so my laptop and desktop computers could talk through the hub that give's them internet access. To get the serial over PPP stuff up and running I had to DISABLE the NWLink stuff, after that my test call worked. I don't know if that is your problem or not but I didn't see it mentioned in any of the walk throu's so I figured I would mention it just in case. Good Luck!