# Tivo Mini Setup using "Router" option



## mlaw8 (Oct 13, 2010)

The Tivo Mini product (https://tivo.com/shop/mini) page makes it sound like that if your primary Tivo is hooked up directly to your router then you don't need to provide the Mini any network connectivity at all (as displayed in the second option - titled If your TiVo DVR is connected to your router).

It says "Youre all set! Just connect your TiVo Mini to your other TV and enjoy."..._*Does this work/how?*_ All other documents imply the Mini needs ethernet or MoCa (which would make sense).

Thanks,
Mark


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

The diagram is showing it using MoCa.


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## mlaw8 (Oct 13, 2010)

jrtroo said:


> The diagram is showing it using MoCa.


Why is MoCa clearly laid out in the third option/diagram but not the second?


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## jmpage2 (Jan 21, 2004)

That's a question for TiVo, but certainly MoCA via the host TiVo is the only way it will work when wired as they describe.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

Diagram 2 assumes the DVR's network settings are set to "moca+ethernet". It's not spelled out, but that's the correct physical setup. The Tivo DVR itself can activate moca for the house *if* connected to the router by ethernet. No additional adapter needed.

Diagram 3 shows what to do if the DVR can't reach the router by ethernet.


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## mlaw8 (Oct 13, 2010)

BigJimOutlaw said:


> Diagram 2 assumes the DVR's network settings are set to "moca+ethernet". It's not spelled out, but that's the correct physical setup. The Tivo DVR itself can activate moca for the house *if* connected to the router by ethernet. No additional adapter needed.
> 
> Diagram 3 shows what to do if the DVR can't reach the router by ethernet.


Thanks for response...please help me understand if I need MoCa adapters (or how many in this scenario.

1. Roamio (basic non-MoCa one) connected directly to router.
2. Mini in a room without access to Ethernet.

Diagram makes it seem that I would not need any MoCa adapters, but this doesn't seem right as I don't understand how Mini is getting network connectivity.

Thanks


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## jmpage2 (Jan 21, 2004)

If the Roamio basic does not have an integrated MoCA adapter then yes, you would need one.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

With that setup, if you'd like to use MoCA to reach the Mini, follow the bottom part of diagram 3... Connect a moca network adapter to the router and modem as shown.

The Mini (since it has moca support built-in) can then get its network connectivity over coax (thanks to the moca adapter connected to your router).


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## loganasu (Jan 17, 2005)

looking at the diagram, what stop's my network from going out of the house using the cable outlet. In other words, how does it stay in the house?


ETA: Never mind, I see that I would need to add a MoCA filter where the cable starts in the house


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

mlaw8 said:


> Thanks for response...please help me understand if I need MoCa adapters (or how many in this scenario.
> 
> 1. Roamio (basic non-MoCa one) connected directly to router.
> 2. Mini in a room without access to Ethernet.
> ...


OK not to confuse things even more, but if you have FIOS then you may not need an adapter. FIOS routers have MoCa built in so the Mini can talk to the router via MoCa and then that will get sent to the TiVo via Ethernet.

Now if you don't have a router with MoCa built in then you will need an adapter. Where you put the adapter depends on where the most convenient coax outlet it. The MoCa adapter is what's called a bridge. It basically converts Etehrnet signals to MoCa and vice versa. It doesn't matter where it is as long as it can connect to both your coax and your Ethernet network. It will then allow any device on either network talk to one another.


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## mlaw8 (Oct 13, 2010)

Dan - Do you agree with my original assumption that the "Router" diagram is wrong assuming you don't have Fios/a MoCa compatible router?

Thanks


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

No that diagram is correct. If you can connect your TiVo directly to your router then the Mini can talk to the TiVo via MoCa and the TiVo can bridge that connection to whatever technology you're using to connect it to the router. So you could connect the TiVo to the router via Ethernet or WiFi and the Mini would talk to the TiVo via MoCa, which they both have built in, and then the TiVo would bridge all internet traffic to the Ethernet/WiFi connection.


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## mlaw8 (Oct 13, 2010)

Dan203 said:


> No that diagram is correct. If you can connect your TiVo directly to your router then the Mini can talk to the TiVo via MoCa and the TiVo can bridge that connection to whatever technology you're using to connect it to the router. So you could connect the TiVo to the router via Ethernet or WiFi and the Mini would talk to the TiVo via MoCa, which they both have built in, and then the TiVo would bridge all internet traffic to the Ethernet/WiFi connection.


Dan - Thanks...does that apply to the standard Romaio as well?


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

No. The Basic Roamio doesn't do MoCa at all, so you'd need an adapter for that. Sorry forgot about the Basic unit, was only thinking about the Premiers and the Roamio Plus/Pro.

I think it's sort of stupid they didn't include MoCa in the Basic unit. Just adding confusion where it didn't need to be. I'm sure it was a move to keep the cost down, but it's going to be a support nightmare.


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

Dan203 said:


> No. The Basic Roamio doesn't do MoCa at all, so you'd need an adapter for that. Sorry forgot about the Basic unit, was only thinking about the Premiers and the Roamio Plus/Pro.
> 
> I think it's sort of stupid they didn't include MoCa in the Basic unit. Just adding confusion where it didn't need to be. I'm sure it was a move to keep the cost down, but it's going to be a support nightmare.


I wonder how much price difference there was for only putting in 10/100 Ethernet into the basic model versus 10/100/1000 Ethernet for the others.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

That could be a limitation of the Broadcom chip they use. I don't think we know exactly what chip is used in either the Basic or the Plus/Pro, but if they are different and the Basic uses a lower end chip then it could be a huge price difference. 

MoCa on the other hand is built into all the Broadcom chips so my guess is that was disabled due to some sort of conflict with the OTA tuners. Either that or maybe the Broadcom implementation doesn't support bridging and they didn't want to confuse things even more.


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## jmpage2 (Jan 21, 2004)

Dan203 said:


> That could be a limitation of the Broadcom chip they use. I don't think we know exactly what chip is used in either the Basic or the Plus/Pro, but if they are different and the Basic uses a lower end chip then it could be a huge price difference.
> 
> MoCa on the other hand is built into all the Broadcom chips so my guess is that was disabled due to some sort of conflict with the OTA tuners. Either that or maybe the Broadcom implementation doesn't support bridging and they didn't want to confuse things even more.


Dave Zatz has provided the info on which CPU etc are in each of the models.


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## bandwagon (Dec 3, 2010)

Does the mini function as a moca bridge or whatever? I.e. can I pull ethernet out of the mini for other devices near the TV?


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

bandwagon said:


> Does the mini function as a moca bridge or whatever? I.e. can I pull ethernet out of the mini for other devices near the TV?


Sadly no, it doesn't work as a bridge for other devices.


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## cuda74360 (Jul 12, 2013)

Dan203 said:


> No. The Basic Roamio doesn't do MoCa at all, so you'd need an adapter for that. Sorry forgot about the Basic unit, was only thinking about the Premiers and the Roamio Plus/Pro.
> 
> I think it's sort of stupid they didn't include MoCa in the Basic unit. Just adding confusion where it didn't need to be. I'm sure it was a move to keep the cost down, but it's going to be a support nightmare.


Maybe they wanted to prevent people from inadvertently broadcasting their MoCA traffic via their antennas?


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## Scooby Doo (Dec 18, 2002)

> Maybe they wanted to prevent people from inadvertently broadcasting their MoCA traffic via their antennas?


I hadn't thought about that but it's actually a pretty good point. Do FCC regulations make use of MOCA and OTA together impossible? This might explain why the basic Roamio does't have MOCA and the Plus/Pro don't have OTA.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

They could just turn moca off when OTA is selected.


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## Scooby Doo (Dec 18, 2002)

Dan203 said:


> They could just turn moca off when OTA is selected.


True, but customers might fight it hard to understand why a box that supports OTA and MOCA doesn't support them together at the same time.


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