Home network nightmare!!

[BouncingSoul]

I'm gonna give the backstory so no one bothers asking me why I'm doing it this way. Here goes. The phone company is also the cable company here. As a result we have DSL instead of cable. In thier infinite wisdom they have a cable box that is an all in one headache. It does DSL, cable tv, caller id, voice mail. You name it. Since my old house isn't wired, the phone/cable (phable?) company ran some cable and slapped together this little network for me. There's probably 80 feet between box and router (dsl box is downstairs pc's are upstairs) It's an ugly run but it works by going Cable box -> router -> two pc's. Bout a month ago I added a Tivo downstairs, to do that I put a switch in. Now its Box > switch > tivo > router > pc's. Again, working fine.

Last week the phable company decided we need to go pppoe, I never dealt with this so I don't know or care what the big deal is (according to the letter I got it has something to do with MS dropping ME/98 support) but I guess it makes you enter a user and password first. To do this I had to put the login info into my router just like the instructions said and it worked fine. For the PC's anyway, the Tivo can't connect to the network.

It either gives me an error about not being able to find the gateway or not being able to connect to DHCP. Since the pc's work fine I figure it has to be wired correctly but I don't know. I've tried to put the cables into different ports (uplink and such) but I still can't get it. I realize this is probably the dumbest setup ever and it's very confusing but ANY advice would be magnificent. I'm sick of fighting it though and I'm going to bed. Night all!

 

[kcnychief]

If it's the Tivo that's not working, call the phable company. PC's are working fine mate

 

[Admiral Michael]

Simple Fix: Put the Tivo and the switch on the LAN side of the router and the router will handle the connection credentials.

In order for the Tivo to get a connection you have to enter your PPPoE login into the Tivo's setup page (if it even supports PPPoE), if you can't then do as I suggested above. That's why it can't connect.

Question: Why is the Tivo on the outside of the router anyways (note: I do not own a Tivo)?

 

[Mainframeguy]

I know someone who does indeed own a Tivo and has programmed it - chances are this can be done - PM me if you'd like me to put HIM in touch with YOU. Then again, I believe Admirals solution woudl also work, but there could be logistical reasons you do not want to do that.

I'll email him a linkie to this thread - he's the kind of guy might just post up for you anyways ....

 

[BouncingSoul]

On my way to work. I'll check everything when I get home tonight. Thanks for the help!

 

[LeeJend]

I just looked up the instructions for programming TIVO. It gets ugly and appears to require using unsupported functions.

TIVO Version 3.0
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=61226

Or, like Michael said, swap the router and switch. Run a short wire from the router to the TIVO and plug the existing 80 foot wire into another router output (uplink port if it has one, or if it's a newer router any output will work). Connect the other end of the 80 foot cable to the switch and plug the PC's into the switch.

I'm betting Michaels option is a hell of a lot easier. If it doesn't work then you are going to have to go into TIVO setup and select drivers for your particular router. There are bits and pieces of "how to" scattered around the web. But first step is entering a code to open the backdoor into the TIVO programming interface.

 

[Zen0]

Mainframeguy is correct
I have had a TiVo running on my home network for more than 2 years now.
I can probably solve your problem easily, trouble is I am v.busy until after the bank holiday. If you still need me to help you come Tuesday then I'm only too happy to assist.
I'm assuming no level of understanding here - that does not mean I think you are stupid - it is simply that if I don't have the correct and complete information I cannot solve the problem. So don't take offence if I seem to be asking stupid dumb questions - it has been my experience that if you ask a dumb question you won't make a dumb assumption:laugh:
If you can please supply the following tech info, pm me if you don't want to post it here.
Make and Model of TiVo (e.g. Thomson Scenium ...)
Make and Model of Network interface on the TiVo ( e.g. cachecard ...)
Version of software that the TiVo is running (from the system info screen on the TiVo)
Have you/are you running TiVoWeb?
Can you gain telnet-shell access to the TiVo, do you know what I mean by that?
Can you ftp to your TiVo.
The make and model of your router.
Does your router support NAT and/or DMZ, do you know what I mean by that?
Exactly who your cable TV supplier is.
The make and model of the cable modem.
Finally - Anything else that you think will help!

 

[Mainframeguy]

HMMmmm I know my friend (Zen0) posted before, must have been before the crash then :nervous: just he's not a one post wonder, 'k.... :suprised:

 

[BouncingSoul]

Forgot about this thread. I swaped the router and switch and everything works again. Thanks for all the help!