# Ethernet Tivo Mini in a mixed Ethernet and MOCA environment - How I got mine to work!



## DefiantNX74205 (Dec 3, 2015)

I apologize if this entire post is redundant. 
I recently came across a problem (error V70), and was able to resolve it. I created an account on this forum to share my experience, in hopes that it'll help someone.

My environment is comprised of one Roamio (the 6-tuner version), and 5 Tivo minis.

All of the minis were connected via MOCA, but in one room I have no coax connection, so I had to use Ethernet. Since I also don't have Ethernet in that room, I decided to start a Powerline network.

The basic setup is as follows:
1) Roamio DVR <--> Powerline adapter <--> Wall <--> Powerline adapter <--> Router.

2) Roamio DVR <--> Coax

Note that my DVR is connected via Ethernet and Coax - the latter connection allows the DVR to create the MOCA network.

OK, moving on:
3) 4 Tivo Minis connected to the wall via Coax:
Tivo Mini <--> Coax

4) 1 Tivo Mini connected via Ethernet:
Tivo Mini <--> Powerline adapter <--> Wall

Setting up the MOCA network wasn't an issue. If you have a problem with MOCA, there are plenty of threads about it, so I won't cover that.

The issue was with the Tivo Mini I connected via Ethernet (the one mentioned in #4, above). No matter what I did, I couldn't get it to:
a) "See" the main DVR. I got error v70 "Tivo DVR not found".
b) After solving the issue in "a" above (I'll tell you how shortly), I got another error on the Tivo Mini's main screen (the "normal" screen you see when you push the Tivo button) that the Mini can't connect to the main DVR.

The issues in "a" and "b" may be related, and the final fix I applied may be relevant to both, but I'll describe the exact order I did things.

I took the non-connecting Mini (with error v70), and I swapped it with a working one. I connected it via Coax, EVEN THOUGH in its final setup I was planning to use Ethernet. It went all the way through, and got me to the main screen - indicating that setup is complete.
I disconnected it, and took it back to the room that has no Coax. I connected it via the Powerline adapter again. 
It booted to the main screen, but gave me the second error (the one mentioned in "b" above). I think it was error v80 or v81.

At that point, I was lost. Everything in the Powerline network works! I couldn't figure out the issue.

My last resort was to set up the non-working, Powerline-connected Tivo Mini with a static IP. I did the same for the main DVR. In fact, I was on a roll, so I changed the other 4 working Minis to have a static IP as well (note: the other 4 were still on MOCA, but their MOCA IP was changed to a static one).

Everything started to work!

I hope this helps someone resolve a similar issues.

Please respond to this post if you have any questions.

-Defiant


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## policeman51 (Jan 30, 2017)

Thanks for this post. I just ran into this where I was setting up my mini via a 5 port extender and it would not connect to the DVR. Once I set the DVR and the mini to static IPs they connected and I'm all set.


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## alexb (Jan 4, 2003)

Very interesting post, thanks, i assume these are all on the same IP address subnet? I have a suspicion that bridging a MOCA and Ethernet network is problematic as they are not one physical broadcast domain and that something weird is going on with IGMP and ARP tables / forwarding as bonjour is used to locate the devices. Bonjour has many issues in networks that don't have a true broadcast domain. One fix has always been to disable any form of IGMP snooping or other packet storm suppression techniques. Theoretically static IP and dynamic IP should make no difference, but it obviously does... again this point to ARP issues.

I don't have moca but I am tempted to set one up and do a wire shark.


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## kokishin (Sep 9, 2014)

Here's my story:

I got a (used) version 1 Mini this past Friday. The seller and I had already contacted Tivo to switch the Lifetime Service from him to me. I have a Mini in the Master Bedroom with a MOCa connection to the Roamio Pro in the Living Room so I have prior experience with the Mini. I installed the "new" Mini in my Home Office using an Ethernet connection since the cable tv jack (for MOCa) is inconveniently located in my office. I powered up the Mini and nothing happened. I switched the HDMI cable between the Mini and the TV. Still nothing. I then replugged in the Mini's power adapter but I flipped it 180 in the electrical socket and the Mini came alive. I jiggled the power adapter wire and connector to check for a flaky connection but fortunately it remained electrically stable. I don't understand why flipping the power adapter with respect to the AC hot side and neutral would make a difference but it seemed to. I did not flip the power adapter back to see if it would repeat the issue because I didn't want to tempt fate.

The Mini went through its normal setup process as well as downloading the latest Tivo software release. Then the Mini requested the usual setup details such as naming it, using DHCP, etc. Finally, it tried to connect to the Roamio Pro in the Living Room. It could not find the Roamio Pro and the Mini remained stuck at that step in the setup process. I logged into my Asus router to check on the DHCP address for the Mini and it was properly assigned but the Mini was stuck trying to find the Living Room Roamio Pro. I have the Mini connected to a 1Gb switch in the Home Office which connects to a 1Gb switch in the Master Bedroom closet distribution cabinet which connects to an Asus router. I have the Living Room Roamio Pro connected to a 1Gb switch which connects to the same 1Gb switch in the Master Bedroom closet distribution cabinet. I've read where LAN switches can be problematic for Tivos (and Tivo Customer Service will not support Tivos running with switches) so now I'm thinking I might have to try setting up the Tivos with static ip addresses. Since the Mini was stuck, I power cycled it to reboot it and after the usual "almost there " messages, it successfully connected to the Living Room Roamio Pro! 

So even though I have the Tivos going though several layers of switches, using DHCP ip address, and I'm running a mixed MOCa (Master Bedroom Mini)-Ethernet (Home Office Mini) configuration, it all works! I'm a happy camper.


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