# Can't get connected to the internet



## zippycal (Apr 5, 2008)

Ok here is my situation. I have two HR21-100 boxes that I wanted to connect so I could use the on demand and the whole home DVR. (This was several months ago). So I bought a few powerline adaptors plugged them in and bang, everything worked no problem!

Few months down the road one of my boxes stops having network access. So after a process of elimination, I track the problem down to a bad powerline adaptor. I was shocked to see how expensive the powerline adaptors were. But I remembered I had an extra Linksys WRT 54GL laying around. So I flashed it and made a bridge out of it and after a little fooling around got it to work. Both boxes on the net and whole home working ok.

Next morning I am watching a program via whole home DVR (on the box that is connected via powerline) and I get a message that says my other box (the one connected wirelessly) has left the network. I go upstairs and reset the box and bridge upstairs and sure enough everything up there works. BUT now my downstairs box will not connect to the internet even after a reset. Also it says it is connected to the network, but I can not view the playlist from the other box, so it seems it is not actually on the network.

What gives? Can anyone help me out? Do me a favor and explain in idiot terminology, I don't know much about networking or anything like that. The work was done by a friend of mine who is an it guy, but he is away for the week.


Thanks in advance!
Chris

By the way here is the numbers from the box that works:
10 0 0 4
255 255 255 0
10 0 0 1
10 0 0 1

What should I punch in for the box that does not have net access?


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

This is pretty typical performance when using Wireless Network or Powerline Network Adapters for Whole Home DVR service. You probably won't be able to get this working acceptably with your current networking equipment. You'll either want to go to hard-wired ethernet cables or DirecTV's DECA-based networking via your coax cables.


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## zippycal (Apr 5, 2008)

That's the thing, it was working fine for months. No problems downloading programs, no problem watching programs taped in one room in a different room. Now all of the sudden it's gone.

Ok if I run the system test, it says I am in fact connected to the network AND the internet both. I have confirmed this by pulling the ethernet cable from the back of my box and plugging in my laptop and sure enough I do have internet and network access.

But I can not access the net for on demand and I can not view my programs from the other box.

WTF? Everything was working fine, now it's gone.


Anybody?


Cheers!
Chris


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

zippycal said:


> Anybody?
> Cheers!
> Chris


Have you tried resetting/rebooting your router?
MRV seems to be the first thing to go if there are any problems with how a router is functioning.
A long time back, with all hardwired, I had one receiver that wouldn't show up, yet I could use DirecTV2PC with this receiver. I went through the whole routine of resetting, yada yada yada, but nada. Then I reset/rebooted my router and....


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## argonaut (Dec 16, 2006)

zippycal said:


> 10 0 0 4
> 255 255 255 0
> 10 0 0 1
> 10 0 0 1
> ...


Hopefully you have a DHCP server on your network. If you do I would recommend just using that. You might have an IP address conflict on your network based upon the above info.

The second IP address is a netmask and as such is not a valid IP address within your home network. Each IP address is unique and you can't have duplicates on the same network. It looks like you have two nodes using 10.0.0.1 which is most likely the IP address for your router. I'll also assume you are going to setup a /24 subnet.

If you can't setup a DHCP server then make sure each network device on your network (computers STBs) has a unique IP address. Check your router (or gateway) IP address, this will be your gateway IP address for each device. I'm pretty sure it is 10.0.0.1. Set one of you STBs to 10.0.0.2 with a netmask of 255.255.255.0 and a gateway of 10.0.0.1. Then the net STB will be 10.0.0.3 with a netmask of 255.255.255.0 and a gateway of 10.0.0.1. Continue this for all devices.



Your LAN
Router: IP addr: 10.0.0.1 netmask 255.255.255.0 gateway itself
STB 1: IP addr: 10.0.0.2 netmask:255.255.255.0 gateway: 10.0.0.1
STB 2: IP addr: 10.0.0.3 netmask:255.255.255.0 gateway: 10.0.0.1
PC 1: IP addr: 10.0.0.4 netmask:255.255.255.0 gateway: 10.0.0.1
PC 2: IP addr: 10.0.0.5 netmask:255.255.255.0 gateway: 10.0.0.1

I would really try setting up DHCP instead though. The manual for setting up your STB is here. Look at page 154.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

argonaut said:


> Hopefully you have a DHCP server on your network. If you do I would recommend just using that. You might have an IP address conflict on your network based upon the above info.
> 
> The second IP address is a netmask and as such is not a valid IP address within your home network. Each IP address is unique and you can't have duplicates on the same network. It looks like you have two nodes using 10.0.0.1 which is most likely the IP address for your router. I'll also assume you are going to setup a /24 subnet.
> 
> ...


I believe zippycal was posting the network settings for one receiver. That would be the IP address, subnet mask, gateway and nameserver, which would be a valid setup.

However, as you stated, if zippycal is using a router with a DHCP server, there should not be any conflicts.

As for your example table, I corrected it as you had the same IP address duplicated 4 times.

Also, with _most_ DCHP addresses, the typical IP address will be 192.168.x.x.

- Merg


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## argonaut (Dec 16, 2006)

Ha! Thanks and good catch. That is what I get for being lazy and using cut and paste. The fact that he has 10.0.0.1 as an IP address or the gateway makes me think his vendor setup uses that private internet address range. There are CFEs that will use 10.0.0.0 instead of the more common 192.168.0.0 network.


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## KNOPPER (Apr 4, 2007)

i have the same issue. hooked up through ethernet has worked fine since original beta. about 4-5 days ago all dvr's (3) go ofline and say not connected to internet. i can hook a laptop up to the lines and it works fine. network works through the dvr's because i can access desktop pictures through dvr....really frustrating


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## zippycal (Apr 5, 2008)

Well here is my most recent update. My local DTV guy came out and installed a HR24 today and replaced one of my two boxes. Still can't connect to the network or the internet.

He is supposed to come out friday to replace the other box with another HR24. I loved direct tv before I had HD. Since then it has all been downhill. Picture blows anytime there is a single raindrop within 50 miles. The network never works for anymore than a day or so. Internet connection is almost non existant even though everything else in the house connects to the net just fine.


Sorry to vent guys, I am just fed the f-up with DTV right now. Seems like the installers know less than I do. Most of them don't even bother to show up.

Hope everyone else is better than I am !

Chris


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Take a look at this thread where it discusses using static IP addresses. Maybe this will resolve your issues.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=185713

- Merg


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## zippycal (Apr 5, 2008)

Thanks for all the help guys (and gals), I am just frustrated.

Since I am going to have to fix this myself, I have a question. The new box I got today is the HR24, how does this box get on the net and how does it get on my home network ? Does it still require use of the ethernet cable ?

Thanks in advance !
Chris


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

zippycal said:


> Thanks for all the help guys (and gals), I am just frustrated.
> 
> Since I am going to have to fix this myself, I have a question. The new box I got today is the HR24, how does this box get on the net and how does it get on my home network ? Does it still require use of the ethernet cable ?
> 
> ...


If you have the Whole Home DVR Service, you just need to hook the coax cable up to the receiver as the Broadband DECA connects all your receivers to your home network/Internet. If you do not have the Whole Home DVR Service then you need an ethernet cable connected.

Clarification: If you are using Whole Home DVR Service supported by DirecTV with DECAs, just plug in the coax... Otherwise, you just plug in the ethernet cable.

- Merg


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## zippycal (Apr 5, 2008)

How does the box get internet though? I am using Verizon DSL, and I used to use the powerline adaptors but I guess I won't be using them anymore.

Thanks for the help!


Cheers!
Chris


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

zippycal said:


> How does the box get internet though? I am using Verizon DSL, and I used to use the powerline adaptors but I guess I won't be using them anymore.
> 
> Thanks for the help!
> 
> ...


An ethernet cable is plugged into the Broadband DECA. The ethenet cable goes to the your router. How it gets to the router all depends on your setup. You can use a wireless bridge or the Powerline Adapters or have it hardwired. The other end of the Broadband DECA is connected to a coax cable from the DirecTV setup. That allows all of your receivers that are DECA capable to be connected to your home network and the Internet.

- Merg


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## zippycal (Apr 5, 2008)

So in addition to the two HR24 boxes, I will also need a broadband deca to introduce internet to the setup?

What do you think is the best way to get that done? Hardwiring is basically impossible for me, so do you think the powerlines will be ok ?

Cheers!
Chris


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

zippycal said:


> So in addition to the two HR24 boxes, I will also need a broadband deca to introduce internet to the setup?
> 
> What do you think is the best way to get that done? Hardwiring is basically impossible for me, so do you think the powerlines will be ok ?
> 
> ...


Two things to consider. If you are having the Whole Home DVR installed by DirecTV, they will run a coax over to near your router which would make hardwiring easy. If you opt to not have that done or are doing this yourself, you can use PowerLine or a wireless ethernet bridge.

As to whether PowerLine will work or not depends on the wiring in your house. If you had been using it without issue prior to Whole Home, you should be fine.

- Merg


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## zippycal (Apr 5, 2008)

Ok second box installed, still have the powerlines set up that worked fine before.

Here is what we got, there is two boxes one upstairs and one downstairs. The downstairs box will see the upstairs bexes playlist. But if try to play from that playlist it stutters and freezes up real bad. The upstairs box does not see the downstairs box at all.

Any ideas ?


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

zippycal said:


> Ok second box installed, still have the powerlines set up that worked fine before.
> 
> Here is what we got, there is two boxes one upstairs and one downstairs. The downstairs box will see the upstairs bexes playlist. But if try to play from that playlist it stutters and freezes up real bad. The upstairs box does not see the downstairs box at all.
> 
> Any ideas ?


Powerline adapter went flakey, or something new has been introduced on the electrical circuit that is generating broadband noise, like a cell phone charger or some other wall-wart power supply that notoriously use unfiltered switching power supplies. (also, lamp dimmers, fans, etc.)


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

The PowerLine adapters have software that can be installed on a PC/laptop to tell you the speed of the connection throught the adapters. From my experience of using wireless adapters for SD MRV, I had to maintain a connection rate of about 30Mbps or so. If you are trying to stream HD, you'll need a connection speed a lot higher than that.

- Merg


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## zippycal (Apr 5, 2008)

Problem solved !! Apparently when I wasn't looking the damn DTV guy plugged in the ethernet cable. He didn't believe me, I had to physically prove it to him that once an ethernet cable was plugged into the back of the box, that would kill the multi room.

What really pissed me off is this guy is supposed to be the DTV repair guy. He has absolutely no freakin idea what he was doing. The whole time he was here he was constantly calling all of his other dtv buddies who also were completely clueless. He even had his supervisor out who also could not figure it out. WTF ? These guys spent over 5 hours throwing parts at it trying to fix it. Do these guys get any training at all ?

Here is what aggravated me the most. I got the first new box on Monday. I spent the week reprogramming all of my series links as the guide came up. Had 50 programmed. While the two DTV morons were chasing tail, they performed the hard reset of the box and guess what? All 50 series links......... GONE!! 26 hours of taped shows....... you guessed it.......GONE!!! And while they were tossing parts around trying to fix the setup, they put some serious scratches in the brand new kitchen table that they were using for a workbench.

The whole thing was one disaster after another. I have never in my life seen such horrendous service before. Enough to really make you sick. And after all that, who finally fixed it? You guys did here. I would really like to say thank you to all who have contributed to this thread. There is a wealth of knowledge here that is incredible. It is because of everyone here I was able to sort everything out, no thanks to the clowns who had well over 8 hours into trying to fix it.

Thank everyone VERY much!

Cheers!
Chris


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