# Can I go STB>Laptop>Router to connect ?



## sb40 (Nov 29, 2005)

Could I use my laptop as a "bridge" ?


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## PoitNarf (Aug 19, 2006)

Yes, all you'd have to do is set up internet connection sharing on the laptop, but just connecting an cat5e cable between the laptop and receiver won't do. To connect the box to the laptop you'll either need a crossover cable or a hub or a switch.


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## CJTE (Sep 18, 2007)

PoitNarf said:


> Yes, all you'd have to do is set up internet connection sharing on the laptop, but just connecting an cat5e cable between the laptop and receiver won't do. To connect the box to the laptop you'll either need a crossover cable or a hub or a switch.


Can you set static IPs on the STB and Laptop and use a standard Cat5/5e/6 cable (Gw/G,Ow/B,Bw/O,BrW/Br to Gw/G,Ow/B,Bw/O,BrW/Br) 
Or does it have to be a cross over?

Is ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) available in XP SP2?

I only ask because screwing around a couple of days ago I bridged a wireless and wired connection on one of my compaq's and long story short, I had to reformat the machine...
The wired connection worked fine, but the wireless connection wouldnt connect... The WZC manager couldnt even see the wireless networks, 3rd part utilities like D-Links connection manager and T-Mobiles connection manager (and NetStumbler) could see the routers but could not connect to them. Tried a few different wireless cards all to no avail. It was nutty!!


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## sb40 (Nov 29, 2005)

PoitNarf said:


> Yes, all you'd have to do is set up internet connection sharing on the laptop, but just connecting an cat5e cable between the laptop and receiver won't do. To connect the box to the laptop you'll either need a crossover cable or a hub or a switch.


Yes it seems the crossover cable is the key I don't have.

Thanks


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## rutgersfan (Dec 18, 2006)

sb40 said:


> Yes it seems the crossover cable is the key I don't have.
> 
> Thanks


I use my laptop, and no crossover is used, just plain cat 5. works perfectly.


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## PoitNarf (Aug 19, 2006)

rutgersfan said:


> I use my laptop, and no crossover is used, just plain cat 5. works perfectly.


Really? I wouldn't think that the HR20 has an auto-crossover ethernet port on it, but perhaps your laptop does. Anyone have a definite answer to this?


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## PoitNarf (Aug 19, 2006)

CJTE said:


> Is ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) available in XP SP2?


Yes, it's been in every Windows release since 95 or 98.

Ah, I just noticed... post #4000


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## sean10780 (Oct 16, 2007)

PoitNarf said:


> Yes, it's been in every Windows release since 95 or 98.
> 
> Ah, I just noticed... post #4000


Congrats on the 4000 club.


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## gcisko (Sep 27, 2006)

PoitNarf said:


> Yes, all you'd have to do is set up internet connection sharing on the laptop, but just connecting an cat5e cable between the laptop and receiver won't do. To connect the box to the laptop you'll either need a crossover cable or a hub or a switch.


Probably cheaper to get a game adapter and go wireless to the HR20.


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## gcisko (Sep 27, 2006)

rutgersfan said:


> I use my laptop, and no crossover is used, just plain cat 5. works perfectly.


So you plug a network cable from your laptop's network jack into the HR20 and use the laptop's wireless to get on the network?


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## lifelong (Sep 16, 2007)

gcisko said:


> Probably cheaper to get a game adapter and go wireless to the HR20.


not if he already has the laptop, then it's free.


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## CJTE (Sep 18, 2007)

gcisko said:


> So you plug a network cable from your laptop's network jack into the HR20 and use the laptop's wireless to get on the network?


Bingo


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## rutgersfan (Dec 18, 2006)

PoitNarf said:


> Really? I wouldn't think that the HR20 has an auto-crossover ethernet port on it, but perhaps your laptop does. Anyone have a definite answer to this?


My laptop is pretty old, at least 3 years. There was instructions somewhere on this site on how to set this up(with diagram), and I got it to work, definitely no crossover cable. In order to bridge the connections, I had to ctrl select the wireless and LAN and then click on bridge connections. done. good luck.


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## gcisko (Sep 27, 2006)

lifelong said:


> not if he already has the laptop, then it's free.


Not really. In order for it to do what it does is a total hassle and the shoestring & rubberband solution for HR2x networking.

*In my opinion*


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## gcisko (Sep 27, 2006)

CJTE said:


> Bingo


Well that is totally bogus then. And you can quote me


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## rutgersfan (Dec 18, 2006)

gcisko said:


> Well that is totally bogus then. And you can quote me


http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=1229901&postcount=1


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## lifelong (Sep 16, 2007)

gcisko said:


> Not really. In order for it to do what it does is a total hassle and the shoestring & rubberband solution for HR2x networking.
> 
> *In my opinion*


using Windows internet connection sharing is trivial and probably just as easy as setting up a "wireless game adapter." and I suspect the bottleneck is probably the internet connection, not the "wireless bridge," no matter how shoestring and rubberband it is.


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