PC To TiVo Ethernet -- No Router

[saberman]

I have a DT Series 2 with a number of large recordings on it. It is connected to my home network using a TiVo branded USB wireless adapter. Unfortunately, it is upstairs at the opposite end of the house from the router and both the transfer rate and reliability of transfers is poor.

Is it possible to connect my laptop via an ethernet cable to the DT Series 2 and transfer the files? What to I need to install on the laptop and how do I define the network on the TiVo?

[chemosh6969]

Is it possible to connect my laptop via an ethernet cable to the DT Series 2 and transfer the files?

No because you'd have nowhere to plug the ethernet cable to on the tivo.

[windracer]

What you can do is connect an ethernet cable between your laptop and the DT like you were planning. You'll have to manually set the IP address of the TiVo and the laptop to be on the same subnet (i.e., 192.168.1.10 and 192.168.1.11). You should then be able to use either your browser or TiVo Desktop to pull the recordings off of the TiVo.

[Rdian06]

I have a DT Series 2 with a number of large recordings on it. It is connected to my home network using a TiVo branded USB wireless adapter. Unfortunately, it is upstairs at the opposite end of the house from the router and both the transfer rate and reliability of transfers is poor.

Is it possible to connect my laptop via an ethernet cable to the DT Series 2 and transfer the files? What to I need to install on the laptop and how do I define the network on the TiVo?

To do a straight device to device ethernet connection, you may need a crossover ethernet cable (the transmit & receive pins are reversed on one end). Older ethernet equipment expects to be connected to a switch or router via a straight ethernet cable (so you need a crossover cable for device to device connections), but newer equipment can sense whether it's connected to a device or a switch and will switch what pins it reads and sends on accordingly (technology called Automatic MDI/MDI-X.) I don't know if the DT Series 2 can auto sense or not. You can check your laptop manual to find out if its ethernet port can. Only one side needs to have the auto-sense for it to work with a straight cable.

If you take a straight cable and connect the two devices and the link lights stay solid green, general that means one side has auto sensed and the physical connection is live. If not, then you will need a crossover cable.

Once you get the physical link working, you need to get the addressing right. Switch off wireless on the laptop so it doesn't confuse things.

You need to set the devices to use IP addresses in the same subnet. Here's a set that will work.

TivoIP: 10.0.0.10
LaptopIP: 10.0.0.20
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
gateway: 10.0.0.1
DNS1: 10.0.0.1
DNS2: 10.0.0.2

Those gateway and DNS addresses are bogus, but they are there in case the Tivo requires them.

Note, you can't keep the Tivo only connected to the laptop permanently. Eventually the Tivo will need to call home so you'll need to undo this.

Another way you could do this is configure the laptop to do Internet Connection Sharing where it essentially becomes a router with it's wired connection being the private side and the wireless being the public uplink side. With most Internet Connection Sharing (Windows, Mac), a dhcp server is automatically enabled that will auto configure the IP addresses for you. Just have to be careful that the ICS private IP range isn't the same as your main router's private IP range.

[acslater]

Saberman,

I would recommend looking into powerline adapters. They turn any electrical power outlet into a network connection. They allow your home network to be accessible throughout your house. I am using NetGear's POWERLINE HD ETHERNET ADAPTER (HDX101) but Belkin just released a Gigabit Powerline HD Starter Kit that they claim is even faster. They are far more reliable and faster than your wifi connection will be.

[saberman]

I am using NetGear's POWERLINE HD ETHERNET ADAPTER (HDX101) but Belkin just released a Gigabit Powerline HD Starter Kit that they claim is even faster. They are far more reliable and faster than your wifi connection will be.

The only information Belkin's web site has on the Gigabit Powerline HD Starter Kit is that it is out of stock. Their Product Support search engine cannot find anything related to it. I don't think it has been released.

[ErliDayz]

I have a DT Series 2 with a number of large recordings on it. It is connected to my home network using a TiVo branded USB wireless adapter. Unfortunately, it is upstairs at the opposite end of the house from the router and both the transfer rate and reliability of transfers is poor.

Is it possible to connect my laptop via an ethernet cable to the DT Series 2 and transfer the files? What to I need to install on the laptop and how do I define the network on the TiVo?

I've had a Tivo adapter for a long time, but am not savvy enough to sort out the details to get it working. All ideas will be appreciated.

When I plugin the adapter to the wireless enabled Tivo, it shuts down, reboots to the opening screen, and freezes there.

My second Tivo HDVR2 is NOT Wireless enabled, but connected with a Trendnet adapter to a D-Link DGL 3420 wireless, and it works perfect!

Need some input

While I'm writing this, I reconnected the USB adapter and the machine now rebooted. One time it finished the reboot and the show came back on for about 15 seconds and then it rebooted again. After that it didn't make it to the end of the reboot before cycling through one more time.

[saberman]

Did you power off the TiVo and then connect the adapter before powering it back on?

If it is a TiVo USB wireless adapter you should contact TiVo technical support.

[windracer]

Do the TiVo-branded adapters work with DirecTiVos? From his signature it looks like that is what ErliDayz has.

[ErliDayz]

Do the TiVo-branded adapters work with DirecTiVos? From his signature it looks like that is what ErliDayz has.

That is what I was trying to use, but other posts I've seen today make me believe that it might not work. Still, if anyone has an idea for me to try, I'm willing.

[windracer]

Yeah, I don't think it's supported on your boxes.

http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/405/kw/wireless/r_id/100041