[austinsho]

I'd like to add a Mini to my Roamio Pro, but have an odd networking issue and was hoping for a bit of help.

My Roamio is on a wireless network with good signal strength, never any worries there. That's a good thing because there's no way to get Ethernet to the Roamio. However, the place where my Mini needs to be is beyond the wireless network due to the layout of the house. But there is an Ethernet line between the Roamio and the location for the Mini.

Now remember, I know little to nothing about networking .

I was wondering if I could turn on Ethernet as well as the WiFi on the Roamio (the menus appear to allow this), run a short Cat 5 to a second wired router (one NOT attached to the Internet), then connect that router to the Mini in the bedroom. I guess the question is, can the Roamio Pro support two different IPs?

I know this sounds kind of crazy, but it appears to be the only way I'm going to get that Mini and the Roamio talking.

Many thanks for any thoughts anyone has!

 

[JoeKustra]

When you plug an active Ethernet cable into a Roamio it disables the wireless.

There are ways to get a Mini on wireless so that it can reach your router. Depending on your budget, you can either upgrade your router or put the Mini on a wireless bridge. I do that with my Mini units. some choices:
RE6500
WUMC710
DAP-1650
and others. The easiest to use is a RE580D. The Mini doesn't communicate directly to the Roamio. It talks to the router.

Also, check out powerline adapters. Many find that they work fine. Your last choice should be wireless. Or,

Mini -> Ethernet -> wireless bridge -> router. No promises.

 

[austinsho]

That's a great idea, but we have absolutely zero usable wireless signal in this remote location. It truly is a really weird setup. To use a bridge we're going to have to run lines out of the room to the closest area where we have wireless. And that will involve drilling holes in a rental house for which I will have to pay later on!

What I was hoping is that a second router I would hook up via Ethernet to the Roamio (which is currently hooked up to a different router for Internet) would serve as the network hub for the Roamio and the Mini and they could communicate over that.

 

[HoTatII]

Or if I'm understanding your setup correctly here ...

Why don't you simply get an inexpensive 4 port ethernet switch and place it near the Mini client.

And then connect the long line coming in from the Roamio to a port on the switch. And connect the Mini to another port on the switch by a short patch cable. And then connect the router to a third port on the switch using that short run of ethernet cable you mentioned?

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[austinsho]

Good thoughts, but the issue is that any connectivity in the Roamio's room has to be wireless, so no Internet is available over the long line.

But wait! I could get a repeater unit (forgive me, what do I call that?) that would receive Internet in the Roamio's room, hook THAT to the long line and send it back to the remote location into the 4 port switch?

Roamio room/repeater-------->Ethernet------------->remote location---------->Mini and/or switch

There is only one Ethernet cable from the first room to the last and right now it's carrying video. No wireless is available in the remote location, but the above would seem to be a MUCH better use of that Ethernet.

 

[HoTatII]

Curious ...

Specifically what sort of "video" is that occupying the long ethernet line?

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[austinsho]

The video is HDMI/1080i. We wanted the TiVo to be visible on both the set in the main room, and the remote screen at the same time.

So we split the TiVo HDMI out, sending one side to the main screen and the other to a transformer that launched it onto Cat 5e for transmission to the remote room. There, another transformer sent it down an HDMI line to the screen. We controlled the TiVo by running remote signals back toward the main room the opposite way on the same line.

This Rube Goldberg setup worked well for the past couple of years, with a few minor glitches. But then we would up unexpectedly with two Minis, and I thought I'd try to network them to the Roamio. That is when we found out there was no way to get the main network back to the remote location. So I came up with the "bright" idea that just maybe, the Roamio could be on two networks at once. The first being the main house network, and the second being one we created to connect the remote Mini to the Roamio, with a router in between.

As of this writing there's a chance, just a chance, that we might be able to get the main network via Ethernet to the Roamio. Then, I can then yank the HDMI transformers, use that long Ethernet run for data, and stick the Mini on the end of it. We'll know more tomorrow.

 

[HoTatII]

I see ....

But since the Mini is capable of streaming the same channel as the Roamio is tuned to. Then as you admitted, wouldn't a much more "efficient" use of that long ethernet cable be for the Roamio to communicate to the Mini via a switch near the Mini as suggested?

And then the switch connected to the router for internet access to both the Roamio and Mini?


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[austinsho]

Yes. But the issue has been getting Internet/network onto that piece of Ethernet cable that connects the to locations. Wish me luck today!