# Newbie/novice Needs Help Installing Whole Home DVR...



## mattmcb345

I'm new to the forum and new to the concept of DirecTV Whole Home DVR so please bear with me... I recently moved/upgraded my DirecTV system. I have the HR24 and the H24 setup in my condo building. The HR24 is in the living room and my H24 sits in the bedroom with the wireless router nearby as well (router must stay in bedroom, no hookup elsewhere). I've tried deciphering a few forums/guidelines but cannot figure out how to setup the whole home network. DirecTV HAS turned the capability on for me but they never mentioned any further steps. I don't want to pay for them to come back out to install this as I see myself using the service maybe once a week at most. 

Additional info: 

1)I do NOT have an ethernet port in my living room so the wireless router must stay in my bedroom but I am willing to move the DVR in to the bedroom to make this work which I assume would be necessary. 

2)I know both receivers have "DECA" built in (H24 & HR24) but I'm not really sure what that means or if I need 1 more DECA unit or not (I consider myself technologically savvy but apparently not for this system).

3) I understand there's an 'unofficial' way that I can set it up and I don't mind doing that. I'm just not sure what other things need to be purchased/added to the equation to keep this inexpensive. I've seen people mentioning splittlers but the pictures look much different than the cable/coax splittler I have sitting in a drawer which takes one cable and splits it in to two (your typical $5 splitter from ace hardware).

4) I'd love to have the DVR hooked up to an internet connection to use all of DirecTV's additional services but the whole home network is most important. If there's an easy/cheap way to add internet connection to the equation great, but if it's more difficult or requires me purchasing a $50+ piece of equipment I'll survive without it for the time being.

Basically I'm wondering if someone can simplify what I need to do here and what connects to what. I live in a condo building where the satellite sits on the roof of my 28 story building if that info is needed. The connection comes in through your typical coax connection in the wall, not an IP based setup. I've seen the images others have posted but I haven't come across one running just an H24 and HR24 so I'm confused as to what I need and what connects to what. PLEASE HELP! Thank you!!!!


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## mcbeevee

This thread has some great MRV info:

Whole Home DVR Service Information and FAQ


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## veryoldschool

So if they've turned it on, you should see it in the setup menu.
You need to turn on sharing for one thing.
It should also show that it's active on your account.

Now where do these coax meet? Is the a point in the condo that the coax comes in and then splits?

you don't need to connect to your router for MRV.

You can get a "self installed" wireless CCK from the DirecTV website for around $30, which gets you connected wirelessly, and can be used near your router.

This should be "kind of close":









The Wireless CCK can be connected inline to a receiver, so you can skip that leg, but you do need to find where the splitter is.


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## Stuart Sweet

:welcome_s!

To address your points:

(1) All your receivers must be networked. Whether you do this via coax or ethernet, it is mandatory for Whole-Home.

(2) If you are using a SWiM-enabled dish, then you can network your H24 and HR24 receivers using coax. Press the {Dash} key on your remote and if it says "SWiM Enabled" then you are set. Otherwise you need to connect your receivers via ethernet.

(3) The unofficial route is not for the faint of heart. If you do connect your receivers via ethernet, there is a thread here on how to get it done within DIRECTV's system. Lately people have been saying it's getting harder and harder to do.

(4) To connect your DVRs to the internet, there are two paths. If you are using ethernet, simply connecting all your receivers to your router will get you there. If you are using coax for networking, you will need a connection kit. Details are here.

A bit more advice, the plain old splitter that you have in your drawer from years past will not work to split a DIRECTV cable. You really need to go here for some current stuff. You must also be using RG6 cable with compression connectors.... the old RF cables that you may have from days with your VCR will not work.


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## harsh

Stuart Sweet said:


> Lately people have been saying it's getting harder and harder to do.


Evidently the OP didn't have nearly enough trouble getting the service turned on. :nono:


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## mattmcb345

Thanks for everyone's quick responses... 

I believe there is a panel in my bedroom closet where the connection comes in and is split, I saw the cable technician in there messing around the first time he came. From the picture you created (thank you very much by the way for that) I see another DECA inline/connected to the router? If I find that my building is using a SWiM enabled dish then what would be my next step exactly?? I know my Whole Home is activated and I am set for sharing so we're covered there.

I'm more focused on the whole home DVR right now then the internet connection for DirecTV Cinema, I may be getting confused 
but does the Wireless CCK help complete both tasks, the Whole Home AND DirecTV Cinema?? If not then I'm ok with leaving that out of the equation for the time being and just focusing on the Whole Home necessities. I'm not at home but I'll check on the SWiM enabled dish ASAP and report back.


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## Stuart Sweet

The Wireless CCK is for DIRECTV Cinema and other internet-related stuff. 

It seems to me that if you're SWiM-enabled and have whole-home turned on, you should pretty much be set. If you're not SWiM-enabled, and if whole home is turned on, then it would just be a matter of connecting the receivers with ethernet cables and doing the network setup. If you're not connected to a router for internet access then you'll need to do the setup manually; the automatic setup will fail without an internet connection.


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## David Ortiz

harsh said:


> Evidently the OP didn't have nearly enough trouble getting the service turned on. :nono:


Probably because SWiM is already installed. If the infrastructure is there, you can even activate WHDVR online in supported mode.

It doesn't matter which room your DVR is in. If you do have SWiM, you need to make sure that you DO NOT connect ethernet cables to either the H24 or the HR24. Doing so will disable the internal DECA.

You don't need the Wireless CCK for Whole-Home, just for internet/PC access.


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## veryoldschool

Stuart Sweet said:


> The Wireless CCK is for DIRECTV Cinema and other internet-related stuff.
> 
> It seems to me that if you're SWiM-enabled and have whole-home turned on, you should pretty much be set. If you're not SWiM-enabled, and if whole home is turned on, then it would just be a matter of connecting the receivers with ethernet cables and doing the network setup. If you're not connected to a router for internet access then you'll need to do the setup manually; *the automatic setup will fail without an internet connection.*


Not really, as the receiver will use their internal IP of 169.xxx..xxx.xxx. Without the router, the polling of other receivers on the network may take longer, but....


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## mattmcb345

I'll find out shortly if I'm SWiM-enabled... I have a feeling it may not be though since Whole Home wasnt working even after being turned on/sharing. I'm still a little confused... If i do not have a SWiM enabled dish what would my next stop be? 

I did make the mistake of plugging the ethernet cord in to my HR24 only to find that the connection failed. Did the DECA become disabled now? FYI, I cannot connect an ethernet cable to the H24 since it doesnt have an ethernet port (only a phone jack). 

I'll check back in a few hours once I'm sure of my SWiM situation....


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## Stuart Sweet

If you plugged in the ethernet cable it disabled the coax networking. A simple reboot will usually fix that but sometimes you have to reset your network settings.


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## mattmcb345

but if im NOT SWiM-enabled then regardless this "coax networking" isnt feasible?


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## David Ortiz

mattmcb345 said:


> but if im NOT SWiM-enabled then regardless this "coax networking" isnt feasible?


You say the H24 only has a phone jack and not a network jack. If that's truly the case, then it's an H25, not an H24. If it is an H25, then you do have SWiM, because the H25 only works with SWiM.

By looking at the manual, once Whole-Home is authorized and assuming both of your receivers are on the coax network, you just need to press the list button on your remote and the Whole-Home setup should start.


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## Stuart Sweet

Right. If you have no SWiM, you can't network over coax.


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## mattmcb345

I was mistaken i do have an H25 box, with SWiM. A the settings seem to be correct andwhole home is enabled but when i hit list on the H25 and it doesnt go to the recorded dvr menu it brings me to the to do menu. Also, under the "settings" in the Whole Home setup menu it says "no networked DVRs found". Sounds like something is wrong? I unplugged both and still didnt work....


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## David Ortiz

mattmcb345 said:


> I was mistaken i do have an H25 box, with SWiM. A the settings seem to be correct andwhole home is enabled but when i hit list on the H25 and it doesnt go to the recorded dvr menu it brings me to the to do menu. Also, under the "settings" in the Whole Home setup menu it says "no networked DVRs found". Sounds like something is wrong? I unplugged both and still didnt work....


On each box, go to system settings, press "Info & Test" then "More System Info"

Scroll down until you see network. What is the IP address for each box? You want to get to the point where it says Coax Connected for Network: for each box.


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## veryoldschool

Stuart Sweet said:


> If you plugged in the ethernet cable it disabled the coax networking. A simple reboot will usually fix that but *sometimes you have to reset your network settings*.


"My sometimes" is you may need to re-run the *SAT setup* to get the DECA working again.


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## Rtm

Not in your case with a H25 but I think setting it up with Hs and HRs with Ethernet jacks that this would work appropriately?

Url: "goo.gl/nv8Aa" link to amazon adapter


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