S3 WiFi Capabilities?

[Twoflower]

So here I am with a VERY old S2 (back when it was a nearly featureless dark gray lump and they still offered 20 gig varieties) which is on its last legs. I think, "Self, I should get a shinier, newer Tivo" and thankfully stop myself before I order a new S2, remembering the S3s are coming out.

But one thing I didn't stop in time was an order for an S2 USB Wireless Ethernet adapter. Rats. Did I just waste 45 bucks? Does the S3 have built-in wireless, or can I re-use this thing on it instead? Or has Tivo not announced anything about that yet?

[elrcastor]

The Series 3 has built in ethernet, but will probably support the same wireless adapters as the Series2

[MickeS]

It does not have built-in wireless. It has USB and Ethernet, so to get wireless you'll have to either use an Ethernet wireless bridge or a USB wifi-adapter like you have. I would be surprised if the S2 adapters don't work with S3.

[jfh3]

... but will probably support the same wireless adapters as the Series2

Or at least the Tivo Wireless G adapter.

[raven41]

i have no clue why they wouldn't build in wireless, considering i'm sure at least 2/3 of users have wireless. that's just stupid. for $800 you can toss in wireless. i know laptops that cost less than that w/it built in.

[megazone]

Yeah, it will definitely support the TiVo 11g adapter - which is the only adapter I'd use.

[Dan203]

Definitely go with the TiVo adapter. Rumor has it that TiVo is working on an update that will add WPA support, but that it will only work on the TiVo brand adapter. Even if that turns out to be false it's better to be safe then sorry.

Dan

[megazone]

i have no clue why they wouldn't build in wireless, considering i'm sure at least 2/3 of users have wireless. that's just stupid. for $800 you can toss in wireless. i know laptops that cost less than that w/it built in.Because your estimate is probably bogus - by a wide margin. A lot of people with wireless will still use wired for performance when possible. WiFi hardware is not cheap, and the price of the box will come down - a lot - before long. They need to play for the mainstream pricing it will hit, not just launch pricing.

Then putting the WiFi in the box means no antenna location options. If I put my 11g adapter by the TiVo, network sucks. If I put it up higher, it works well. I'd rather have the TiVo adapter I can position for good reception.

And then you'll have evolving network standards. In a year or two people will be looking for 11n.

[raven41]

Because your estimate is probably bogus - by a wide margin. A lot of people with wireless will still use wired for performance when possible. WiFi hardware is not cheap, and the price of the box will come down - a lot - before long. They need to play for the mainstream pricing it will hit, not just launch pricing.

Then putting the WiFi in the box means no antenna location options. If I put my 11g adapter by the TiVo, network sucks. If I put it up higher, it works well. I'd rather have the TiVo adapter I can position for good reception.

And then you'll have evolving network standards. In a year or two people will be looking for 11n.

i believe that at least 2/3 of everyone with a router has a wireless router. i understand your reasoning with evolving networks, especially for HD content. but reception-wise --- we have free wireless in our apartment complex. i get a consistently low signal, all the time. Tivo registers it at 29%. but it still works perfectly. so i'm not sure placement really makes that much of a difference.

[TechExplorer@mac]

The Apple Export Express base station works Great as broadband connection with Tivo 2 series PVR,just connect using ethernet connection. I have great success with this unit.

[MickeS]

i believe that at least 2/3 of everyone with a router has a wireless router. i understand your reasoning with evolving networks, especially for HD content. but reception-wise --- we have free wireless in our apartment complex. i get a consistently low signal, all the time. Tivo registers it at 29%. but it still works perfectly. so i'm not sure placement really makes that much of a difference.

I have a wireless router, but wire the TiVo anyway (put the router by the TiVo), since it's easier and faster. My TiVo is located in a closed cabinet with terrible reception, and I don't think I'm alone in having it like that.

I think a lot of the S3 customers will prefer wiring, or prefer to be able to have more flexible antenna positioning.

A laptop is a completely different matter - they are normally out in the open and having internal there is a lot less of a hassle, since they are moved around all the time. There is no comparing that to the TiVo situation.

[Stormspace]

i believe that at least 2/3 of everyone with a router has a wireless router. i understand your reasoning with evolving networks, especially for HD content. but reception-wise --- we have free wireless in our apartment complex. i get a consistently low signal, all the time. Tivo registers it at 29%. but it still works perfectly. so i'm not sure placement really makes that much of a difference.

Placement does matter and unfortunately with wireless as the quality of the connection goes down, so does your bandwidth. As for wireless being dominant I agree, very few people will go to the trouble of wiring their house for ethernet just for a TiVo. Wireless is by far the most convienent way to go and if you can get 802.11g speeds you are already maxing out the usb port anyway. :)

[Bierboy]

It does not have built-in wireless. It has USB and Ethernet, so to get wireless you'll have to either use an Ethernet wireless bridge or a USB wifi-adapter like you have. I would be surprised if the S2 adapters don't work with S3.Heck, I'd run Cat-5 anywhere my S3 is to my router just to have that speed and security. Fortunately, my S3 will be only about 15 feet from my router.

[Stormspace]

I have over 10 devices on my network at home and wiring all of them would require running multiple lines to several rooms. Wireless is easy, doesn't require any new holes and quite a bit more economical than running wires. That is unless you idea of wiring is a cat 5 cable running to the other side of the room. :)

[Crazydiamond]

The Apple Export Express base station works Great as broadband connection with Tivo 2 series PVR,just connect using ethernet connection. I have great success with this unit.

Really? I did not know you could do that. And with that I could then use WPA.

THANKS! :D

[Stormspace]

Really? I did not know you could do that. And with that I could then use WPA.

THANKS! :D

The linksys WAP54g does the same thing for 49.00.

Edit: I looked around and the best price I found is 59.00 from pcconnection. However my price from them is 49 since I go through a business account.

[ZeoTiVo]

I have over 10 devices on my network at home and wiring all of them would require running multiple lines to several rooms. Wireless is easy, doesn't require any new holes and quite a bit more economical than running wires. That is unless you idea of wiring is a cat 5 cable running to the other side of the room. :)


yep not all will use the wiring solution. A lot of TiVos are wireless. Now in my house I have two TiVos upstairs that are wireless and two downstairs that are wired. I like having only bought the two wireless that I needed and having options on how to do it. Since those wnating wireless can buy the adapter I see no problem with it not being built in.

[Bierboy]

Really? I did not know you could do that. And with that I could then use WPA.

THANKS! :DAirport Express is simply Apple's version of any wireless router. Nothing special about it....just more expensive (as with most Apple hardware).

[Dennis Wilkinson]

Airport Express is simply Apple's version of any wireless router.

Any wireless router that includes a USB print server and acts as a set of remotely-addressable speakers (from iTunes on Mac OS, anyway), that is.

That said, if all you're using it for is a bridge, then there are cheaper options that will work just as well, as others have already pointed out.

[Twoflower]

Wow, tons of replies!

Thanks for your advice. I have the official Tivo Wireless adapter, not a 3rd party, so I'm glad it'll work with my upcoming series 3. (It'd be insanity if it didn't, really, since it's USB and there's no built-in and it's a first party product.)

Fortunately, my tivo is... lesse... six feet from my wireless router? :) I went wireless this week mostly because I was tired of swapping wires around... six devices on a four port router is just ugly. Now I can have four wired and two wireless (tivo / xbox 360). Score.

Looking forward to S3!

[TechExplorer@mac]

Apple express Is like any other router B/G standards @ this moment,but ease of installation,actual range,no drop outs,plus usb,& digital connection for stereo
amp or av system all into one,so you can play Itunes music or any music,ect. thru your stereo all @ same time,very reliable unit. Tivo uses it with know problem for video
and broadband use,ect. good for MAC;s and Window Machines.I have tried many other Belkin ,Linksys,ect. MIMO ,pre-n and the one work house that always work is the
Airport Express,simple is better !

[geekmedic]

When I upgraded my WiFi network to WPA2, I bought a Linksys wireless ethernet bridge. Plugged my TiVo to it via the ethernet port and it's worked like a charm. The biggest advantage I've seen so far is that my TiVo seems to be faster and more responsive than when I used the TiVo wireless adapter. My guess is that now that my adapter (the Linksys ethernet bridge) is handling the negotiation with my router and the frequent re-negotiations of the encryption scheme, the TiVo has less processing to do and can devote its function to what it does best: recording TV.

[rainwater]

When I upgraded my WiFi network to WPA2, I bought a Linksys wireless ethernet bridge. Plugged my TiVo to it via the ethernet port and it's worked like a charm. The biggest advantage I've seen so far is that my TiVo seems to be faster and more responsive than when I used the TiVo wireless adapter. My guess is that now that my adapter (the Linksys ethernet bridge) is handling the negotiation with my router and the frequent re-negotiations of the encryption scheme, the TiVo has less processing to do and can devote its function to what it does best: recording TV.

The TiVo branded adapter actually offloads a lot of the processing to the adapter itself. So compared to other usb adapters it is actually much less processory intensive. The benefit you see may just be that the ethernet port is much more efficient than the usb port.

[geekmedic]

The TiVo branded adapter actually offloads a lot of the processing to the adapter itself. So compared to other usb adapters it is actually much less processory intensive. The benefit you see may just be that the ethernet port is much more efficient than the usb port.
Possibly. I had a TiVo adapter, and I much prefer the ethernet-to-wireless bridge setup that I have currently. I will no doubt continue this setup with my S3 when I purchase one.

[ashu]

Heck, I'd run Cat-5 anywhere my S3 is to my router just to have that speed and security. Fortunately, my S3 will be only about 15 feet from my router.

What he said ... 'cept I'd run Cat-5 to my bridged routers :) (See signature)

Which is precisely what I'll continue to use when I swap out two of my S2 units for an S3 later this year.

[Dajad]

Anyone using Wireless A with TiVo? I abandoned G last year because there are dozens of others in my building using it and microwaves and wireless phones etc. making G completely unstable. Since I moved to G, my home/office wireless world is golden?

...Dale

[lawilson2]

Just to let those know who are interested, the Tivo Wireless G USB Network Adapter is available at Radio Shack for $49.99. Best Buy is currently $59.99 ON SALE. No one on ebay is selling them at this price either. I picked up two about 30 min ago. Hope this info helps someone!