[sushikitten]

We currently have two tivos that are connected to our wireless network and they are working perfectly. They show up in Network Magic (home networking software, supposed to make networking things and seeing network connections easy) just fine.

So we get a new [refurbished Humax] tivo and since we have no phone line, I hook up the tivo wireless adapter and bingo, I get the "let's set up your network" blurb from tivo. Cool. I was thrilled because I had been led to believe I would have to either use a phone line or hard-wired connection (and this tivo is nowhere near the router). I find my router name, enter the password, follow all the prompts, try to connect, and... nothing. The final error I get says "A DHCP server could not be located on the network."

Oh, that's right, duh, I have to add the MAC address of the tivo on the router (which I had to do for the other two units). I try again. Same DHCP error. I check my router settings (and router manual) and it says the DHCP default is ON and I check and our DHCP lease is set to forever, so not sure what the problem is.

I try to connect about 10 times, sometimes varying the selections/options given to me (even choices I know are wrong) and nothing works.

"You will need to know the SSID..." Yes, I know it. And I double-checked it with the other tivos.

"How do you want the Recorder to obtain an IP?" If I say "get automatically" it tries and says "Do you need to use a DHCP client ID on your network?" and I choose the default (no/aren't sure) and it sends me back to "A DHCP server could not be located on the network." If I say "let the recorder assign an IP" I am prompted to enter the DHCP client and password - which I haven't the faintest idea about.

If I try to "add a network device" via Network Magic, I select wireless, it temporarily unlocks my network, then tells me to go add the device - which I try - and I get all the same errors as above. Network Magic also tells me that I "will need to enter the encryption key into your new device" but of course I cannot add anything to the tivo.

I realize there are a few somewhat easy solutions:

1) Run 50' of Cat 5 (from the bedroom to the office) to test a hard-wired connection - but I don't have that much cable.

2) Hook the tivo up to one of the other TVs/tivos that has a currently working wireless connection - but that involves unhooking everything from a currently-working tivo (which as I'm sure you all know, is a nightmare of hard-to-get-to cables inside entertainment centers, etc.), attempting all this with the new tivo, taking the chance of messing up a working tivo, and possibly not even solving the problem.

3) Hooking up the tivo to the closest tv to the office and running 20' of Cat 5 to hardwire it. Which sounds the best, except I have to completely disconnect the cable (etc) from my current setup, and it's not exactly easy to get to (would have to move the entertainment center). Again, I hate to chance messing up something that is currently working.

Hubby would normally deal with all this (and has dealt with all the other tivo issues and installs), except he is deployed right now. He has tried troubleshooting from Iraq, but he can't see what I'm seeing so it's very frustrating.

So, any ideas? I am at my wit's end.

Is it something that has to be done hard-wired first and then the wireless will work?
Is it because of the refurbished unit? (Meaning, the software is too old?)
Is the software not updated enough to use wireless? (I assumed it was since it prompted me to connect to broadband.)
Why would two tivos be on the network and working, but the third can't seem to be added?
What is this DHCP stuff and why is it such a problem?

This is the Belkin router I have.

 

[rambler]

I know this stuff can drive you nuts. Shouldn't be this difficult!

I had similar problems. I turned off the security on the router (WEP or WPA, whatever), then tried it. The Tivo connected. Then I turned router security back on and the tivo was able to reconnect.

 

[sushikitten]

Oh yes, also forgot to mention that (I have tried SOOOO many things, I was bound to forget something in the retelling). In the router settings, I completely disabled WEP - and it still didn't find it and/or connect. But I will try it again once more tonight, just for the sake of argument.

Nope, no go. Now it says it can't find my wireless network (and gives the name).

 

[sushikitten]

Oh, and the other STRANGE thing is that no matter how many times I add the tivo's MAC address and submit changes/apply changes, it keeps disappearing... How odd...

Oh, and the DHCP client list currently lists my computer, the wii, and the two tivos.

 

[rambler]

Have you tried it with Network Magic shut down?

 

[windracer]

Have you changed the default number of DHCP addresses your router will give out? I have a similar problem occasionally when people come to visit and bring their wireless laptops or whatever. I limit my network to 10 DHCP addresses and with 3 TiVos, 3 wireless laptops, and a desktop, I really only have 3 available "free" slots. If the router has no more addresses to give out, it could result in the message you are seeing.

If the TiVo can "see" your wireless network, just temporarily set a static address so you can bypass DHCP. That will at least help you know if there's a different issue with the wireless network.

 

[sushikitten]

Have you tried it with Network Magic shut down?

Just tried it again, and no change - well, kinda. Now it says it can't find the wireless network at all, which is odd since the router name appears in the list.

Have you changed the default number of DHCP addresses your router will give out? I have a similar problem occasionally when people come to visit and bring their wireless laptops or whatever. I limit my network to 10 DHCP addresses and with 3 TiVos, 3 wireless laptops, and a desktop, I really only have 3 available "free" slots. If the router has no more addresses to give out, it could result in the message you are seeing.

If the TiVo can "see" your wireless network, just temporarily set a static address so you can bypass DHCP. That will at least help you know if there's a different issue with the wireless network.

Where would I do this? The only DHCP thing I see in my router settings is this:

LAN > DHCP Client List

This page shows you the IP address, Host Name and MAC address of each computer that is connected to your network. If the computer does not have a host name specified, then the Host Name field will be blank. Pressing "Refresh" will update the list.

And then there are four things listed. I see no place to see how many are allowable. I do see something for IP pool addresses, with the numbers starting at .1 and ending at .100, but I am guessing that's not the same (and even if it was, there are plenty of numbers there!).

 

[sushikitten]

And another odd thing? Everything I can see on Network Magic and my other tivos and in the router settings itself say the router name is Belkin - but the new tivo sees Belkin_PreN (which is what it used to be called).

I wanted to try changing the name to something obvious like HUDSON but that means I have to go in and change the other tivos as well, all while keeping my fingers crossed that I don't mess something up completely.

 

[Capt Hudson]

Hon,
Either my computer or your old comp has 15 feet of CatV. All you need to do is hook the video cables to the aux jacks on the side of the TV, then run the CatV to the Tivo and you should be set. No need to hook up coax, because it isn't necessary for the software upgrade. just put in all the info that is pertinent to our cable provider. and update that sucker. Once done, put in the the WiFi and see if it is able to connect to our network.

 

[sushikitten]

Thanks... I guess I kinda had a brain fart, thinking I needed the actual cable connection to see what was going on. I started to just hook it up to the aux jacks and then my brain went into overdrive and I over thought it. I will try tomorrow... That said, am still looking and hoping for any other ideas to leave the unit where it is.

P.S. I will bet you we don't have 15' of Cat 5 - I bet it's shorter than that. You guys, with your overestimating.

 

[sushikitten]

If the TiVo can "see" your wireless network, just temporarily set a static address so you can bypass DHCP. That will at least help you know if there's a different issue with the wireless network.

Forgot to answer this part of your answer.

I thought about setting a static IP, but the router scared me when I looked at doing that--meaning that I swear it said "you can create a static IP but then all your networked things will need static IPs too" and I thought WHOA NELLIE, don't want to mess with that.

Of course, I could have totally been reading the wrong thing or misunderstanding.

That said, I'd have to research how to do that because it isn't apparently obvious.

 

[windracer]

JI see no place to see how many are allowable. I do see something for IP pool addresses, with the numbers starting at .1 and ending at .100, but I am guessing that's not the same (and even if it was, there are plenty of numbers there!).

That's what I was referring too ... and if your pool goes from .1 to .100, yeah, you've got plenty of room so that's not your issue.

I thought about setting a static IP, but the router scared me when I looked at doing that--meaning that I swear it said "you can create a static IP but then all your networked things will need static IPs too" and I thought WHOA NELLIE, don't want to mess with that.

You shouldn't have to do anything on your router, I meant set a static IP on the TiVo itself. If your other PCs/TiVos have addresses like 192.168.1.100, give this TiVo 192.168.1.200 and see if it'll connect.

 

[fredct]

Oh, and the other STRANGE thing is that no matter how many times I add the tivo's MAC address and submit changes/apply changes, it keeps disappearing... How odd...

Oh, and the DHCP client list currently lists my computer, the wii, and the two tivos.

It may have gotten lost in the conversation, but it seems to me like this is your issue. If the router isn't adding the TiVo's MAC to your list, then the TiVo isn't going to be able to connect.

You could try turning off MAC filtering altogether and see if that allows it to connect. If so, then it seems like the problem is with your router being unable to add an additional MAC address (probably a bug and/or the sign of an dying router) and not the TiVo.

 

[sushikitten]

It may have gotten lost in the conversation, but it seems to me like this is your issue. If the router isn't adding the TiVo's MAC to your list, then the TiVo isn't going to be able to connect.

You could try turning off MAC filtering altogether and see if that allows it to connect. If so, then it seems like the problem is with your router being unable to add an additional MAC address (probably a bug and/or the sign of an dying router) and not the TiVo.

It does keep disappearing, but I have tried adding the tivo when I know the mac address is there, like 2 seconds after I add it and make sure it's there. That said, I guess the router could be going bad...I mean, stuff does go bad.

How many mac addresses should I be able to add? I think there are like 14 or so on there now.

 

[sushikitten]

Okay, so I hauled the tivo out to the living room and dug out the cat5 cable - and guess what? There is no freakin' ethernet jack on the tivo. Unless I am completely blind... there are a/v jacks galore, 2 usb ports, and a phone line. But no ethernet. So how can I do this hard wired? Am I missing something basic? It doesn't appear so.

I am guessing Humax wasn't kidding when they said you needed a phone line to set this up. How technologically INefficient.

I also tried setting a static IP and that failed miserably. It asked what IP I wanted to assign, and I did something like .20 because I know we don't have anything numbered that high. Then it asked to confirm the subnet mask, which I did. Then it asked for the IP address, which I gave it (.1) and then something else which I left as .1 and it couldn't find the network.

I guess as a last ditch effort I can try disabling wep, disabling mac addresses, unlocking the network, turning off network magic...all at the same time? Or I can just give up for a few days because this makes my head hurt.

I am beginning to be sorry I ever bought this.

 

[rambler]

Is your router password the hexidecimal type? I recall I had to change mine to that too.

Also I think on a humax I had once I did have to set it up by phone line initially, then try the wireless part.

Also if you haven't, try unplugging everything then restarting ......

 

[sushikitten]

Is your router password the hexidecimal type? I recall I had to change mine to that too.

Also I think on a humax I had once I did have to set it up by phone line initially, then try the wireless part.

Also if you haven't, try unplugging everything then restarting ......

When I login to my router, it's an alphabetical password.

I am guessing I have to break down and beg a friend with a phone line.

 

[sushikitten]

So I just brought my tivo home from its overnight stay at the neighbors. I have guide data and it got updated from 8.2 to 8.3. I came home, plugged everything in, and it sees the wireless (best connection in the house) but again, it won't connect. Same exact errors as before - cannot find DHCP connection.

In my router settings, I see where I can turn DHCP server OFF, but what will that do to all my other computers (tivos) that currently have an IP assigned to them? I don't want to lose those and have to reprogram them.

As an added question, I need to run the guided setup again - am searching now how to do that. Can anyone quickly point me to how to do that? (That said, it won't matter if I can't connect wirelessly.)

 

[sushikitten]

So I just went in to the tivo network settings and instead of saying "get IP from DHCP server" or whatever the default was, I told it to let the recorder assign an IP, and it apparently did, and said the network connection was now available!

YIPPEE!

So I tried to make the network call, and I got an error: No DHCP server. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!

The tivo is also not found on Network Magic.

 

[sushikitten]

So I "added a device" in Network Magic, which unlocks/disables MAC address filtering and should allow the tivo to see the router. Our router name appears in the list, I choose it, enter the password, and assigned a specific IP, and it says "gateway (router) could not be located.

So, the last try: I let the recorder assign itself an IP again, and I once again got the message "Network Setup Complete, the recorder will now begin using your new network settings." So I immediately tried to make a connection and it failed because there was no DHCP server.

What is bizarre is that the IP that the recorder found for itself is NOT EVEN CLOSE to our other IPs. A google of the IP shows nothing.

Any ideas? Anyone want to buy this stupid thing? I am at my wit's end.