HELP MAJOR TIVO 2 wireless problems

[Palmieri]

I will try to not get too detailed with this question:

First off we had DirectTV with DIRECTTV TIVO's and everything was fine.
The children were running us out of space on the TIVO's for their sitcoms.
We decided after researching that we would buy FIVE (5)- TIVO series 2 standalone units. Connect them to our wireless home network, and just transfer shows from our main TV to the kids' rooms. (The childrens' rooms have never been hooked up with cable or sat.)
This has never worked!
We had trouble with setup, hired a computer tech to come out to help - $400 he charged and after all day he said it should be working, trouble started that night.
One Tivo would connect but then the others would drop out. Constantly!

The next day we called TIVO, they said we would need to buy a wireless booster/enhancer/extender and we went to Circuit city and paid $100 for a real good one. Still same problems! (Yes all modems network adapters all on compatability list)

Some of the time the Tivo's saw the PC's photos, but could still not see main TIVO to start transfers. Connection signal strength is always showing in the 90's????

Within that first week, we lost our other DIRECTTV TIVO, and decided not to renew our subscription.

Fed up with countless hours with support from TIVO, we decided to order CABLE throughout the house. That it just must be a wireless problem.

We then paid for the hookups, and since they can't hack or touch TIVO's or anything else, we were forced to disconnect DIRECT TV upstairs with an already paid for NFL ticket.

Now we have 6 TIVO's -1 main Cable box-and cable connected per room!

Thinking this would solve the problem? No

Now everyday two or more of the new series 2 TIVO's just freezes up, not while recording just either regular TV or even off. The only way to get it back on is to unplug it.

Believe me I have troubleshooted this to death!

These are brand new TIVO's -new adapters-a new booster-new cable connections!

I have restarted the tivo's daily sometimes hourly.

They loose connection constantly. It is not a network problem because our computers are fine, and connection shows good. The booster should have helped anyway.

This is just way too much to go through for us.

I need some major help, or we are going to have to send all TIVO's back and go with Cable DVR's -at least they will hook them up and if anything goes wrong they fix it. TIVO just sent us 5 boxes and 1 page instructions. I almost know the customer service techs by name!!!

Please help if you think this can be easily solved. We are not willing to pay out much more money to get this all to work, it all sounded so easy in the beginning, but has turned into a nightmare.

As of right now 2 tivo's are froze-one connected to network, and one just working with cable with no connection!

HELP!

[worachj]

Are you using Tivo compatible wireless adapters?

Check here...
http://customersupport.tivo.com/LaunchContent.aspx?CID=56cc9bdc-b292-448e-a6c3-2e55fc03c89f

[supasta]

Have you figured that with all the problems the TiVo boxes are having connecting, mabye the problem is the connection itself. Have you checked your router?
Are all 5 of your TiVo boxes activated and have service with TiVo? They MUST be activated to transfer programs.

[supasta]

Are you using Tivo compatible wireless adapters?

Check here...
http://customersupport.tivo.com/LaunchContent.aspx?CID=56cc9bdc-b292-448e-a6c3-2e55fc03c89f

The OP saind in the OP that all adapters are on the compatible list.

[Palmieri]

Yes

[Palmieri]

Yes, at times they have all or a couple will have a connection, all strengths are showing good. They seem to be cancelling each other out. Our modem is brand new and computer connection and everything always works great.

[Palmieri]

They are all cpmpatible, they all work at one time or another, that is the confusion.

[jabez_reynolds]

Now everyday two or more of the new series 2 TIVO's just freezes up, not while recording just either regular TV or even off. The only way to get it back on is to unplug it.

....

As of right now 2 tivo's are froze

HELP!

I don't know if this will help or not but you might try it. It worked for me. The entire thread is posted at: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=292690

the fix is the last post which is...
I called TiVo tech support the other day and mine is now working again. It was not a hardware problem. It was a network freeze problem. I unplugged the network adapter, then unplugged the power cord from the TiVo box. Left both unplugged for 30 seconds then plugged in ONLY the power cord, not the network adapter. TiVo then started running. Of course, it took a few minutes for TiVo to boot up but it did boot up. After boot up was complete I plugged the network adapter back in and connected for an update. All is well and working great.

If you are running on a network, you might try this.

Jabez

[Palmieri]

I will try this. I will let you know.

[jtlytle]

Would be nice if one of experts from TCF would visit your house and figure it out, only if we knew where do you live.

[Palmieri]

Arizona

[jabez_reynolds]

Hey, don't know if this will work for you either but just in case... let me tell you a quick story. -- (Note.. I do NOT have Direct TV. Just regular cable with Series 2 boxes.)

I have two TiVo boxes. Both networked to the computer. Since day one, I could transfer back and forth from TiVo box to TiVo box and TO the computer but I could never get TiVo to show me the option of transferring FROM the computer back to TiVo. I tried everything that I was told to do but nothing worked. I finally just gave up and lived with it.


BUT THEN.... A couple of weeks ago, my computer crashed. Windows had to be reloaded so everything was wiped out. Thank God for my back-up drive!!! Anyway, I had to get TiVo desktop back so I logged onto TiVo and installed the software again to the newly restored computer. To my ultimate surprise it now works PERFECTLY!! Every option works including being able to see my computer on the TiVo box and being able to transfer from my computer to the TiVo!!

Long story short, you might try to remove your existing software and reload it. Maybe the software load was damaged some how??

Good Luck!
Jabez

[bluetex]

My feeling on this is you either have IP or multicast problems on your home network.

Some things to try.

1. turn off ALL tivos, computers, and network devices.
2. power on the router and one computer.. get to the internet.
3. turn on one tivo device, force a connection to tivo via the network settings menu item
4. if it is ok, then move on to the next device.
5. once you get all devices up, go back and make sure that everyone is ok.

If one of the devices DOESN't connect. Go check of the others to see if one of them is no longer able to make a connection to TiVo when you attempt to force a connect. What we hope to find is two devices in conflict.

Make sure that all the devices are set to accept a DHCP address AND that your router has been set to allow for enough IP addresses. NOTE: a stray connection from your neighbor can mess you up if you don't use WEP and if you're only using enough IPs for each device. I leave a few extras available for this problem -- I don't care if my neighbors leach my network. I leach their beer sometimes.

Try that and report back.

We all know TiVo support isn't very good at some diagnosics. Let's see if we can't get you past this.

[Palmieri]

How do I get the TIVO to connect if I unplug the adapter? There is no phone line or wired network?

[Palmieri]

I actually have TIVO desktop on two computers, both still show transfers allowed, but only seem to show one connection at certain times, never all! Thanks though. I will try your advice and get back to you!

[Palmieri]

Bluetex, I think you might be on to something, I need your more in depth advice though. I will try disconnecting everything, and see what happens.
I remember reading about making sure there are different addresses, (the last digit for example) I have tried this but then it just wouldn't connect. Can you give me a step by step example?

Also where would I go on my computer to check the Router for using multiple connections?

Lastly, just in case this might help, whenever I view networks in range - about 7-10 come up on list.

Just one more question since you seem to know a lot about the subject:

We work a business out of our home 2 phone lines - high speed internet- lazer printer (networked), 4 work computers, 2 home computers (all networked wirelessly)- 2 cell phones connected to two cars (bluetooth) 3 cordless phones- 7tv's- one cable box - one Direct TV reciever (currently not connected) - 6 tivo's. 6800 square foot home. Could there just be too much?

[bluetex]

Bluetex, I think you might be on to something, I need your more in depth advice though. I will try disconnecting everything, and see what happens.
I remember reading about making sure there are different addresses, (the last digit for example) I have tried this but then it just wouldn't connect. Can you give me a step by step example?

Also where would I go on my computer to check the Router for using multiple connections?

Lastly, just in case this might help, whenever I view networks in range - about 7-10 come up on list.

Just one more question since you seem to know a lot about the subject:

We work a business out of our home 2 phone lines - high speed internet- lazer printer (networked), 4 work computers, 2 home computers (all networked wirelessly)- 2 cell phones connected to two cars (bluetooth) 3 cordless phones- 7tv's- one cable box - one Direct TV reciever (currently not connected) - 6 tivo's. 6800 square foot home. Could there just be too much?

There's no such thing as too many devices, only too little configuration to support a pretty complex setup.

You have at least 6 computers, and 6 tivos on this network. You need to run ( don't walk ) to your router config and review how that guy is set. Most routers have a web enabled interface. They allow you to "manage" the router and configure it over the network wihtout having to be directly connected to it. Some come with a config software that is on a CD and you run from you computer.

Find out which one that is and review the section about DHCP (that's the dynamic host connection protocol) which assigns addresses to each of your devices.

Any network device can be set to use a 'static' or permanent address or it can acquire that address via DHCP. The easiest way to manage a large number of devices on one network is to let DHCP do it. Just make sure you have enough IPs to go around. You set those in a range: 192.168.1.100 to .120 would give you 20 addresses -- plenty for your network.

Now.. just a little talk about security. If your Wireless Router is set to the out of the box default, you'll probably want to make one change while you're in it. Create a network name which is unique to you but doesn't tell people exactly who you are and where you live. The Linksys routers default to LINKSYS.. and others just say DEFAULT.

So if your devices (computers, laser printers, etc) are set to attach to "whatever wireless network they see" ... this could be causing you all kinds of problems.

For more in-depth troubleshooting, I'd probably suggest getting a friend in who knows a thing or two about networks (not a rent-a-geek service -- since they usually know only enough to mess things up good and charge money).

For your... add a device test... just shut everything in the house that has a network of any kind off (except those bluetooth and analog phone line items).. and just power them up.. one by one until something breaks. That should give you a better feel for who the problem child is.

good luck

[Palmieri]

Thank you Bluetex, I will take your advice. I appreciate all your help. I will post again if I have more questions. Thanks again