# Mini enumerates Roamios, can see Internet, but won't connect to DVR



## Davepl (Aug 27, 2002)

I have two Roamio Pros and one Mini (five more to install). I'll call the two Roamios 'Loft' and 'MediaRoom' to keep it clear. The Mini is in the 'Nook'.

The Mini can "see" and enumerate both Pros when you go to the DVR connection menu but has the "no smoking" sign beside them and cannot connect to either.

Yesterday with just the first MediaRoom TiVo present, I created a MoCA network. The Mini could see it and connect just fine.

I added the second Loft Roamio TiVo today. I accidentally first selected "Create a MoCA network", then cancelled that by switching to Ethernet and finally back to MoCA. It now has a coax only, no Cat5 connected at all. And it can connect to the Internet.

So here's the current situation:

1) The MediaRoom TiVo is the MoCA bridge to Ethernet. Everything else is coax.

2) All boxes can get a LAN IP, connect to the TiVo service, it's all great in that respect.

3) You can play a show from one Pro on the other, which uses the MoCA since the Loft TiVo is coax-only. It gets an IP and can conenct to TiVo.

4) The mini sees but won't conenct to either.

5) I have the same media access key on all of them

6) I've forced a service connection on all three (which works), no change.

So I'm stumped. They can all see each other through MoCA, and via MoCA they can all get a LAN IP and see the Internet. But as of today I can't pick a DVR connection.

Any ideas? I'm simply stuck and need your sage-like wisdom.

Thanks!
Dave


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## Davepl (Aug 27, 2002)

I rebooted everything again, and now the Mini can see the Media Room TiVo, which is the MoCA bridge, but not the Loft TiVo, which is MoCA only.

I can try reversing this (make the upstairs one the MoCA bridge) but am not aware of any limitation that only the bridge box can be connected to.


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## lgnad (Feb 14, 2013)

Setting them up and getting them all talking can sometimes be a little difficult, as you have discovered. It's usually a combination of connecting to tivo, reboots, and a little patience.

Either Roamio will be able to act as the host, you're just in the feeling-out period when the units are all trying to do thier internal housekeeping while also exploring thier new world.

Assuming you were planning on setting up all the minis on Moca, It MIGHT speed things up if you initially set up the mins on Ethernet, if you have a convenient spot to do so, anyway... Plug it in, go through the setup, get it working, move it to its home on Moca, repeat.


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## Davepl (Aug 27, 2002)

I'm a little stumped by how the Mini can connect to one but not the other. And yet they two Pros can stream from one another.

How long will this "feeling out" period last? They've had plenty of connections to the TiVo service and reboots along the way.

Is there something I can try on the one that's not working, like switching it to Ethernet and back or something?


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Whenever you add a Tivo device, it must be added to your Tivo.com account, subscribed if needed, DVR Preferences checked, Force Tivo connections on all your Tivo devices.

When it connects to Tivo, it adds authorization for the new device on the other Tivo devices on your network. (and vice versa)


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## Davepl (Aug 27, 2002)

Well, I thought I was overdoing it, but I guess not.

This morning I removed all MoCA networking. I set everything up from fresh again, but this time made the OTHER Roamio the bridge (by which I mean I used it to create the MoCA network - it says MoCA + Ethernet under status now, but not 'Bridge' anywhere).

So everything is reversed except the problem. The Mini can still only see the Media Roamio, the one that used to be the bridge (but isn't now). It still can't see the Loft Roamio, which is now the bridge.

Everyone can still get IPs and I've connected each one to the TiVo service a number of times this morning. I've rebooted the Mini a number of times. Haven't done multiple reboots of the Roamios because that takes time and just feels like flailing.

TiVo's support response was basically "force connections and reboot", which of course I've done so many times now I've almost lost faith in rebooting.

There are other older Series3 and HD boxes on the Ethernet, and they show up as not available, which makes sense. I'm going to unplug them just to be safe.

Anything other I can try? Thanks folks...


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## dbpaddler (Sep 25, 2004)

All this networking is fun. I have the basic 4 tuner Roamio connected to the Comcast modem/router that has moca built in. I have a splitter that goes from the cable in to the modem/router and Roamio. I also connected the Roamio to the router via Ethernet. Without Moca active, it connected to the internet just fine. I activated Moca on the router and plugged in a Mini via coax, set it up with Moca and it works fine. I took a second Mini via Ethernet to the router, set it up, it connected and updated but won't find the Roamio. I switched to coax and tried via moca and it still won't see the Roamio. So now I'm baffled. 

Was so happy the first Mini worked, and the Comcast guy was impressed I made it look simple. Now with Mini #2 it's nothing but headache.

And another kicker is I can't get my Ethernet/hdmi going either so I was just trying to do a temp hookup with the second Mini in its place. And the Ethernet cables are fine if they let the Mini connect to the internet and download, but add the send/receive adapters at either end, and nada.

Edit...helps to read. Forced the Roamio to connect and that did the trick. Makes sense. Down to the HDMI over Cat 5 issue. 

So with everything connected, the host box for the Mini is fine, but the secondary box shows at the bottom of My Shows with red slashed circle? I would think redoing the wiring is just spinning wheels as long as you know it's all wired properly. I think I would force a Tivo connection on the secondary box then redo the guided setup on the Mini.


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## Davepl (Aug 27, 2002)

After a couple more reboots and connects (after switching the two Roamios) the problem has now reversed - now I can only see the one I want to see.

So that's kind of a "Well, I guess it works" outcome, but I'm sure there will be times that I want to switch TiVos or view something on the other, so I wish I knew what the underlying issue is.

Even if it caught fire, burned down my house, and stole my car on the way out, it's still better than dealing with xFinity X1 though.


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## dbpaddler (Sep 25, 2004)

You could always transfer some shows from the unseen roamio to the seen one as a short term fix... :/


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## Davepl (Aug 27, 2002)

I haven't looked, but I imagine third-party viewing isn't possible - for example, go to a Mini, connect it to Roamio1, and from Roamio1's Now Playing list browse to and stream a video from Roamio2. 

You can do that if actually on Roamio1, but I imagine not through a Mini. Not my initial conundrum, just a bit of a tangent...


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## Davepl (Aug 27, 2002)

Well, this is unlikely to help anyone, but it only happened (and remains true of) the first one I set up. The other 5 can see both. No idea why, but I can live with it.


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