[MrFussy]

Well, I know this has been mentioned before, but I've done several searches with combinations of terms like remote, network, guide, etc., and cannot find any threads that help me understand what's happening with my RTVs.


I have two new (bought 3 months apart) RTVs, a 5508 and a 5516. When working, the networking and streaming beween the two is great. But there's the rub. It seems to fail far too often for my liking. About every 1-5 days they seem to just lose contact with each other, and the remote selection simply says "This ReplayTV". It seemed to be MUCH more stable before the last software update, although that may be a red herring.


It seems to require a reboot of both RTVs to restore the networking functionality. However, 243-zones>Find other units finds the other machine in an offline state.


They both have the latest version of the s/w (the one that disables CA and IVS hacks). They are both connected to the same hub, and the hub is then connected to my home network and broadband link. One ethernet cable is about 12ft and the other is about 25ft, I think. Both cables are generic store bought pre-made lengths. Static IP addresses on both. They are NO IP address conflicts. Other network devices are dynamic and in a different address range (my router assigns dynamic addresses in a different range than static addresses can be set).


Other recent network changes. I replaced an old PC and upgraded all my PCs to XP Pro SP1 (none are running ICS though).


Questions:

- Why do they lose contact?

- If 243-zones>FOU can see them why can't the OS recover the networking to restore? And what does it mean by "offline" anyway (its on and working normally except for the networking)?

- Is there another way to restore the functionality without rebooting both RTVs?

- If the boradband link is lost, will the local networking also fail (I have noticed some instability of the connection to the broadband lately, which I'm still trying to isolate, but this doesn't impact the LAN the RTVs are on)


Many thanks,

Tim W.

 

[Jeff D]

This is by far the least stable feature of the replay software. There are many different causes. There are some here that can tell you what exactly is going on, but not me.



When ever it happens to me, I reboot the replay that can't see the others. That usually cures the probelm.


Getting the guide data correct... that's my biggest complaint, that never seems to be 100% correct unless all machines were just rebooted. DVA has correct info, but the replays dont. =(

 

[clambert11]

Same issue seems to happen to me from time to time. Rebooting is the only solution I've found that works.


It's weird because it will see DVA ok, but not the other unit in my bedroom. Like you mentioned, it sees the RTV with a 243 Zones. I can ping all the machines fine on my PC without problems and the unit that it can't see in the bedroom can see it in the family room.


If there is another solution, aside from rebooting, I would be anxious to hear it as well.


-- Craig

 

[bpratt]

I have the same problem occasionally and have come up with the following theory. 5000 and 5500 Replays will re-boot themselves every week or so. So lets say you have unit A and unit B. If you are using DHCP to get an IP address, when unit A re-boots itself, it may get assigned a different IP address. Unit B probably has the old unit A IP address stored somewhere and when they try to communicate, they can't until unit B is re-booted.


If that's the case, then static IP addresses would fix the problem. Anyone want to shoot holes in my theory?

 

[JamesMH]

Get rid of ALL DHCP servers on your network, give all DVA PCs and RTVs static address, it should fix 99.9999999% of these problems.

 

[MrFussy]

Quote:

Originally posted by JamesMH Get rid of ALL DHCP servers on your network, give all DVA PCs and RTVs static address, it should fix 99.9999999% of these problems.

Including the broadband router?

 

[clambert11]

Quote:

Originally posted by JamesMH Get rid of ALL DHCP servers on your network, give all DVA PCs and RTVs static address, it should fix 99.9999999% of these problems.

I didn't mention it in the post, but the IP's are strapped down to static IP's within the DHCP range via the MAC. I'm using Pre Alchemy 5.3 on a Linksys WRT54G.


I know I have had problems in the past now known to us now as the DHCP bug. Those problems were fixed when I did strap down a static IP by MAC. This seems like a somewhat different issue entirely.


I made a change this time. If it happens again, maybe I'll disable DHCP locally just for S&G's. Can't hurt.


-- Craig