# Does TiVo VOX Mini have WiFi?



## ke3ju (Jan 5, 2004)

Took my Garage VOX Mini out to the patio TV thinking I'd be able to use it on my WiFi, there does not appear to be WiFi on this device. If so, that's pretty lame. Why would my Roamio have it, and not the Mini? If anything, the Roamio would need more bandwidth than the Mini.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

Tell TiVo -> http://advisors.tivo.com/wix/5/p2272893819.aspx


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

TiVo wants the use of a Mini to be a quality experience and has stated that WiFi connectibility just isn't up to the task at this point (well, as of a few years back when this statement was made).

Having said that and although not endorsed by TiVo, many do it regardless, easily and successfully and without any issue, using a WiFi access point connected to the Mini--see Joe above; others, nope. A big YMMV. Many posts and threads here on this. And others have had success with a Powerline adapter setup--again, others, nope, and YMMV. If trying either alternative out and buying equipment, good to be able to do an easy return, if it doesn't work out.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

ke3ju said:


> Why would my Roamio have it, and not the Mini? If anything, the Roamio would need more bandwidth than the Mini.


The DVRs have wireless built-in because a wireless connection is supported for base DVR functionality: TiVo service and guide data connections, streaming app support, and TiVo MRV (Multi-Room Viewing; i.e. transfers).

If you want to use a DVR for MRS (Multi-Room Streaming) or in a TiVo whole home setup (i.e. with Minis, also streaming), TiVo officially requires that any DVR and Minis have wired network connections (Ethernet or MoCA) to the router's LAN, to support the increased bandwidth required for streaming the tuned content over the home network. That said, TiVo boxes do not have any verification process or test to ensure that they are connected as required, opening the door to alternative solutions.


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## ke3ju (Jan 5, 2004)

So, I set up a wireless bridge using a Cisco Linksys E1200 with the DD-WRT firmware on it. It works great, except that the TiVo VOX Mini can't see the Roamio. Everything else works; Netflix, Amazon, Plex, Pandora, etc...it can call home with no problem. It just can't see the Roamio for playback or live TV.

I plug my laptop into the Bridge and do a Speedtest.net, and get 98 Mbps Throughput down and about 65 Mbps up.

The thing that I am wondering, is how this bridge business actually works...seems like there's some weird MAC Address masking going on or something. The TiVo Mini's connection shows as one MAC and IP on the Bridge, and different ones on the Mini, and the actual DHCP server handing out the IPs. I tried setting a static IP and lost connectivity all together. There's something strange there.

If anyone has any insight, please share. I'm not giving up quite yet. Once I understand more how the bridge actually works and how the TiVos try to find each other on the network, I may be able to solve this.

It's too bad there's no option to point the Mini to the Roamio just by simply plugging the Roamio's IP into the Mini, or vice versa.

I had a similar problem with a switch and DirecTV DVRs once. This particular switch was filtering out whatever network layer the DVRs were using to see each other.

Thanks everyone!!!


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

ke3ju said:


> So, I set up a wireless bridge using a Cisco Linksys E1200 with the DD-WRT firmware on it. It works great, except that the TiVo VOX Mini can't see the Roamio. Everything else works; Netflix, Amazon, Plex, Pandora, etc...it can call home with no problem. It just can't see the Roamio for playback or live TV.
> Thanks everyone!!!


I have several Mini, but they don't like changes. Sort of like me. I always reboot stuff every month. Sometimes, after I reboot a bridge, I need to power cycle the Mini connected to it. Like you said, usually it can access the internet fine, but fails to work with its host even if the host is on the list of devices. So I reboot the bridge, wait for 5 minutes, then reboot the Mini.

While each bridge has a reservation in my router, I add the reservation for its Mini after things are working and I can see its MAC address. Sometime the bridge will make fake MAC addresses with 1/2 of it real. It helps to make a plan. My bridges are at x.x.x.YY where YY is 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 so I can track who's on first even if the name changes.

BTW, only the speed between the Mini and its router matters. About 20Mbps will work fine.


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## OrangeCrush (Feb 18, 2016)

ke3ju said:


> So, I set up a wireless bridge using a Cisco Linksys E1200 with the DD-WRT firmware on it. It works great, except that the TiVo VOX Mini can't see the Roamio. Everything else works; Netflix, Amazon, Plex, Pandora, etc...it can call home with no problem. It just can't see the Roamio for playback or live TV.
> 
> I plug my laptop into the Bridge and do a Speedtest.net, and get 98 Mbps Throughput down and about 65 Mbps up.
> 
> ...


Try and set the "Bridge" into Access Point mode (it's been a while since I've messed with DD-WRT so I can't be more exact) and make sure DHCP is disabled on the bridge. You want the Mini to ask your main router's DHCP server for an IP address so it's in the same subnet as the Roamio otherwise you'll get what you describe--it can connect to Netflix, but not the Roamio.


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## ke3ju (Jan 5, 2004)

OrangeCrush said:


> Try and set the "Bridge" into Access Point mode (it's been a while since I've messed with DD-WRT so I can't be more exact) and make sure DHCP is disabled on the bridge. You want the Mini to ask your main router's DHCP server for an IP address so it's in the same subnet as the Roamio otherwise you'll get what you describe--it can connect to Netflix, but not the Roamio.


DHCP is disabled, and the IPs on the Bridge are in the same subnet as the IPs the rest of the network is using. I'll keep messing with it.


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