# Trying to understand the value of built-in WiFi



## TBoyd (Apr 9, 2000)

Unless I'm a non-technical user that has NO wireless router in their house, what is the value of built-in WiFi in the new Roamio units? Doesn't seem to be a benefit for tablet or smartphone as remotes or viewing.

Possibly...

- Enables quicker transfers between Roamio <-> Roamio/Mini/Stream units around the house? 
- Just removes requirement for Ethernet cable in config? (Tivo <-> Router)

What am I missing here?

Thanks,
Tim


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## waterchange (Jun 29, 2010)

For those who don't have hardwired ethernet ports in their house, a Roamio could use this connection to download guide data & updates via your wireless network without requiring you to purchase a separate wifi adapter.


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## zundian (Mar 5, 2008)

Yeah, it's not that it's providing Wi-fi, it's that you don't need to buy an adapter as with older units.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

Minimal - with MOCA available it makes little sense to add it, so much functionality is unsupported with WIFI...

But the 12 year olds on the tech blogs keep *****ing about it - so it was probably a cheap add.


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## TBoyd (Apr 9, 2000)

OK, Thanks all!


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

MOCA still requires you add another adapter to your setup (unless you already have MOCA connectivity for your internet, of course). For someone who isn't going to care about live streaming between TiVo devices, WiFi is an easy solution, and while it may not be universal, it is easily available to most anybody, probably for less than the cost of a MOCA adapter and usually less costly than it would take to install in-wall wiring. And possibly even cheaper for many people than buying wiring and just laying it on the floor.


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## tivogurl (Dec 16, 2004)

waterchange said:


> For those who don't have hardwired ethernet ports in their house, a Roamio could use this connection to download guide data & updates via your wireless network without requiring you to purchase a separate wifi adapter.


That's basically how I'll use it. My current TiVo has a hardwired connection to my router, which would be nice to get rid of. Besides, guide data & updates don't really need the extra speed.

Does TiVo use WiFi Protected Setup for the builtin WiFi? I'd hate to have to type in my router's WPA2 password using TiVo's clunky interface.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

tivogurl said:


> Does TiVo use WiFi Protected Setup for the builtin WiFi? I'd hate to have to type in my router's WPA2 password using TiVo's clunky interface.


It supports security standards, yes. The password only needs to be plugged in once.


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## tivogurl (Dec 16, 2004)

BigJimOutlaw said:


> It supports security standards, yes. The password only needs to be plugged in once.


So it doesn't support WPS. The whole point of WPS is that you don't need to type in the password.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

tivogurl said:


> So it doesn't support WPS. The whole point of WPS is that you don't need to type in the password.


I always tpye in the password. I never use WPS on devices that have it. That is one of the features I've always disabled in my routers.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

tivogurl said:


> That's basically how I'll use it. My current TiVo has a hardwired connection to my router, which would be nice to get rid of.


Why would it be nice to get rid of your hard wired connection?

Unless you plan on moving your router or something then I can see it I guess.

But as far as streaming to an ipad goes it would be better I think to keep the Tivo hard wired. Otherwise you are using twice the wireless bandwidth to stream something. Wireless bandwidth is not always in great supply. Not that this is an application you care about.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

But obviously the built-in wifi is for guide data for anyone without a router or ethernet network next to their Tivo which I would assume is the majority of consumers. It makes your Tivo ready to go out of the box.

wifi direct also a possibility ( without knowing if the included chipset actually supports this or not.) But if so then you would get more latency-free control of your tivo via a mobile device than you can now.


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## tivogurl (Dec 16, 2004)

trip1eX said:


> Why would it be nice to get rid of your hard wired connection?


Less clutter. Fewer wires to route, untangle, and get horribly dusty. I have a 1-bd apartment so streaming isn't an important consideration.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

dswallow said:


> MOCA still requires you add another adapter to your setup (unless you already have MOCA connectivity for your internet, of course). For someone who isn't going to care about live streaming between TiVo devices, WiFi is an easy solution, and while it may not be universal, it is easily available to most anybody, probably for less than the cost of a MOCA adapter and usually less costly than it would take to install in-wall wiring. And possibly even cheaper for many people than buying wiring and just laying it on the floor.


Can you bridge the Moca with the built in Wireless like I do now with a RJ45 and Moca on the TP-4, saves buying a Moca adapter.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

tivogurl said:


> Less clutter. Fewer wires to route, untangle, and get horribly dusty. I have a 1-bd apartment so streaming isn't an important consideration.


Oh sorry were you running a cable across a room or something? I forgot that is an obvious reason to get rid of a hard wired connection. I had a few wires running across a room when I moved to my new place until I wired my house for cat6. I just imagine I would connect a long wire once a week overnight to my Tivo instead of buying a Tivo wifi adapter. 

I mean otherwise would clutter really be reduced by having 1 less wire when you have to have at least 2 wires as it is?


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## tvn (Sep 29, 2002)

lessd said:


> Can you bridge the Moca with the built in Wireless like I do now with a RJ45 and Moca on the TP-4, saves buying a Moca adapter.


Great point. I needed a MOCA adapter near my router for the P XL4 in the other room (because there was no internet in my main viewing area). Since it's wireless, do I still need a MOCA adapter near my router or does the wireless take care of that?


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## Philmatic (Sep 17, 2003)

If you don't have a Wireless router then built in Wireless doesn't benefit you at all.


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## tivogurl (Dec 16, 2004)

trip1eX said:


> I mean otherwise would clutter really be reduced by having 1 less wire when you have to have at least 2 wires as it is?


Not substantially, I suppose.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

Philmatic said:


> If you don't have a Wireless router then built in Wireless doesn't benefit you at all.


Confuscious says ......


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

Philmatic said:


> If you don't have a Wireless router then built in Wireless doesn't benefit you at all.


_Great point. I needed a MOCA adapter near my router for the P XL4 in the other room (because there was no internet in my main viewing area). Since it's wireless, do I still need a MOCA adapter near my router or does the wireless take care of that? _

I am assuming that he has a wireless router, my question is can you bridge the wireless with the Moca that built in the Roamio.

Can we use* R-4*,* R-6*, *R-6pro* when talking about the Series 5 Roamio ??


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## tvn (Sep 29, 2002)

lessd said:


> _Great point. I needed a MOCA adapter near my router for the P XL4 in the other room (because there was no internet in my main viewing area). Since it's wireless, do I still need a MOCA adapter near my router or does the wireless take care of that? _
> 
> I am assuming that he has a wireless router, my question is can you bridge the wireless with the Moca that built in the Roamio.
> 
> Can we use* R-4*,* R-6*, *R-6pro* when talking about the Series 5 Roamio ??


That's my question. Of course I have a wireless router.


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## seattlewendell (Jan 11, 2006)

bradleys said:


> Minimal - with MOCA available it makes little sense to add it, so much functionality is unsupported with WIFI...
> 
> But the 12 year olds on the tech blogs keep *****ing about it - so it was probably a cheap add.


What a really dumb thing to say. Tivo requires an internet connection to work. Since day one there have always been threads about getting a hard wire to the Tivo. There were entire threads about people bringing their box to a neighbors house for it to dial in (back in the phone jack days). Increasingly people do not have hardwire network connections near their Tivos. Tivo wifi adapters still cost more than $50. Putting wifi into a Tivo is cheap as you pointed out. Tivo is artificially increasing the cost of the box to the consumer by $50-$150 by requiring you to supply either a MOCA or WiFI adapter. The only 12 year olds, are ones running Tivo who took this long to add WiFi and their apologist.


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## Philmatic (Sep 17, 2003)

dswallow said:


> MOCA still requires you add another adapter to your setup (unless you already have MOCA connectivity for your internet, of course). For someone who isn't going to care about live streaming between TiVo devices, WiFi is an easy solution, and while it may not be universal, it is easily available to most anybody, probably for less than the cost of a MOCA adapter and usually less costly than it would take to install in-wall wiring. And possibly even cheaper for many people than buying wiring and just laying it on the floor.





lessd said:


> _Great point. I needed a MOCA adapter near my router for the P XL4 in the other room (because there was no internet in my main viewing area). Since it's wireless, do I still need a MOCA adapter near my router or does the wireless take care of that? _
> 
> I am assuming that he has a wireless router, my question is can you bridge the wireless with the Moca that built in the Roamio.
> 
> Can we use* R-4*,* R-6*, *R-6pro* when talking about the Series 5 Roamio ??





tvn said:


> That's my question. Of course I have a wireless router.


It will remain to be seen if the new TiVo bridge MoCA/Ethernet & Wireless together passively. We know that MoCA & Ethernet are bridged by default, but Wireless would provide a whole new useful feature.

My *hunch* is that it is not, but we will see when people start receiving them tomorrow.


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## mchief (Sep 10, 2005)

Another question. If I buy a Plus and keep one of my HDs will I be able to transfer shows between the two. Both on ethernet


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## Philmatic (Sep 17, 2003)

If you can transfer them now, yes. This assumes that the copy bit has not been set for those recording.

You CANNOT stream across the two, simply because the TiVo HD never got that capability.


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## mchief (Sep 10, 2005)

Thanks, no copy bit to fool with on non-premium channels.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

The Wifi could provide internet to a MoCA-connected network of a Roamio, Premieres, and Minis. I'd rather have it hardwired, but it might work OK in certain situations. And OP, how the heck do you not have a Wifi router? That's been standard since laptops came around, and now smartphones and tablets that don't even have an OPTION for ethernet.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

mchief said:


> Another question. If I buy a Plus and keep one of my HDs will I be able to transfer shows between the two. Both on ethernet


Theoretically yes, but I have not been able to transfer shows TO my TivoHD from my Premiere 4 for quite a while now. *Originally*, it was only being unable to transfer from paused point. Nowadays, it seems like I can't transfer at all. I have rebooted both several times.

I wrote up a problem at the official Tivo forums, and am going to update it 
http://forums.tivo.com/pe/action/forums/displaypost?postID=11101307


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## consumedsoul (Jan 13, 2013)

Been using Roamio Basic (wireless) for a few days with Stream, transfer to my iPad has been about the same (in some cases faster oddly, testing with 1 hr shows) as my old Premier (wired/ethernet). 

Glad to not have a cable going across the hallway now.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Does anyone know... Can the TiVo be used as an access point for other wifi devices and bridge the connection to MoCa or Ethernet? My TV has something like this, but it only works when it's on so I still use a standalone AP. But the TiVo is always on so it might actually make a good AP.


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

Dan203 said:


> Does anyone know... Can the TiVo be used as an access point for other wifi devices and bridge the connection to MoCa or Ethernet? My TV has something like this, but it only works when it's on so I still use a standalone AP. But the TiVo is always on so it might actually make a good AP.


I don't remember seeing any place where an SSID could be set, but will check tomorrow.


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## grey ghost (Feb 2, 2010)

If my Plus has a Ethernet connection, can I link it with a Mini using MoCA with the Plus acting as the MoCA starting point?


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## GoHokies! (Sep 21, 2005)

Yep!


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## XIBM (Mar 9, 2013)

Isn't wired always going to be faster than wireless? Don't all the internet apps (Netflix etc) have to go across either a wired or wireless internet connection? If it is available and not to difficult to set up wired seems to be the best.?


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

XIBM said:


> Isn't wired always going to be faster than wireless? Don't all the internet apps (Netflix etc) have to go across either a wired or wireless internet connection? If it is available and not to difficult to set up wired seems to be the best.?


For the streaming services, as long as the WiFi network doesn't have issues there should be no difference. All of the streaming services have low bandwidth streams. At least this is the case with my other streaming devices and WiFI. Whether connected wirelessly or wired, playing 2D, Super HD, or 3D content, the experience has been identical for me.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Yeah most of the streaming services max out at 12Mbps even for their best HD, so wifi should be fine. Although if you have several people all watching at once and a super high speed internet connection then you might run up against the wifi limit.


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