What's the most elegant Wireless TiVo solution you've seen?

[big_dirk]

Hi all,

I would like to connect my Tivo to my wireless network, and I'm looking in to the best way of doing it.

At the moment the best thing I can think of is to get a "wireless gaming adapter" like this one from my favourite network components manufacturer ;) :

http://images.channeladvisor.com/Sell/SSProfiles/22000511/Images/3/ME101UK__1.jpg

I quite like what this guy : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wi-Fi-enabled-120gb-upgraded-Tivo-life-sub-NO-RESERVE_W0QQitemZ5866264272QQcategoryZ11725QQssPageNameZWDVW QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem has done, but I dont know how he's done that.

So the question is, what's the best wireless TiVo mod you've seen? :) (I'm in the UK btw if it makes a difference!)

[classicsat]

Thats the best for S1s like yours, with a turbonet or cachecard. For Series 2 Standalones it would be the TiVo branded adapter hands down, next to an AX88172 based adapter with a bridge like above.

[big_dirk]

thanks classicsat, am I right in thinking that I can't use the TiVo branded item with my S1 definately then?

I don't actually know how this guy has put a wireless module inside his S1 TiVo btw (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wi-Fi-enabled-120gb-upgraded-Tivo-life-sub-NO-RESERVE_W0QQitemZ5866264272QQcategoryZ11725QQssPageNameZWDVW QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) if anyone can enlighten me i'd be grateful?

[wickerbill]

Try searching google for tivo airnet. I would post the link, but I don't have enough posts.

[stevel]

No, you cannot use the TiVo adapter with a S1.

[big_dirk]

thanks then guys - what did you mean wickerbill!? Are we limited on postcount on here or something?

I wondered if anyone had one of the following to advise on what the above Wireless Ethernet Bridge product is like from Netgear please?

http://images.channeladvisor.com/Sell/SSProfiles/22000511/Images/3/ME101UK__1.jpg

Or other similar products if anyone can pass opinion on how they work with a cachecard please, I'd be most grateful! :D

[ZeoTiVo]

thanks then guys - what did you mean wickerbill!? Are we limited on postcount on here or something? :D

the forum makes you have 5 posts before you can put a link in your post. It is done to keep spammers away.



as for wireless, I do not use wireless so can not say firsthand, but any wirless bridge setup is going to work since the turbonet is simply an ethernet port.

there is the Ultimate Wireless Network (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=149224&highlight=ultimate+wireless) thread. Mainly for series 2 but you will find lots of info and knowledgeable on wireless people there

[big_dirk]

thanks zeo

[mattack]

Hmm, it looks like sometimes TurboNet cards go fairly inexpensively on eBay, and so do game adaptors.

Just to ask a moronic question -- I could put a TurboNet in, connected to a game adaptor, and have it do its daily calls through my existing 802.11 setup, right?

..can the game adaptor connect to a secure network? (i.e. if I add the particular MAC addresses to the wireless router's 'allow' page, can it then also do the other security necessary?)

Mostly I'm trying to avoid the ~$12 or so monthly phone bill, whose only current purpose is for the Tivos.. (and this is AFTER I went to metered usage.. it used to be around $17).

[stevel]

If your TiVo is not a DirecTV TiVo, yes. Typically there is some sort of configuration mode you can put the adapter into to set the wireless parameters. I have never used one myself so I can't give you an example.

[classicsat]

Airnet is basically an 802.11b solution for S1s. It is an adapter card that plugs onto the usual card edge on the TiVo mainboard, which a particular (for chipset compatibility) PCMCIA 802.11b adapter is onserted. It isn't as good as a bridge, because the antanna is part of the card, and inside the metal case (although can be extended outside), and basically a bit-banged interface, which compromises speed.

[annenoe]

well, I can't say it's elegant, but it works.

Each (of two) Standalone Series 2 tivo is connected to a Linksys "Compact USB 2.0 10/100 Network Adapter" plugged into the USB port in back.

Then, the adapter is plugged into a Linksys Wireless G Ethernet Bridge.

Then, some magic happens and it connects to our wireless network which is run by a Belkin Wireless Pre-N Router (Part # F5D8230-4 on the Belkin site).

The router is at one end of the house, the LR Tivo is at the other end of the house on the same floor. I'm getting real time transfers between Tivo and PC; I get some lag/pause when listening to music from the Mac via iTunes.

The BR Tivo is in a room directly under the LR but assume transfers are going from LR to Den then to BR (so making a very long trip). Transfer rates between Tivos are a joke - I mean really. We start a transfer then sit and laugh at it for the rest of the night. 'Hey, it's been an hour, how many minutes transferred? 2 ?!?!?!?!?! ahahahahahhahhahahahahahahahahhaha'

That said, I am very happy with the setup. We have no phone jack near either of the Tivos so this was an absolute necessity when, after having our alarm installed, our wireless jacks stopped working.