# Periodically Lose Networking



## jmasterman (Dec 15, 2005)

I periodically lose both FTP and Telnet and my Series 2 Tivo disappears from the network. A 3 Thumbs Down reset fixes it each time. I built the unit with an Instant Cake 6.2 image, ptvnet disk, and the enhancement script.

The unit continues to record season passes etc. when it drops networking. When the networking is up, everything else works including tyserver.

I did a search but didn't find what I was looking for. Any idea where to start?

TIA


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

Are you manually assigning an IP or is it using DHCP? Are you using wired or wireless?


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## jmasterman (Dec 15, 2005)

Sorry, I should have included that info.

Wired, DHCP. The address never changes and I have not had trouble with any other nodes.


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## ForrestB (Apr 8, 2004)

Try plugging the USB adapter into the other USB port on your Tivo


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## jmasterman (Dec 15, 2005)

Switched ports about 9 hours ago...

I'll know tomorrow.


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## jmasterman (Dec 15, 2005)

It's still up! I gotta know why?


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## SamOfSiam (Jun 13, 2005)

Now, I am no DHCP expert, but I think that may be the culprit? DHCP servers give each client a lease time, or how long that the IP address is reserved for that computer. Maybe the lease time is up and if there is no traffic going through the network port, it cuts the connection, until a reboot happens, then it tries to grab the IP address again. I know that DHCP cache mac address/IP address relationships, so that might be why you are getting the same IP address.
I hope that made sense, but try setting up your IP address on your tivo to have a static IP? Just my 2 cents.


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## jmasterman (Dec 15, 2005)

It lasted the longest this time but it finally dropped out. I set up a hard ip address and it's back on the clock. I did see a lease time for the DHCP address in the logs.


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## Yog-Sothoth (Jun 14, 2005)

What are the make and model of your router? You may be able to use static DHCP.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

this looks like a good thread to drop this question into:
My Linksys WRT54G went belly up and I replaced it with a Belkin Wireless G router.
For some reason I am getting empty NPL on this thing and I fixed that by adding my WAN IP address to my tivo. The other issue I have is telnet takes a long time to start, like 15-20 seconds.
What gives?
My tivos are all set up static IP's with netgear FA120's into belkin wireless bridges.
Any ideas?


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## Yog-Sothoth (Jun 14, 2005)

> My Linksys WRT54G went belly up and I replaced it with a Belkin Wireless G router.


Why the Belkin, out of curiosity? You basically replaced your Linksys with the same router, but with a smaller flash RAM, so even though it uses the same Broadcom chipset, it won't take a Linksys firmware.

If I had a Belkin, I could d*ck with it and see what I could come up with.

[EDIT]

I found someone who hacked the Belkin firmware here.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

I went with the belkin for a couple of reasons 1 it was 40 bucks no reabates and I needed one NOW
and they have a lifetime warranty.


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

Gunnyman said:


> For some reason I am getting empty NPL on this thing and I fixed that by adding my WAN IP address to my tivo. The other issue I have is telnet takes a long time to start, like 15-20 seconds.
> What gives?
> My tivos are all set up static IP's with netgear FA120's into belkin wireless bridges.
> Any ideas?


As I'm sure you're aware, the empty NPL is almost always a DNS problem. You say you fixed it by adding your WAN IP address to your Tivo...can you be more specific? What did you add, exactly?

Also when you say telnet takes a long time...do you mean you telnet into your Tivo and it doesn't respond for 15-20 secs?


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

I go 10-20 seconds from typing telnet command to seeing a BASH prompt.
as for your 1st question I got my ISP's DNS server info and added that to the tivo via the net config module.
I am static to all my computers/tivos and have set the Belkin up to use the same subnet as the old linksys.


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

OK. So I'm going to make a few assumptions here, and then ask some questions.

I assume that your entire house/dwelling/hole/cardboard box/trailer/other is on a single subnet. I further assume that you're smart enough to not allocate duplicate IP addresses (hey, don't laugh, I've seen it...). 

Now, are you all wireless, or a combination of wired/wireless? If a combo, which devices are wired and which are not? Do all wired devices plug directly into the new Belkin router or do you have a separate switch? Are you using any wireless bridges and, if so, what brand/model and what devices are using 'em?


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

I think I have discovered the problem.
if I use the alias I created in my host file on my computer, "livingroom" I see the delay
if I type the IP I get there instantly
odd.


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## jmasterman (Dec 15, 2005)

My router/modem is a Westell 327W (from Verizon DSL)
My Tivo is still up with a hard ip address. I used The applet in Tivoweb to set it.


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

Gunnyman said:


> I think I have discovered the problem.
> if I use the alias I created in my host file on my computer, "livingroom" I see the delay
> if I type the IP I get there instantly
> odd.


Does your computer point to your router for DNS, or to your ISP's DNS servers?


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

the router I imagine although my hosts file on my mac has an entry for livingroom and the tivo IP address.


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

Rightright, but on many machines the hosts file isn't consulted until after DNS fails. Given the issue you were also having with your Tivo, I'd say your new router is very, very slow at DNS lookups -- or at least, slow at timing out/reporting back a no-host-found.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

makes sense Cheer.
And this is a bargain basement belken for sure
no advanced routing table where I could enter the IP's for my computers or tivos. 
I'll just make a desktop alias to telnet with the IP's as a work around.
Thanks for trying.


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

No prob...hmm, don't seem to have that issue with my Cisco router...


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

cheer said:


> No prob...hmm, don't seem to have that issue with my Cisco router...


got a spare?


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

Gunnyman said:


> got a spare?


Depends what you mean by spare. I have a stack of 'em, but I'm using 'em to prep for the CCIE.


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## Yog-Sothoth (Jun 14, 2005)

I posted about hacked firmware and didn't bother to ask: Are you running the latest [official] firmware for the router?


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## jmasterman (Dec 15, 2005)

Firm ip address fixed my dissappearing tivo. It has been up for two days.


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## infin8007 (Dec 26, 2007)

My problem is that it keeps losing the livign room tivo from the NPL on my bedroom tivo.
PyTivo always shows up no problem, and that pc is connected wired to the router along with the living room tivo. I dont 'get it why the pc shows up, but the tivo only shows up for a short time after a reboot of the bedroom tivo. The bedroom tivo is behind a client bridged router.. and always shows up to the living room tivo from what i see.. i'm using
static addresses for all of them. grr.


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