# 722- Homeplug- Is the Ethernet port active for output?



## skikt22 (Dec 24, 2009)

I'm probably pushing the envelope but my question is a following.

If I connect the 722 to a power outlet that has a home plug adapter connected to a router, will the Ethernet plug on the back of the 722 be active. I have a blu-ray player at the same location and want to connect it to the 722 if possible and use the BDLIve and Netflix download on the blu-ray. 

I know that's probably pushing the envelope but it would avoid another home plug adapter and the cabling would be a lot cleaner.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Rare config, I think no one did try it. You'll tell us if it works.


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

I'm pretty sure the 722 does not have a bridge facility.

Try it and well see.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Technically the ethernet port and Homeplug are both active at the same time... but the receiver will only use one of them to pull an IP.

IF you connect both to a router, you will not pull 2 different IPs.

More to the point, as already noted, the receiver doesn't have an ethernet-to-homeplug bridge in it so it wouldn't provide the capability you are looking for.


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## VegasDen (Jul 12, 2007)

I have a home plug adapter. From it I connect to a Linksys workgroup switch. I then ran individual cables to (1) My TV (2) BluRay play (3) Dish 622 box and (4) PC. I am able to stream Netflix using this basic configuration. Probably not the speediest but Netflix says I am am getting good "bars". I also get good speed with my other connections (although I don't use them all at once).


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

That's probably the best way to do it... Either using a router + a HomePlug adapter, or buy one of the Homeplug adapters that comes with 2 or 4 ethernet ports on it.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

Stewart Vernon said:


> That's probably the best way to do it... Either using a router + a HomePlug adapter, or buy one of the Homeplug adapters that comes with 2 or 4 ethernet ports on it.


Minor clarification: you do NOT want to use a ROUTER for this, just a switch.


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## speedboat (Sep 22, 2009)

VegasDen said:


> I have a home plug adapter. From it I connect to a Linksys workgroup switch. I then ran individual cables to (1) My TV (2) BluRay play (3) Dish 622 box and (4) PC. I am able to stream Netflix using this basic configuration. Probably not the speediest but Netflix says I am am getting good "bars". I also get good speed with my other connections (although I don't use them all at once).


You have one HomePlug at the Internet Source and another HomePlug by your TV, Blu-Ray, Dish receiver and PC that are all connected to a switch?

If so, I think you can disconnect the Dish Receiver as it has it's own built in HomePlug and will just get Internet thru the powercord from the first HomePlug.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

BattleZone said:


> Minor clarification: you do NOT want to use a ROUTER for this, just a switch.


True.

I'm so used to routers being available so cheaply now that I just buy a router and disable the router/gateway functions and use them as switches where needed.


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## VegasDen (Jul 12, 2007)

speedboat said:


> You have one HomePlug at the Internet Source and another HomePlug by your TV, Blu-Ray, Dish receiver and PC that are all connected to a switch?
> 
> If so, I think you can disconnect the Dish Receiver as it has it's own built in HomePlug and will just get Internet thru the powercord from the first HomePlug.


To answer the first part: Yes, I have one home plug at my internet source. The 2nd is located downstairs in my "entertainment center".

The 2nd paragraph: I came from D*. In their product descriptions for their home plugs it said that you could not use a home plug through a surge protector. I've seen that same recommendation on other similar products. Thus, I didn't attempt a straight plug-in as the Dish Receiver is plugged into a surge protector. (FYI: D* sells a surge protector with a powerline adapter built in...this is what I use)


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## olguy (Jan 9, 2006)

Stewart Vernon said:


> Technically the ethernet port and Homeplug are both active at the same time... but the receiver will only use one of them to pull an IP.
> 
> IF you connect both to a router, you will not pull 2 different IPs.
> 
> More to the point, as already noted, the receiver doesn't have an ethernet-to-homeplug bridge in it so it wouldn't provide the capability you are looking for.


According to my router logs my 622 is pulling 2 IPs one second apart. It is only using one of course but it pulls 2. And by resetting the broadband connection I can switch between them. I wish I could make it use the one I want it to and here's why:

I'm using Netgear powerline to ethernet. When I plug my laptop in and go to speedtest.net I get 5 Mbs which is what I'm paying for.

My 622 is plugged into an APC ups and yes, it gets an IP that way. When I downloaded this morning using the IP via Homeplug, I was getting 2.8 Mbps. I reset the connection (took a couple of tries) to the IP via the direct connection to the wall wart and I was getting 4.0 Mbps. Of course I realize download speed depends on a number of factors and I am satisfied with the 4.0 but it looks like the Homeplug via APC is definetly slower. I have done this comparison a few times with similar results.

Every morning I have checked which connection is active it has been the Homeplug so I guess that is the default for the 622. Even though it pulls the Homeplug first and then the wall wart it is using the Homeplug. And I make this assumption based on the IP number being the same number that was assigned prior to plugging into the wall wart, which pulls a different number.


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## bnborg (Jun 3, 2005)

Hi, olplug.

Are there two mac's also? If so, you might be able to configure your router to reject the 622's Homeplug mac.


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## olguy (Jan 9, 2006)

bnborg said:


> Hi, olplug.
> 
> Are there two mac's also? If so, you might be able to configure your router to reject the 622's Homeplug mac.


Same MAC. And it pulls 2 IPs and not necessarily in the same sequence, ethernet vs Homeplug but every time I've checked the Homeplug is the active IP. No big deal really. I rarely download anything and if I do I can just make sure it's on the ethernet port.


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## bnborg (Jun 3, 2005)

That's too bad.

There may be additional DHCP options for your router that could restrict each MAC to one IP--but I doubt it.

I don't know if your router could be flashed with third party firmware such as DD-WRT. I don't know much about such firmware, just that they exist.


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## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

The HomePlug and wired Ethernet are each unique network interfaces and as such they should have their own unique MAC address. The last time I checked, my receivers had a different MAC for the two different interfaces.


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## bnborg (Jun 3, 2005)

Yes Chuck, I know they should have unique MACs.

Olguy, are you sure they are the same?

I know a lot of times when I see two items in a list that only differ by one character, I can't tell at first that they are not the same. Especially if the characters are similar, for example E and F.


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## olguy (Jan 9, 2006)

bnborg said:


> Yes Chuck, I know they should have unique MACs.
> 
> Olguy, are you sure they are the same?
> 
> I know a lot of times when I see two items in a list that only differ by one character, I can't tell at first that they are not the same. Especially if the characters are similar, for example E and F.


Upon closer examination (I left nose grease on the monitor) they are different. Now I'm trying to figure out how to block the Homeplug MAC on my Netgear WRN3500.


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## bnborg (Jun 3, 2005)

On my old Belkin it is under Firewall\MAC Address Filtering. I used to have it enabled and only allowed known computers. But my neighbors objected and wanted to leave it open. After all, it IS their broadband connection that is being NATed and routed.


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