# Whole Home Connection Issues - Unsupported



## SkersR1 (Jul 10, 2007)

Having issues recently with my HR20 connecting to the network or internet I guess. 

I have 1 HR20 & 1 HR21 that are both hard wired to my directly to my router. Neither has DECA & I don't have the SWM. They have been installed this way since the Beta of the MRV and has worked almost flawlessly until the other day. My router for one reason or another lost all connection and I couldn't get it back. After several resets and unplugging I decided it was gone. Anyway got a new router (temporary) for now. It's a D-Link DGL4100 I believe is the model. I plugged everything in and did a restore defaults on both DVRs in the network settings menu. The HR21 popped up on the router and has internet and can be seen on the router. The HR20 on the other hand, did not happen. I can see the IP address and everything on the router and have made sure all the info is correct in the IP, DNS, Gateway... screen, but I can not get it to connect to the internet. It goes through the testing and everything checks out until it tries to connect & I get an error code 22 I believe.

Any suggestions or what might I be missing here. I've tried about everything I can thing of.


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## Go Beavs (Nov 18, 2008)

Try rebooting your DVR's. If you're still having issues, set your DVR's to static IP addresses outside of the DHCP range of your router.

Also, I've read that some people had issues connecting directly to a router and adding a separate switch to handle MRV traffic was helpfull in resolving that issue.


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## SkersR1 (Jul 10, 2007)

Go Beavs - Thank you for the recommendations.

Unfortunately I've rebooted many times and have the IP addresses set to what I believe is correct. The only thing I hadn't tried was a switch. 

Are you talking about just a 4 port ethernet switch that allows you to split to several devices. If that is the case I happen to have one and gave it a try, but still no luck. I guess to me it just doesn't make sense. I can see it on my network. Could there be an issue with the cable? 

I can live without the internet, but the MRV is what I am missing most. I have a tech coming next week to install a SWiM system. If I've read things correctly I can get the MRV over the coax with the SWiM & don't have to worry about it being connected to the internet?


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## Go Beavs (Nov 18, 2008)

Going SWiM is a good idea and you will be able to connect to the internet as well as use MRV.

What I would do in the mean time is to use your switch to connect your DVR's only. Don't connect it to your router. Then reset the network settings to default on each box. It may take a reboot but they will revert to default ip addresses and should be able to see each other. You won't be connected to the internet but MRV should work just fine until the tech sets up your SWiM system and DECA network.

If it still doesn't work after that, it could be a bad cable.


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## SkersR1 (Jul 10, 2007)

Ok, last 2 things (I hope):

1. As far as the switch goes just connect them both to the output side and nothing on the input? 


2. I'm not getting the DECA so is that going to cause problems. I'm not really worried about the internet on the HR20. It's my main one, but I can flip the 2 and use the HR21 for Apps and VOD if need be.

Thanks


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Just a hail-mary pass kind of idea...

Is your HR20 an HR20-100? The easiest way to tell is if there are two ethernet ports. If there are two, try putting the ethernet cable in the other one. It shouldn't work at all with the plug in the wrong port.


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## SkersR1 (Jul 10, 2007)

Stuart Sweet said:


> Just a hail-mary pass kind of idea...
> 
> Is your HR20 an HR20-100? The easiest way to tell is if there are two ethernet ports. If there are two, try putting the ethernet cable in the other one. It shouldn't work at all with the plug in the wrong port.


Stuart it is a -100. I believe I read somewhere here it needs to go in the top one? If that isn't correct then that would be the issue. I had it in my mind it wasn't the bottom one so never even tried swapping them. I'll give it a shot when I get home.


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## Go Beavs (Nov 18, 2008)

SkersR1 said:


> Ok, last 2 things (I hope):
> 
> 1. As far as the switch goes just connect them both to the output side and nothing on the input?


Yes, just leave the router out. There is no input or output side of an ethernet switch. The ports are bi-directional.



SkersR1 said:


> 2. I'm not getting the DECA so is that going to cause problems. I'm not really worried about the internet on the HR20. It's my main one, but I can flip the 2 and use the HR21 for Apps and VOD if need be.


I misunderstood you I guess... You mentioned MRV over coax, which is DECA. But regardless, having SWiM doesn't mean that you HAVE TO use DECA only that you CAN. You can still have unsupported MRV over ethernet if you want.

Going the DECA route would be an advantage in that the tech can set everything up for you and DIRECTV will provide support. Either way, you should be able to connect to the internet on both boxes.


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## SkersR1 (Jul 10, 2007)

Go Beavs said:


> What I would do in the mean time is to use your switch to connect your DVR's only. Don't connect it to your router. Then reset the network settings to default on each box.


This worked



Go Beavs said:


> I misunderstood you I guess... You mentioned MRV over coax, which is DECA. But regardless, having SWiM doesn't mean that you HAVE TO use DECA only that you CAN. You can still have unsupported MRV over ethernet if you want.


Ok, for some reason I thought that the SWiM was capable of doing MRV. I probably should have had them install DECA also, but when I set this up about a month ago everything was working fine. I might see if I can get them to add it. Not sure I'll be able to, the install is Monday afternoon.

Thank You for the help & info.


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## Go Beavs (Nov 18, 2008)

SWiM is a method for distributing the satellite signals for multiple tuners over a single cable. DECA is networking over coax that can only be used with a SWiM system. I would think the installer should have some DECA modules on the truck which is all you need once you're converted to SWiM.

Good luck with the install and let us know how it goes!


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Keep this thread in your back pocket, just in case the installer doesn't have experience with the 20-100. It's different from all other boxes.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=177195


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## sdirv (Dec 14, 2008)

Hmmm...had a whole home system installed yesterday.

Have a new HR24-500 in the family room, my "old" HR22-100 now in the bedroom, and an H25 (I think that's what it is) in another room.

I've got a wireless "game adapter" plugged into a Deca broadband adapter that's hooked up to the HR24-500......everything works, shared playlists, all 3 of the receivers "see" the internet, VOD works fine.

I tried putting a router in between the wireless game adapter and the deca broadband adapter so that I could split my internet feed out to the PS3 sitting on the shelf next to the HR24-500....when I do that, no matter how many times I configure, reboot, etc......the whole home system doesn't "see" the internet. The PS3 does though, with 13+mbps speeds.

I'd like to be able to get this working, but if I can't the transfer speeds for the PS3 on it's own wireless is still at 10+mbps.


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## lugnutathome (Apr 13, 2009)

sdirv said:


> Hmmm...had a whole home system installed yesterday.
> 
> Have a new HR24-500 in the family room, my "old" HR22-100 now in the bedroom, and an H25 (I think that's what it is) in another room.
> 
> ...


I'm a tad confused. You put a second router up? A switch should work but Your router should be placed where your internet service enters your domicile. And there can be only one:grin:

The broadband adapter's Ethernet output could be put into a switch and its current Ethernet line out down to your existing router. Leaving extra switch ports for the, PS3, wireless access point, computer etc.

This sets up your Ethernet network outside the DirectTV DECA realm, but enables your receivers to use your "LAN" to get to VOD and other DVR extras.

Don "never cross the streams" Bolton


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

sdirv, I think a diagram of some sort is in order.


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## sdirv (Dec 14, 2008)

lugnutathome said:


> I'm a tad confused. You put a second router up? A switch should work but Your router should be placed where your internet service enters your domicile. And there can be only one:grin:


Yes......it was my old wireless g router, I disabled the wireless section and was hoping to use it as a switch (FAIL!)



lugnutathome said:


> The broadband adapter's Ethernet output could be put into a switch and its current Ethernet line out down to your existing router. Leaving extra switch ports for the, PS3, wireless access point, computer etc.


My modem and wireless router are at the other end of the house. I'm feeding (or was) the network to my DVR and PS3 with a wireless game/AV adapter. The HR24 doesn't passthrough ethernet like my HR22 did.

I guess if I want to bump the PS3's speed from 10+mbps to 13+mbps I'll have to buy a switch and use it to split the ethernet stream.

Thanks.


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## sdirv (Dec 14, 2008)

harsh said:



> sdirv, I think a diagram of some sort is in order.


Not really......I was already told that I can't have two routers in my system, and that trying to use a second router in place of a switch....doesn't work.


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## David Ortiz (Aug 21, 2006)

sdirv said:


> Yes......it was my old wireless g router, I disabled the wireless section and was hoping to use it as a switch (FAIL!)
> 
> My modem and wireless router are at the other end of the house. I'm feeding (or was) the network to my DVR and PS3 with a wireless game/AV adapter. The HR24 doesn't passthrough ethernet like my HR22 did.
> 
> ...


It may be possible to use the router as a switch if it's configured correctly. A true switch would be easier, seeing as you have to make sure the DHCP server is disabled on the second router and that the lan side of the second router is assigned a static IP address that is not in the DHCP pool of the main router. You also need to make sure that nothing is plugged into the WAN port on the second router.

Of course, as you already mentioned, you would need to disable the wireless part of the second router as well. I had problems using a second router as a switch until I upgraded the firmware of the second router. I had some issues until I did that.


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## dennisj00 (Sep 27, 2007)

You can use a router this way as a switch using David's details above . . . and if it's a wireless router, you can use it as an additional Access Point. Assuming they're seperated by some distance, use the same SSID, Security key but change it to a different channel.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

Properly configured you can use a router as a switch, you just need to know how to set it up. SOme cant be used as a switch without hacked software< like DD-WRT or the other (Tomato??), etc...but they can be used. I use one as a wireless bridge, so it acts a switch and a wireless connection between 2 floors of my house...


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## sdirv (Dec 14, 2008)

David Ortiz said:


> It may be possible to use the router as a switch if it's configured correctly. A true switch would be easier, seeing as you have to make sure the DHCP server is disabled on the second router and that the lan side of the second router is assigned a static IP address that is not in the DHCP pool of the main router. You also need to make sure that nothing is plugged into the WAN port on the second router.
> 
> Of course, as you already mentioned, you would need to disable the wireless part of the second router as well. I had problems using a second router as a switch until I upgraded the firmware of the second router. I had some issues until I did that.


Figured I'd give it another try.......turned off the wireless on my old/second router, turned off it's DHCP server, and assigned it 192.168.1.99, plugged it into the systems and everything is now working the way I'd hoped....it's now a "switch".


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## David Ortiz (Aug 21, 2006)

sdirv said:


> Figured I'd give it another try.......turned off the wireless on my old/second router, turned off it's DHCP server, and assigned it 192.168.1.99, plugged it into the systems and everything is now working the way I'd hoped....it's now a "switch".


Nice! :up:


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## sdirv (Dec 14, 2008)

sdirv said:


> Figured I'd give it another try.......turned off the wireless on my old/second router, turned off it's DHCP server, and assigned it 192.168.1.99, plugged it into the systems and everything is now working the way I'd hoped....it's now a "switch".


And the only reason I had to go through all this was.......the new HR24 only has one ethernet port, my old HR22 had two. One of those ports was a passthrough that I used to feed network to the PS3 in my system.

And after jumping the hoops I just did...last night I realized that network isn't fed to the HR24 at the ethernet plug, it's inserted into the coax with a deca broadband adapter.....so the ethernet port on the back of the HR24 is not used.

Question I would now have is......is that only an "input" or are ethernet connections either live or not?? Once the HR24 has network, is that ethernet plug alive and capable of doing a passthrough to the rest of my equipment???

If so.....I wouldn't need the old WGR614 dummied up to be a switch sitting in the rack with the sole purpose of feeding network to my PS3. Probably wouldn't hurt anything just to try it......I just LOVE setting up new equipment/systems. :lol:


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## dennisj00 (Sep 27, 2007)

Technically, on any of the HRs with two ethernet ports, the second port shouldn't be used.

Specifically on the 24, the ethernet port is disabled and receives the network connection through the coax (DECA) or if an ethernet cable is plugged in during reboot, it stays enabled.


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## sdirv (Dec 14, 2008)

dennisj00 said:


> Technically, on any of the HRs with two ethernet ports, the second port shouldn't be used.


I've had heard that from time to time, but has worked fine for me for several years.



dennisj00 said:


> Specifically on the 24, the ethernet port is disabled and receives the network connection through the coax (DECA) or if an ethernet cable is plugged in during reboot, it stays enabled.


Thanks for this, answers my question and saves me the trouble of moving furniture and fiddling 1/2 a day with cabling (AGAIN).


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