Teacher
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29 Messages
hr21 second nic functionality with DECA?
at my house (with no whole home, no DECA) i have an hr21 with the top network port plugged into my home network, and my xbox plugged into the bottom network port. everything works fine, the xbox can get a DHCP address from my router, through the hr21. the hr21 works like a 2 port switch. perfect.
my parents have whole home with deca. prior to the deca, during the whole-home beta, i had used powerline ethernet to connect the hr21 furthest from my router/switch to the network (off-topic, directv refused to turn on whole-home until i purchased the DECA kit and professional installation.).
this 'farthest' hr21 is in a centralized location in my parents' house, and is thus a good spot to have their wireless access point. currently the powerline ethernet is still being used for that. what i would like to do is eliminate the powerline ethernet, and connect the access point to the bottom network port on the 'farthest' hr21, similarly to the way i have my xbox connected to the bottom port of my hr21 at my own house. again, i would like to use the hr21 as a two-port switch, with the bottom port allowing me to tap in to the deca network, which is then connected to my home network (by another deca unit at the other hr21 in the same room as my)
but it does not seem to be working. i am getting a link light and activity on the 'farthest' hr21 when i plug in the access point. also, when my laptop is connected wirelessly to the access point (and i give the laptop a static ip address 192.168.15.200 ) i can ping the access point's ip address (192.168.15.2) AND the ip address of the 'farthest' hr21 it's connected to (192.168.15.100) but i can't ping anything else on the 192.168.15.x network.
this has persisted through a red-button system reset with the access point plugged in to the bottom port. is the bottom port of an hr21 somehow crippled by deca or having whole home turned on?
my house:
xbox->hr21 bottom port :: hr21 top port ->home network-> router
result: both the xbox and the hr21 work fine, and can obtain DHCP addresses from the router.
parents' house:
wireless AP->'farthest' hr21 bottom port :: 'farthest' hr21 top port->deca network->2nd deca switch->home network->router
result: 'farthest' hr21 gets a DHCP address from the router, and talks to the internet and home network, but clients of the wireless AP cannot get a DHCP address from the router or communicate with the home network.
testerx
Professor
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4.2K Messages
15 years ago
While in some situations you can get away with using the bottom port as a 'pass through' of sorts, it is not recommended... particularly in DECA installations. Among other things it puts extra loading on the processor in the receiver and may not be totally transparent like an Ethernet switch would be. The DECA network is not intended to transport network traffic other than traffic to or between DirecTV receivers. It's better to keep the two separate except for the one connection between them. Remember too that if the receiver ever gets replaced with an H/HR24 series the second Ethernet port will not be present and the 'top' port won't be usable in a DECA environment.
From the DECA troubleshooting info in the sticky at the top of this forum:
1. Ethernet cable from the DECA only
2. Ethernet cable connected to the top Ethernet port on the receiver
3. Ethernet cables (not connected to a DECA) are never to be plugged into a receiver.
4. HR24 and H24 should NEVER have anything plugged into the Ethernet port or have a DECA attached. They should always be connected to Broadband using a DECA at the customer’s router.
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dcd
Expert
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20.7K Messages
15 years ago
my parents have whole home with deca.
Your parents need the Directv Cinema Connection Kit. All of your other ideas, while creative, are not suitable for a Whole Home DVR installation.
http://support.directv.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2806/related/1/sno/0
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curtmcgirt
Teacher
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29 Messages
15 years ago
actually i may have answered this. i was mistaken; when i reset the receiver with the access point plugged in, it was unable to acquire a dhcp IP address across the deca network from the router. so it would seem it's deca OR ethernet, but not both.
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curtmcgirt
Teacher
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29 Messages
15 years ago
thanks, sungam.
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dcd
Expert
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20.7K Messages
15 years ago
so it would seem it's deca OR ethernet, but not both.
That hits the nail squarely on the head. For other readers of this thread, know that when dealing with Whole Home DVR service, the linked site says it all. The Internet connection is a professionally installed item and the customer is urged to not attempt to connect to the Internet by conventional means.
http://support.directv.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2806/related/1/sno/0
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curtmcgirt
Teacher
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29 Messages
15 years ago
for what it's worth, i wasn't trying to connect to the internet with the 2nd ethernet port. i already have the extra "professionally installed" deca unit connected to the home network and on-demand works everywhere.
i was trying to use the deca network as a sort of "bridge" between the wireless access point next to the hr21 in room A and my router/internet connection next to the hr21 in room B, which directv clearly (also) does not want me to do.
i suppose i could get yet ANOTHER deca unit and connect it to the wireless access point in room A. if i were so inclined.
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testerx
Professor
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4.2K Messages
14 years ago
Again however, whether you use a separate DECA or not, you should not try to use DECA for network connections to anything other than DirecTV receivers. You want to keep all other network traffic off of the DECA network.
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