# C41W loses server, help!



## tpm1999 (Sep 5, 2006)

Hi all. I just recently got a C41W (wireless genie) and so far it isn't working well at all. The c41w keeps losing the server (~10 minutes) and goes into the "searching for server" screen.

Setup.
1. Wvb as passthru to hr44. At least 8 feet apart. 
2. Signal between c41w and vwb is always green and excellent.
3. Regular wired c41 never loses sync with hr44.

What I have tried.
1. Reset hr44 and c41w
2. Move the wvb to the same room as the c41w....no change (even though it is no longer as pass through).

Thoughts? Lemon wvb or c41w?

I've been waiting for this thing forever and it is a piece of junk right Now.


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## tpm1999 (Sep 5, 2006)

What's even more frustrating is that when the c41w is searching for servers, the hr44 settings say that the wvb is active and that 1 client is connected....that's obviously wrong.


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## NR4P (Jan 16, 2007)

Your experience is very different than mine. I don't have that problem, all works well here.
Some questions

I would start with this. 
-Can you try placing the C41W in a different location?
What I mean is, if the C41W is on the right side of the TV, can you move it farther away from the TV or to another side?
Maybe something is interferring with the C41W communications to the WVB.


If that doesn't help.
How is the HR44 connected to the internet?
Any 5ghz cordless phones in the home?
Any CCK's or WCCK's?
Is GenieGo connected directly, wired to the router?
Do you know of or have any Wi-Fi N access points or routers?


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## tpm1999 (Sep 5, 2006)

1. I moved my c41w to different areas of my tv stand to try to eliminate interference....no change in signal. I even unplugged my chrome cast to see if that would help.
2. Hr44 through wifi ....2.4 ghz band
3. No
4. Yes, a genie go is directly connected to the router.
5. Yes. Router does have 5 ghz band. Netgear 3700. Tried changing frequency to see if that would help...it did not. If I could find a way to turn off that band I would.


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## tpm1999 (Sep 5, 2006)

Also some further weirdness that makes me think it is the router...or how the hr44 interacts with it.

1. So... c41w can't find the server after about 10 minutes and gets stuck in a trying to find server loop. If I reset the c41w the same thing occurs...works for 10 minutes then looking for server.

2. The only other way to get it to find the server is if I reboot the router?! The router is in a total separate room from the c31w and hr44. I find that weird. And of course after 10 minutes it does the same again.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Ok since this seems to happen so quickly I say unplug power to your router and see if the issue goes away. Then we will know if that's at least part of the issue. 

Also what other DIRECTV devices in your system?

Is upnp on or off in your router. Try turning it off and see if that helps. 

Also can you see the wvb? What color are the lights always? Do they change sometimes especially when you lose signal?


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## tpm1999 (Sep 5, 2006)

Thanks for the idea inkahauts. First, no the wvb color never changes...solid blue always.

Turned off the wifi for 30 minutes and there were no issues! So the issue is with either how the hr44 connects to the router....our it's the routers 5ghz band. Later today (my hr44 is in the bedroom and my wife is sleeping and she would murder me if I woke her up for this) i will disconnect the hr44 wifi connection to see if that fixes the issue also. If it does then that is fine....I don't use download on demand. If it doesn't...then I need a new wireless n router that I can disable the second band.

What brand/model of router do you all have?

Another weird thing...I see the wvb is connected in the dhcp table of the router....is this normal? I thought the wvb didn't connect to the router (or does it through the hr44 connection).


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

The WVB does get an IP address via DHCP, along with the C41W, it also will get one.

What I'd try doing, is if you have a laptop or Droid phone, that support the 5GB wireless band. and get the inSSIDer app. The app scans the channels being used by all the wireless networks that it can see, Check and see if the WVB is overlapping the channels being used by another wireless router/access point. If yes use a browser to logon to the WVB, the ID and password are admin, and change the channel number to something that doesn't have a conflict and see if that helps. Don't putz with any of the other settings in the WVB, just the channels and then save the change and see if that helps.

I had an old 5GB wireless phone and everytime it rang or someone used it the C41W would drop off until I changed the channels being used in the WVB to something out of its range.


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## tpm1999 (Sep 5, 2006)

I moved my wireless routers 5ghz chaannels to opposite ends and that didn't help much. But I definitely will try that app to see where the wvb is right now.

For now my fix has been to use my old 2.4ghz single band wireless N router. Ironically I bought the dual band router to help me do a wireless c41 wcck hookup (that the c41w now replaces).


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## tpm1999 (Sep 5, 2006)

So .... It looks like it is an issue of dueling 5ghz routers. My channel on my router is not on auto, but the wvb and my neighbors Linksys router is on auto. The wvb got so confused trying to find a channel that it is overlapping in the same channel as my router. 

So when I try to goto the wvb IP address through my router on a browser, I literally just get a huge wall of technical text....should I try to telnet I to it? It never asked for a login/pass.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

Unless they changed something I've always just been able to get into the WVB just using IE or Chrome, never got just text.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

I'd say see if you can keep moving the router channel to see if there's a spot it will all work in harmony.


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## NR4P (Jan 16, 2007)

Using a PC or Android tool, what are the channels that your router, your neighbor's router, and the WVB are camped on?
Maybe attach a picture.


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## boballen (Aug 31, 2013)

Does anyone know if you can link an ipad to the Wireleess Video Bridge? My C41W-100 is linked to the WVB but I would like to expand my knowledge of it's capabilities.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Does anyone know if you can link an ipad to the Wireleess Video Bridge? My C41W-100 is linked to the WVB but I would like to expand my knowledge of it's capabilities.
No


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

I think what he means is "Yes, someone knows, and the answer is 'no'".



Now, would you do this because some part of your house doesn't get your WiFi signal well, or....?


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## tpm1999 (Sep 5, 2006)

Ok...I think I have finally solved the issue...and boy is it a strange one. Sorry for the late repost...but I've been on vacation.

1. I still cannot log into my wvb to set a static channel, but since I can change my router channel,I believe I have minimized all channel conflicts (my wvb, router, and a neighbors router all have 5ghz...not that hard to keep 3 channels seperated).
2. The issue would still happen on a regular basis...until I tried the last and least obvious thing.

I have been using the inSSIDer app on my new Nexus 7 to see all the wifi channels around me. For some reason I left the tablet off for a period of time (I typically tablet/watch TV at the same time) and the Loses server connection issue never happened. I then turned the nexus 7 on and the issue came back! As soon as I turned the tablet off the issue went away again. Weirdly enough my tablet connects to the 2.4ghz spectrum so I have no idea why this is occurring....

But since the genie go app doesn't work with the new nexus7 anyway...i probably will just go back to using my ipad near the tv. Oh and my tablet is at least 8 feet away from the wvb and the c41w. Weird stuff...

I still don't understand it....but at least I think I have eliminated the issue.


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## tpm1999 (Sep 5, 2006)

One last update (I hope). I have turned the 5ghz band off (2.4ghz only mode)for my nexus 7 fhd (new) and the issue is gone and does not occur when using my nexus. This issue is sooo weird. It never happened with my iPhone/iPad (they have 5ghz too...but like the nexus don't use it).

Oh well. Glad its "fixed".


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

BTW, try this link to get to the wireless setup page, http://192.168.X.X/Wireless_Basic.asp of course changing the IP address to what your WVB uses. Looks like a recent software upgrade on the WVB messed up the index page in it so you get the text dump.


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## tpm1999 (Sep 5, 2006)

Thanks Rad! I was able to change the channel to a set one now... So at least it will stop jumping around now. Looks like a fairly normal Cisco/linksys router setup page. 

Oh... And the c41w is working great still watching my Badgers steamroll to victory.


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## fairwood1 (Dec 11, 2014)

From the Genie WVB installation guide.

Customer Internet Changes/Issues
If a change occurs to the customer’s internet connection, it can impact the
Genie system. Even though the Wireless Video Bridge and C41W clients
operate on a completely separate wireless network from a customer’s Wi-Fi,
the C41Ws are still sharing Internet access over the Wireless Video Bridge,
so changes to network settings affect them. If changes are made to the
customer’s Internet connection, the first step is to restore defaults under
Settings & Help - Settings - Network Setup on the Genie Server, then reset
the Genie Server. Once the Genie Server has fully restarted and is operating
normally, power-cycle the Wireless Video Bridge (wait for the WVB to show a
solid blue LED). On the Genie Server, perform a Repeat Network Setup. Once
a code 88 is seen, power-cycle all wired clients.
There is a one to two minute period after reset where the system is stabilizing.
Full functionality will not be immediately available after reset, and technicians
should give the system this time to recover before beginning troubleshooting.


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## adamson (Nov 9, 2007)

I'm sure most if not all of us with the wireless clients are aware of how it works. This is not new info.


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