# How to sync "Local-Link" IP Address between multiple STBs?



## abuckxr (Jul 19, 2017)

I have an HR24-200 DVR and an H25-700 HD tuner.

The HR24-200 DVR has a "Link-Local" IP of 169.254.4.41
The H25 Tuner has a "Link-Local" IP of 169.254.9.25

The two boxes attempt to communicate over the COAX cable, but since they are on different networks, they cannot see each other. My simple task is to figure out how to reset them to get them back on the same network like they were before I unplugged and moved the H25 Tuner into another room.

Any idea how to get these two boxes to be on the same 169.254.x.x network?

I have tried the red button reset. I have tried network reset. I have tried everything I can think of..... twice. The stupid boxes always come back to the two addresses I listed above. This is crazy. It seems clear what the problem is but I can't fix it. 

(Note: As I alluded to above, these two devices where configured in "Whole-Home" configuration and working just fine for a little over a year. The problem I have now was just caused by unplugging and moving the H25 device into another room. )

If anyone knows how to fix this, I'd appreciate your wisdom.

- Andy


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Can you provide a bit more information about your home network? Also, are these the only two DIRECTV boxes you have? Have you tracked the coax from each box back to a splitter/multiswitch and your satellite dish?


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Do you have either connected to an Ethernet cord as well? How is Ethernet connected into your system?


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## haggis444 (Jan 21, 2004)

abuckxr said:


> but since they are on different networks, they cannot see each other


You have to differentiate physical from logical networking. From a logical perspective (IP) they are on the same network. RFC3927 specifies a 16-bit subnet mask (/16). Meaning any device with a 169.254.x.x address is on the same logical network.

I would look at my physical network and see if there is something wrong there.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

haggis444 said:


> You have to differentiate physical from logical networking. From a logical perspective (IP) they are on the same network. RFC3927 specifies a 16-bit subnet mask (/16). Meaning any device with a 169.254.x.x address is on the same logical network.
> 
> *I would look at my physical network and see if there is something wrong there.*


Not sure I understand what you're trying to say, if it worked correctly for over a year and then was moved and the issue appeared why would that have anything to do with the network? His network didn't change.

Rich


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## abuckxr (Jul 19, 2017)

Haggis444 - Thanks for the info. I did not realize that anything within the 169.254.x.x address range would be considered as being on the same logical network. 

So, it would appear that I've been barking up the wrong tree. I guess I will have to again trace the COAX cable to the new location and ensure that it is indeed plugged into the same SWM splitter that the HR24 and the DECA are connected to.

I was careful to trace the COAX cables, but it is POSSIBLE that I made a mistake. 

On the other hand, now that i think this through, the devices have to be connected correctly. I know this because of 2 things: (1) I can tune in all of the channels on the H25 Tuner and (2) I clearly am getting an IP address (192.168.xxx.yyy) on the H25 from my router via DHCP. The only way that this could be possible is if it were connected to the SWM splitter that the HR24 and DECA are connected to. SO, i don't really think I need to trace these cables because I have clear evidence that they are connected appropriately.

So, then, I have absolutely NO CLUE whatsoever why these two boxes cannot see each other. This is weird. Maybe I have a bad port on the SWM Splitter. I think I'll try to use a different one. At this point, that is the only thing I can think to try.


To recap my connections:
SWM Dish on the outside of house
Cable comes into house and is connected to an SWM Power inverter.
The "output" of the SWM Power Inverter is connected to the "Input" port on an 8-way SWM Splitter
The 8-way Splitter has 3 devices conntected to it.
(1) HR24 DVR
(2) H25 Tuner
(3) DECA
The DECA has an ethernet connection to my home network switch
Note: The ONLY connection via ethernet is the DECA. The HR24 and H25 are NOT connected via ethernet.
Note: As said in the OP, this configuration was working for approx 1 year, so I'm confident that it is all connected correctly.


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## haggis444 (Jan 21, 2004)

abuckxr said:


> I clearly am getting an IP address (192.168.xxx.yyy) on the H25 from my router via DHCP.


So the RFC I referenced above is a mechanism to allow clients to self-assign an IP address in lieu of a DHCP server. So if you clients are getting a 169.254.x.x address that tells me they are not able to talk to your DHCP server.

You could try and removing the DECA bridge from the equation to see if things work. You could also then plug in a laptop/PC into that Ethernet port, let it self assign an IP address (169.254.x.x) then see if you can ping the HR24 and more importantly the H25.

Wondering if maybe the DECA is causing some issues.



Rich said:


> Not sure I understand what you're trying to say, if it worked correctly for over a year and then was moved and the issue appeared why would that have anything to do with the network? His network didn't change.


He said he moved the H25. But my only point was to explain that they were on the same logical network because the OP I think was assuming because their 3rd octet was different they were on a different IP broadcast domain which isn't the case. I have no idea what is going on past this.


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## abuckxr (Jul 19, 2017)

You are exactly correct that in my OP, I was stating that because the 3rd octet was different, I was assuming that they devices were are a different IP broadcast domain. I understand that that was an incorrect assumption.

That said, I'm not following your comment about the devices not seeing my DHCP server. My router is seeing both of these devices and assigning these them DHCP addresses in the range that I specified in my router config. I can also see the connected devices by MAC address and verify that both the IP and MAC addresses match on the router report as well as on the DirecTv devices themselves. So, I'm pretty certain that this isn't a problem.

I do like your idea of unplugging the DECA for some testing. The way I understand it, the DECA is not a necessary component to get the "Whole-Home" feature working. I will try unplugging the DECA and see if I get anywhere.

It will probably be a couple of days before I report back as today is my daughter's birthday and I won't have tim until Friday evening to look at this.

Thanks for the input. Much appreciated.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

haggis444 said:


> So the RFC I referenced above is a mechanism to allow clients to self-assign an IP address in lieu of a DHCP server. So if you clients are getting a 192.168.x.x address that tells me they are not able to talk to your DHCP server.


192.168.x.x would be coming from some DHCP server. The self assigned IP would be 169.254.x.x for devices that can't find DHCP (and do not have a fixed IP configured).


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## haggis444 (Jan 21, 2004)

Yes, I read your 192.168.x.x as 169.254.x.x, my bad. Not enough coffee yet. Of course 192.168.x.x is DHCP assigned. Sorry for the confusion. If you can ping both the H25 and HR24 on the 192.168.x.x subnet from your PC then I am at a loss as to why they won't talk.

But I do still like the idea of separating the DECA and the Ethernet network by removing the DECA bridge just to see what happens. Good luck.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

abuckxr said:


> You are exactly correct that in my OP, I was stating that because the 3rd octet was different, I was assuming that they devices were are a different IP broadcast domain. I understand that that was an incorrect assumption.
> 
> That said, I'm not following your comment about the devices not seeing my DHCP server. My router is seeing both of these devices and assigning these them DHCP addresses in the range that I specified in my router config. I can also see the connected devices by MAC address and verify that both the IP and MAC addresses match on the router report as well as on the DirecTv devices themselves. So, I'm pretty certain that this isn't a problem.
> 
> ...


First thing you have to ask yourself is, "What changed?". Just moving the 25 from one place to another wouldn't/shouldn't cause you problems. Something major had to change. I'm assuming you have all the connections properly...connected? Reading your prior posts makes me wonder about that. It's too bad you don't have another 25, that would allow you to...wait, you have a 24, can you put it where the 25 is and see if the same thing happens? This would be a good thing to do, I think.

Rich


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Have you ever had a diplexer on any of these lines? Have you any other splitters? A four way would be plenty. Are all the unused ports terminated? How long are the distances on the cables from the splitter to the receivers?

Have you tried rerunning satellite setup on the boxes yet?


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## abuckxr (Jul 19, 2017)

Sorry for the delay in responding. I've been sooo busy lately. Long story, short, it is working now. Thank you to Rich for the questions/dialog.

As Rich suggested above, I just removed the DECA as a test because it isn't really necessary for my everyday use and I agreed that it would be a good test. Turns out that the DECA was definitely the problem. 

The DECA is now unplugged/unattached to anything. I'm thinking about not re-attaching it because I really don't need it right now. Since it is working and the family is off my back, I don't really want to mess with it for a while. I'm afraid that by plugging it back in, I will just set myself off on some wild goose chase.

Yes it does bother me that I don't know WHY the DECA caused the problem. It also bugs me that I tried removing power from the DECA and then re-attaching it as sort of a hard boot process.....but that didn't have any effect.

I will note that the DECA was not touched when the box was moved from one room to another, so this should not have happened. 

I'm happy for now. If I end up trying to reattach the DECA again, I'll report back here whether or not it worked.

Thanks everyone (especially Rich).

- Andy


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## abuckxr (Jul 19, 2017)

Ok. i don't want to be rude. Inkhatus asked some questions that I never answered. Just for completeness, I will answer those questions in case it has any value to anyone.

1. I have never had a diplexer on any of these lines
2. I have never had any splitters on these lines other than what are in use right now.
3. I agree that a 4 way would be plenty, but this 8 way was available and should be sufficient for this purpose
4. The unused ports are NOT terminated. Is they supposed to be? How would you "terminate" them? Are there termination plugs that are supposed to be used for this purpose? Does anyone do this? Makes no sense to me why these would need to be terminated. Please advise.
5. The distance from the cable to the splitter is about 2 feet for the HR24 and about 35 feet for the H25.


Note: All of the wiring for the house is terminated into a structured wiring closet. All RJ45 and COAX are directly wired into a patch panel. When i move a device from one room to another, it merely consists of unplugging from one port on the patch panel to the active port being used. I do not touch the other wiring on the back side of the wiring closet.......which is why it was so confusing why moving from one location to another would cause this problem. 

Again, thanks to everyone for input/advice. Much appreciated.

- Andy


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Read this: TIP: Terminate those unused ports! - The Solid Signal Blog!

Solid Signal sells a 10-pack for $15.99 But you can get fewer for less $$.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Ok, first, I don't want to sound mean, but you haven't solved anything. And Actually sounds like you know this. You are working around it with the deca unplugged because the deca wouldn't cause this issue ever. Your router or something else would, and youve just eliminated the issue from being in the system.

Yes any unused port on a swim system must be terminated.

Here's a good article about why...

TIP: Terminate those unused ports! - The Solid Signal Blog!

And it's probably the entire cause of your issue. By changing which cable the receiver was connected to you altered the length of the cable to it, and that small alteriatoin could have easily changed the system just enough to cause this.

I wouldn't be surprised if it hadn't been a problem if you where using a 4 way splitter either and only showed because it's an 8 way. Issues add up, so you have more loss and you have more unterminated ports and when combined can cause issues like this.

While I understand what you are saying about the 8 way, it's less sufficient than a 4 way. You should always strive to use the least loss producing equipment in a system, not the most. Ok, so that may be a little bit of me and my perfectionist view, but it's also erring on the side of eliminate as many variables as possible that could ever cause an issue. Just cause it works doesn't mean you should leave it alone, and in this case, it could easily be part of the problem.

Not sure based on how you describe everything that one distance is only 2 feet and also don't understand what cable to splitter is... I mean you are measuring the cable... 

I'd order a 4 way green label proper splitter, and some terminators. I'd install them, reconnect the deca properly, and if you still have issues, I'd also change which port on the router the Ethernet cable from the deca is plugged into, and see what happens. I'd bet your issues would go away completely, and you'd get your on demand and such back.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

abuckxr said:


> I have an HR24-200 DVR and an H25-700 HD tuner.
> 
> The HR24-200 DVR has a "Link-Local" IP of 169.254.4.41
> The H25 Tuner has a "Link-Local" IP of 169.254.9.25
> ...


Andy, I've reread this thread again and I still don't see why you think you have multiple networks. I'm assuming you have that Deca feeding the Internet into your whole home viewing system, that should be connected. *Haggis444 *suggested in his post in this thread that you are mistaken about the network and I think he's correct. What you're seeing is two devices on the same network.

I don't think I suggested removing the Deca device, you do need that. I think *Inky *is correct about the terminations on the splitter and also about the splitters: you should use the smallest splitter you can. I've always used terminations on my splitters and on my SWM switches, I was told to do this by a member years ago (he's one of those guys I just do what he says, sometimes blind obedience is the simplest thing you can do and it's certainly the easiest) and have always used the terminators. So, I can't truthfully comment on how well they work, suffice to say, I've never had problems.

In short, I'd follow *Inky's *suggestions, he's usually right. Anyone curious about that? Is he ever wrong? I can think of one instance...

Rich


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## haggis444 (Jan 21, 2004)

abuckxr said:


> If I end up trying to reattach the DECA again, I'll report back here whether or not it worked.


Maybe just invest in a new one if the terminators don't clear things up? You can get them dirt cheap on eBay and sort of cheap on Amazon. I just ordered one for myself for something I am working on. I am sure RF terminators are good ideas for sure but maybe the DECA to Ethernet bridge is just flaky?? Good luck!


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