# Ethernet Switch Between Powered DECA and HR21?



## Chilcoot (Jun 22, 2008)

Heading downstream from my SWM8, I am considering placing a 100MB ethernet switch between my DECA and my HR-21. My goal is to connect my Blu-Ray player and the other internet-enabled devices in my media room to my network at the switch.

Assuming I power the DECA externally and not from the receiver, and ignoring the potential bandwith bottleneck that might come from using just a 100MB switch instead of a 1gig one, is there any reason to avoid putting the switch between the DECA and the receiver?


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## say-what (Dec 14, 2006)

If you're attempting to feed the devices connected to the switch into the DECA cloud, then it's not advised as you will be clogging your DECA Cloud with non-DirecTV traffic. DECA was not designed to support anything other than the DirecTV receivers.


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

There might be some collisions if DECA is active at the same time (streaming to another receiver), but that would be better than using the second ethernet port on the HR21. You shouldn't run into any issues powering it from the HR21.


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## Chilcoot (Jun 22, 2008)

Thanks for the responses.

The only traffic I want to send back through the switch and out to the DECA cloud will be DTV content from the HR21. I expect to hook the HR21, my Blu-Ray, and an X-Box into the switch. The switch will connect to my network via a short ethernet cable to an adjacent wireless access point.

Heading downstream:
Dish
SWM8
SWM8 power
Band Stop Filter
Splitter to each of my receivers
DECA and DECA power
10/100 Ethernet Switch connected to WAP
HR21, Blu-Ray, and X-Box

I am not trying to send the Blu-Ray or any other devices back past the switch and out to the cloud, I'm simply trying to give them internet access through the adjacent switch and directly out the adjacent WPA. I guess I'm considering this because, if it works, an independent DECA at my router wouldn't be necessary.

Think this scheme will give me satisfactory performance?


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

The weak link in this scenario is the 100MB ethernet link. If the "other devices" are not used for heavy data movement (like video streaming), then all "should" work. 

But when that Blu-Ray movie you just gotta have does a lot of streaming from the internet for BD-Live, you might wish you'd run the Cat5e and Gig into the media center. 

Cheers,
Tom


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## paragon (Nov 15, 2007)

I have a switch on one of my DECAs with a Blu-ray Player and an HR21 and it works fine.


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## ffemtreed (Jan 30, 2008)

Tom Robertson said:


> The weak link in this scenario is the 100MB ethernet link. If the "other devices" are not used for heavy data movement (like video streaming), then all "should" work.
> 
> But when that Blu-Ray movie you just gotta have does a lot of streaming from the internet for BD-Live, you might wish you'd run the Cat5e and Gig into the media center.
> 
> ...


A typical home internet connection won't come close to the bandwidth provided by a 100Mb switch. A gigabit switch doesn't do much good as most home electronics only have 100MB NIC's anyways.

Also remember this is a SWITCHED Ethernet so your two HR's talking to each other should never interfere with the blueray or whatever other device. The only time they will compete for bandwidth is when they both need internet access.

The real true weak link is putting data on the DECA network that DTV doesn't know how to handle and could potentially flood the DECA network and cause support problems. In other words if you want reliable service, don't do it!


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## matt (Jan 12, 2010)

Well, I was hoping that we would quit hearing about diplexing as DECA made it's way into our everyday lives, and while that may or may not be the case, its ugly cousin has come to light: non-D* traffic over DECA. People are going to want to do it anyway, even though it isn't supported. Maybe it is a money issue, or maybe it is a pride issue, maybe it is something else, I just don't know.

Please, don't do it. DECA was not designed to handle the traffic you would be sending over it. I see it as just doing the exact opposite of trying to run MRV over your home network; MRV over your home network vs. your home network over MRV. It may work but what a headache it could be too.


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## paragon (Nov 15, 2007)

matt1124 said:


> Well, I was hoping that we would quit hearing about diplexing as DECA made it's way into our everyday lives, and while that may or may not be the case, its ugly cousin has come to light: non-D* traffic over DECA. People are going to want to do it anyway, even though it isn't supported. Maybe it is a money issue, or maybe it is a pride issue, maybe it is something else, I just don't know.
> 
> Please, don't do it. DECA was not designed to handle the traffic you would be sending over it. I see it as just doing the exact opposite of trying to run MRV over your home network; MRV over your home network vs. your home network over MRV. It may work but what a headache it could be too.


Wow.....dramatic much? The minute I see a reduction in performance due to running Blu-ray over DECA is the minute I will stop doing it. It's not like I'm going to have my HR21 and my Blu-ray receiving data at the same time, they're hooked up to the same TV!


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## dsw2112 (Jun 13, 2009)

Chilcoot said:


> Assuming I power the DECA externally and not from the receiver, and ignoring the potential bandwith bottleneck that might come from using just a 100MB switch instead of a 1gig one, is there any reason to avoid putting the switch between the DECA and the receiver?


In all reality a good switch "shouldn't" cause a problem as the NIC in the receiver is only 100Mb as well. The concern (as others have mentioned) is the added traffic on the DECA cloud from the adjacent devices. It should be pointed out that even while MRV'ing, downloading a VOD, and watching a BD disc the bandwidth will be well short of 100Mb.

Does that mean it will work? It may or may not, but in theory the DECA has mechanisms to prioritize the MRV traffic ahead of any "other" devices on the cloud. Obviously the more devices you add the higher the potential for issues though... As long as you understand it's unsupported and take responsibility for any "problems" along the way this usage has been done successfully.

One last note, it has no bearing on this situation whether the receiver powers the DECA or it's powered by an external PI.


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## Spanky_Partain (Dec 7, 2006)

dsw2112 said:


> In all reality a good switch "shouldn't" cause a problem as the NIC in the receiver is only 100Mb as well. The concern (as others have mentioned) is the added traffic on the DECA cloud from the adjacent devices. It should be pointed out that even while MRV'ing, downloading a VOD, and watching a BD disc the bandwidth will be well short of 100Mb.
> 
> Does that mean it will work? It may or may not, but in theory the DECA has mechanisms to prioritize the MRV traffic ahead of any "other" devices on the cloud. Obviously the more devices you add the higher the potential for issues though... As long as you understand it's unsupported and take responsibility for any "problems" along the way this usage has been done successfully.
> 
> One last note, it has no bearing on this situation whether the receiver powers the DECA or it's powered by an external PI.


Well said!


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## Chilcoot (Jun 22, 2008)

Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to let an installer do his/her thing, then I'll start fiddling with my creative adjustments. I'll report my results and post a schematic when I'm done.


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## Yog-Sothoth (Apr 8, 2006)

Not to upset the "purists" here, but I did just what you described for my bedroom setup, except the DECA is connected to a "router" in access point-only mode; my Xbox 360 and PS3 get their Internet and LAN (for TVersity) connections, and my wireless devices have a third access point with which to connect. MRV performance differences noted: none. I plan on doing the same thing in my son's bedroom.


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

It sounds to me like the original poster is just using this switch to get internet service onto the DECA cloud. None of the other ethernet traffic will ever enter the DECA cloud. It will go through the switch straight to the router. The HR21 will go straight through the switch to the DECA adapter and onto the DECA cloud when using MRV, or straight through the switch to the router when using On Demand\TV Apps\Media Share.

I personally can't see any reason why this would cause any issues.


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## Chilcoot (Jun 22, 2008)

Beerstalker said:


> It sounds to me like the original poster is just using this switch to get internet service onto the DECA cloud. None of the other ethernet traffic will ever enter the DECA cloud. It will go through the switch straight to the router. The HR21 will go straight through the switch to the DECA adapter and onto the DECA cloud when using MRV, or straight through the switch to the router when using On Demand\TV Apps\Media Share.
> 
> I personally can't see any reason why this would cause any issues.


That is precisely what I intend, thanks for your excellent summary. I hope your prediction is correct.


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## Go Beavs (Nov 18, 2008)

Beerstalker said:


> It sounds to me like the original poster is just using this switch to get internet service onto the DECA cloud. None of the other ethernet traffic will ever enter the DECA cloud. It will go through the switch straight to the router. The HR21 will go straight through the switch to the DECA adapter and onto the DECA cloud when using MRV, or straight through the switch to the router when using On Demand\TV Apps\Media Share.
> 
> I personally can't see any reason why this would cause any issues.


This is exactly how I am set up now. I avoided having a third DECA adapter and PI by doing it this way. I know that this isn't an approved way of doing MRV and I am willing to take responsibility for any problems this may create.

That being said, I see no perceivable difference between MRV running through my hybrid DECA setup and MRV running only on the DECA cloud.

I have had no issues so far with this setup and I'm happy with it.


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## Bigg (Feb 27, 2010)

For those who are connecting their whole A/V rack via DECA, there's nothing to lose, except maybe a $10 ethernet switch. What's the worst thing that happens? It's an epic fail? Then unlplug it and go back to a DirecTV supported configuration. In reality, MoCA is capable of some serious transfer rates, and unless you are moving monster files over it all day, streaming some other stuff from the internet on BD or an HTPC isn't going to hurt DECA substantively. If anything, you're just going to bottleneck out your internet connection.

What true purist would be using DECA? They would obviously have a managed gigabit switch with home-run CAT-6 to all of their receivers, the heck with DECA.


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## Yog-Sothoth (Apr 8, 2006)

As an update on my DECA setup, the installer who set it up originally was kind enough today to bring me an extra DECA module and PI, so I connected that to a leftover coax feed in my workout room (which now has an H24) and connected its ethernet port to a Slingbox. Now I can watch any recorded (or live) programs in my house while away from home via the Slingbox.

Yes, I'm using DECA for totally unsupported purposes. Best $150 I've spent in a while.


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