# Netgear WNDR4500 Cannot connect



## LouisM (Apr 9, 2012)

No matter how I try to set up my Netgear WNDR4500 wireless router I cannot connect my Tivo Premier via wireless Tivo G adapter. It always fails when trying to configure with either a N15 or a N13 error. This is despite my Tivo's port configuration test results as successful with the announcement that all the ports needed for my Tivo's functionality were available. Tivo has 5 pages of suggestions on how to configure a wireless router to work with Tivo but none work. 

All this concerns using the Tivo G wireless adapter. This worked fine with my previous Netgear WGT624 v.3 wireless router which died, but nothing I do can let my Tivo Premier connect to my Netgear WNDR4500 wireless router. I cannot connect via ethernet because I just cannot have a wire running in the hall across several rooms. My wireless connection is above 90% all the time. My router is running WPA2-PSk with AES encryption. 

Has anyone been successful connecting a Tivo Premier to a Netgear WNDR4500 wirelessly via the Tivo G adapter? I've tried everything with no success.

If so, please reply with how you did it! I have tried multiple calls with Tivo Technical Assistance and with Netgear technical assistance. Even supplied with Tivo's 5 pages of guidelines, the Netgear techinical representative could not get this router to work with Tivo. It works flawlessly with three laptops, a Sonos sound system, an iPhone and an iPad.

Thanks!

LouisM


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

LouisM said:


> No matter how I try to set up my Netgear WNDR4500 wireless router I cannot connect my Tivo Premier via wireless Tivo G adapter. It always fails when trying to configure with either a N15 or a N13 error. This is despite my Tivo's port configuration test results as successful with the announcement that all the ports needed for my Tivo's functionality were available. Tivo has 5 pages of suggestions on how to configure a wireless router to work with Tivo but none work.
> 
> All this concerns using the Tivo G wireless adapter. This worked fine with my previous Netgear WGT624 v.3 wireless router which died, but nothing I do can let my Tivo Premier connect to my Netgear WNDR4500 wireless router. I cannot connect via ethernet because I just cannot have a wire running in the hall across several rooms. My wireless connection is above 90% all the time. My router is running WPA2-PSk with AES encryption.
> 
> ...


Did you turn on the 5Ghz radio on your router, and set the 5ghz radio up, also you have to set up each wireless TiVo bridge on a computer, the instructions are with the TiVo N adapter, I did it over a year ago so i don't remember just how it was done.


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## LouisM (Apr 9, 2012)

The N Adapter and the 5 Ghz suggestion do not apply to my situation as I have a G adapter which runs on the 2.4 GHz band. I do not have a N adapter. Tivo technical assistance stated to me that using the 5 Ghz band would not affect my connection issue anyway.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Go through the wireless network setup, add your router IP (usually 192.168.1.1) to the gateway and DNS servers address.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

LouisM said:


> The N Adapter and the 5 Ghz suggestion do not apply to my situation as I have a G adapter which runs on the 2.4 GHz band. I do not have a N adapter. Tivo technical assistance stated to me that using the 5 Ghz band would not affect my connection issue anyway.


Does your router SSID show up in the TiVo setup for wireless operation ?


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## LouisM (Apr 9, 2012)

Thanks to both previous replies. I checked and my Tivo shows my router on Auto Config TCP/IP:
Gateway address: 192.168.1.1 and it also shows up as my DNS address.

My tivo device shows up as 192.168.1.8 and that was also used to set my port forwarding settings for ports needed for Tivo functionality.

Any other ideas?

Thanks again,

LouisM


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## LouisM (Apr 9, 2012)

Oops, I forgot to mention: my Router's SSID did show up when I was setting up wireless for the Tivo. I double-checked accuracy of my SSID passord as well. I understand I would have received an error starting with a "C" prefix if I had miss-entered my password. That did not occur. What happens is that the Tivo network check fails during configuration and returns either an N15 error which is what one would expect if more ports needed to be opened. The Tivo also reported its port check as okay, with all ports open which were needed for Tivo functionality -- yet it still will not connect wirelessly through my G Adapter. 

LouisM


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## evanborkow (Mar 17, 2008)

Have you tried turning off security, firewall, and filtering?


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Are you using any MAC filtering?

http://www.netgear.com/home/products/wirelessrouters/ultimate-performance/wndr4500.aspx

Here is the router's page. I would also try to see what "Push 'N' Connect" is all about.


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## 2004raptor (Dec 31, 2005)

I can't be of any help other than to say I just bought a WNDR4500 over the past week and connected my old Tivo S2 with the G adapter to it with no issues. I'm using WPA2 also.


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## LouisM (Apr 9, 2012)

I did try turning off security and firewall and do not have filtering turned on, MAC or otherwise. Apparently the Tivo Premier units with HD require more port access or are otherwise much more demanding regarding router access requirements. I do know this Tivo Premier worked fine with my old Netgear WGT624 v.3 router with no adjustments whatsoever. I'm beginning to wonder whether the Tivo Premier and the WNDR4500 are simply incompatible. It would be great if Tivo published a list of known "compatible routers" and known "incompatible routers". It could save a lot of headaches. I have been unable to find such a list, if it exists at all. I love my router; I love my Tivo but they don't seem to get along at all. This is a wonderful router with everything else but the Tivo. It is fast, has high power and has no dropouts with streaming Netflix on my iPad or on my Sony BluRay player, but so far, still no luck with my Tivo Premier. I'd love to know if any Tivo Premier users have had any luck connecting via wireless G adapter to the Netgear WNDR4500 router.


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## arizon (Apr 16, 2010)

Have you tried to use your Tivo Wireless G in a PC or laptop to ensure that it is still functional? Also, make sure that you have upgraded to the latest router firmware.

I too use a Netgear N900 router with my Tivo, but am using the Wireless N adapter so I can't help you compare settings.


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## LouisM (Apr 9, 2012)

I confirmed G adapter is functional and router has latest firmware. Still no go with Tivo.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

One variable which you can eliminate is DHCP.

Give the TiVo a fixed IP address, and make sure the router's range of addresses which it can hand out via DHCP does not contain that address.

For example, let's say your router's IP address is 192.168.1.1

That gives you a network that stretches from 192.168.1.0 to 192.168.1.255

Let's just concentrate on the right-hand-most number.

.0 is the entire network, .1 is the router, and .255 is the broadcast address for the entire network.

That leaves you with .2 to .254 to play with.

Set your router's DHCP range from .254 downwards by as many things on your network that travel (laptops, smartphones, etc) plus maybe 2-5 more numbers for a little headroom.

So, say .245 to .254

Start numbering your desktop type computers at .100 and your TiVos at .200

Can't hurt, might help.

You will have relieved your router of the decision of whether to assign an address to the TiVo or not, so it won't be able to do the wrong thing with regard to that, or assign it and then forget that it did so, and the TiVo will never have to ask what it's IP address is, it will already know.

That's how you troubleshoot, eliminate variables.

Also, turn off encryption until you get it working.

Is the new router using the exact same encryption as the old one was?

(they've got a million different names for the various levels)

And broadcast the SSID until you know the TiVo can see it, then turn it back off.


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## simon7 (Mar 26, 2008)

Try unplugging the usb cable in the back of the Tivo and then plugging it back in. Try switching the usb slot you have it plugged into in the back of the Tivo. 

I am actually having a similar problem with a very similar router and this solved it temporarily. I am still troubleshooting whether it will continue to stay connected (it dropped twice, fixed both times with usb unplug and replug, now trying the other slot).


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

simon7 said:


> Try unplugging the usb cable in the back of the Tivo and then plugging it back in. Try switching the usb slot you have it plugged into in the back of the Tivo.
> 
> I am actually having a similar problem with a very similar router and this solved it temporarily. I am still troubleshooting whether it will continue to stay connected (it dropped twice, fixed both times with usb unplug and replug, now trying the other slot).


That sounds like something that results in the handing out of a new IP address via DHCP.

Which can be avoided in the first place with fixed IP.


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## LouisM (Apr 9, 2012)

I really very much appreciate all the kind suggestions offered. I have tried them all utterly without success. Unfortunately, even though I love this Tivo and its predecessor, I have utterly wasted about 4 days of time attempting to get this unit to work and I don't have any more time to apply to this problem. I'm taking the Netgear WNDR4500 router to my weekend cabin where I need good wireless but have no cable TV hence no need for a Tivo -- and I'm having AT&T U-verse intalled here April 16th.
Bye and thanks very much for trying to help!

LouisM


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## DonaldBurns65144 (Jan 11, 2011)

Why not try connecting the tivo via CAT5/6 to see if that solved the connection problem. See if the Tivo is connecting that way or not. You might be chasing the wrong problem. Then work at trying WIFI again if wired works. Also see if you can borrow a 2nd USB WiFi adapter from a friend and try it too. 

IMHO, and not hijack the tread, but when I ran a computer business Netgear routers caused me more problems than all the other brands combined. I often just replaced them rather than spend hours troubleshooting them (at customer expense) with a D-Link or a Trendnet router.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

DonaldBurns65144 said:


> Why not try connecting the tivo via CAT5/6 to see if that solved the connection problem. See if the Tivo is connecting that way or not. You might be chasing the wrong problem. Then work at trying WIFI again if wired works. Also see if you can borrow a 2nd USB WiFi adapter from a friend and try it too.
> 
> IMHO, and not hijack the tread, but when I ran a computer business Netgear routers caused me more problems than all the other brands combined. I often just replaced them rather than spend hours troubleshooting them (at customer expense) with a D-Link or a Trendnet router.


My Netgear 3700V1 works fine on the previous firmware but will not work correctly on the newest firmware. (that newest firmware does say Beta)
Some routers and TiVos have problems.


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## LouisM (Apr 9, 2012)

Well, at least the Tivo Premier and the Netgear WNDR4500 router definitely have problems. I have yet to get the two to work together wirelessly via G adapter. I have not yet heard of one person who has a Netgear WNDR4500 router working wirelessly via G adapter with a Tivo Premier. If there is such a person, please speak up an let us know how you did it. Connecting via ethernet may likely work, but it won't fit the needs of our household (different rooms, and wife just isn't about to allow an ethernet cable snaking between rooms - we do not have Cat 5 wired in the house). So, it's wireless connection to the Tivo Premier or no Tivo Premier at all. There is no phone outlet nearby so dialup Tivo connect to get programming isn't an option either.


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## DonaldBurns65144 (Jan 11, 2011)

Too bad you can't run a wire for testing. Send the wife out shopping? LOL Also, Premiere and Elite can't use phone lines to dial out. So that's not an option. You could pick up a MOCA adapter set and use the cable coax for network if you have also cable coax near the router location. Cheapest solution might be to return the Netgear and pickup a different router.


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