# DECA install question



## conductor (Apr 30, 2008)

I currently have 3 HD DVRs and one is an HR20-100 and all are hooked up using SWM through a 4-way splitter. Would it be possible to take the single wire running from the 4-way splitter to the HR20-100 and split it for the DVR and router (for internet connection) with a DECA adapter attached to each? I know the HR20-100 needs both ports on the back to power the DECA box so it makes more confusing.
Thanks


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## dsw2112 (Jun 13, 2009)

conductor said:


> I currently have 3 HD DVRs and one is an HR20-100 and all are hooked up using SWM through a 4-way splitter. Would it be possible to take the single wire running from the 4-way splitter to the HR20-100 and split it for the DVR and router (for internet connection) with a DECA adapter attached to each? I know the HR20-100 needs both ports on the back to power the DECA box so it makes more confusing.
> Thanks


Yes.

I'm not sure where you're splitting the line, but if you're splitting it behind the Tv (i.e. the router is at the TV) why not use an ethernet switch on the HR20's dongle? One ethernet cable to the HR20 and one to the router. This is likely a cheaper alternative if I read your post correctly.


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## conductor (Apr 30, 2008)

dsw2112 said:


> Yes.
> 
> I'm not sure where you're splitting the line, but if you're splitting it behind the Tv (i.e. the router is at the TV) why not use an ethernet switch on the HR20's dongle? One ethernet cable to the HR20 and one to the router. This is likely a cheaper alternative if I read your post correctly.


I would be splitting the single line behind the TV and would be attaching it to the router to provide internet to the HR20, as well as the other two HD DVRs which would be hooked up using the DECA boxes. I am not sure I am following your suggestion. Would your suggestion eliminate the need for the router to be hooked up to a DECA device?


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## dsw2112 (Jun 13, 2009)

conductor said:


> I would be splitting the single line behind the TV and would be attaching it to the router to provide internet to the HR20, as well as the other two HD DVRs which would be hooked up using the DECA boxes. I am not sure I am following your suggestion. Would your suggestion eliminate the need for the router to be hooked up to a DECA device?


If your router is at the Tv (and you have a DECA dongle there as well) an ethernet switch can be attached to the dongle ethernet port. At that point anything plugged into the switch will feed to the DECA network and anything on the DECA network will feed the switch. You can then connect the HR20 and router to the switch and all receivers and router are "visable." This elimates the need to buy a separate dongle for the router as it can easily share the HR20's dongle.


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## conductor (Apr 30, 2008)

dsw2112 said:


> If your router is at the Tv (and you have a DECA dongle there as well) an ethernet switch can be attached to the dongle ethernet port. At that point anything plugged into the switch will feed to the DECA network and anything on the DECA network will feed the switch. You can then connect the HR20 and router to the switch and all receivers and router are "visable." This elimates the need to buy a separate dongle for the router as it can easily share the HR20's dongle.


So would the connections be single coax wire running to HR20 > DECA > DECA ethernet > switch > internet and HR20? This would then eliminate the need for two DECA devices at that location (one for internet and the other to the HR20)?


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

conductor said:


> So would the connections be single coax wire running to HR20 > DECA > DECA ethernet > switch > internet and HR20? This would then eliminate the need for two DECA devices at that location (one for internet and the other to the HR20)?


Yes. Or, if you have a spare port on the router, coax -> DECA -> router -> HR20 (no switch required).


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## dsw2112 (Jun 13, 2009)

conductor said:


> So would the connections be single coax wire running to HR20 > DECA > DECA ethernet > switch > internet and HR20? This would then eliminate the need for two DECA devices at that location (one for internet and the other to the HR20)?


Yes, it would eliminate the need for two DECA devices at the location. The HR20-100 to DECA coaxial wiring is a bit hokey because of the power requirements, but if you put that part aside for now it basically comes down to:

SWM coax line > DECA dongle > HR20
............................|
............................| 
............................-------> Ethernet Switch > Router and HR20

That's an over simplified version of the setup . The DECA dongle simply separates the network signal from the coax. In a normal setup the HR20 is connected to the dongle with an ethernet cable. In the setup I suggest you merely add an ethernet switch to the dongle to allow more devices to utilize the dongle. I hope that makes sense.


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## dsw2112 (Jun 13, 2009)

bobnielsen said:


> Yes. Or, if you have a spare port on the router, coax -> DECA -> router -> HR20 (no switch required).


This may work, but some "all-in-one" routers can cause latency on the built-in switch. It would be worth a try, but a good switch will definetely do the trick.


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## conductor (Apr 30, 2008)

Thanks all. I plan to have a wireless bridge behind the TV which will provide internet to the DVRs. So if the main router is assigning IPs to the DVRs, will all the MRV traffic be going back to the that router or will the DVRs be communicating to each other directly? My worry is using a wireless bridge would slow MRV down. I am not worried about the internet speed to these DVRs too much. I am just connecting them to the internet for the occasional on Demand download.


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## RB Service Tech (Apr 11, 2010)

HR20-100 MRV compatibility issue HR20-100 does not support MRV when the customer is properly installed and does not have an Internet connection. Engineering is aware and is working on a solution. No Service Calls or ERPs. Customer Experience: HR20-100’s Multi-Room status will display as “Authorized” but will also have “No networked DVRs found” displayed


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## dwcolvin (Oct 4, 2007)

conductor said:


> Thanks all. I plan to have a wireless bridge behind the TV which will provide internet to the DVRs. So if the main router is assigning IPs to the DVRs, will all the MRV traffic be going back to the that router or will the DVRs be communicating to each other directly? My worry is using a wireless bridge would slow MRV down. I am not worried about the internet speed to these DVRs too much. I am just connecting them to the internet for the occasional on Demand download.


All the DECA-attached devices will be communicating directly on the coax. They'll use the bridge to obtain DHCP IP addresses from the router, and to communicate on the internet for On Demand, etc.


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## dwcolvin (Oct 4, 2007)

RB Service Tech said:


> HR20-100 MRV compatibility issue HR20-100 does not support MRV when the customer is properly installed and does not have an Internet connection. Engineering is aware and is working on a solution. No Service Calls or ERPs. Customer Experience: HR20-100's Multi-Room status will display as "Authorized" but will also have "No networked DVRs found" displayed


But the OP _will_ be internet-connected, so this should not be an issue.


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## conductor (Apr 30, 2008)

Thanks for the responses. It seems like using a wireless bridge would not create any problems then. I am a little confused by RB Service Tech's comment though. Does that mean as long as the HR20 is connected to the internet MRV should work properly? Also, if DirecTV were to do the installation would they allow the wireless bridge and only using one DECA dongle for the router and HR20 for MRV and internet?


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