# Connecting Mini to Roamio Pro - Tech Support Told Me I Need Both Ethernet & MoCA



## eht (Dec 5, 2013)

I'm trying to setup a Mini with my Roamio Pro. I'm new to Tivo and the Roamio is working just fine.

Note, here are the instructions from the Tivo website on Mini installation:

1) Connect TiVo Mini to the TV.
- For high-definition TV, connect the HDMI cable (included in the package) between TiVo Mini and the TV.
- For other TV types, use component and/or composite breakout cables (available in the TiVo Store).

2) Connect TiVo Mini to the home network using Ethernet or MoCA.
- Ethernet: Connect TiVo Mini to an open input on the router or to an Ethernet jack in the wall using an Ethernet cable.
- MoCA: If you use a MoCA network in your home, connect the coax cable from the wall to the MoCA jack on the back of TiVo Mini.

3) Plug in the TiVo Mini power cord.

4) Make sure you have a direct line of sight between TiVo Mini and your TiVo remote control. If you plan to put TiVo Mini in a cabinet or other enclosed area, you will need a TiVo IR Adapter.

I noticed that instruction #2 uses a "or" for the type of connection. I choose to connect my Mini via Ethernet and a RG6 coax connection was NOT made. Well, I was getting the V70 error (Cannot Connect to DVR). I called Tech Support and they stated I needed to connect both Ethernet and RG6 Coax and set my Roamio network setting to "ethernet+MoCA". FYI, my Mini is activated on my account.

So is the Tivo Technician correct? If so, they need to change the instructions since when I read the "or", I implied that I could just use the Ethernet connection (and all the data would be sent from the Roamio to the Mini via IP).


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

You can use just an ethernet connection, the CSR is incorrect


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

Just ethernet works fine.

How long has it been since the Mini was first set up on your account? It should be fully activated within 24 hours, but some people have also waited an uncomfortably long 3 days before the Mini and DVR will recognize each other.

Sometimes renaming the DVR and forcing it to connect to the service helps kick it in (and then the Mini may need a reboot to restart the Guided Setup process to recognize the status change of the DVR.)


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## eht (Dec 5, 2013)

BigJimOutlaw said:


> Just ethernet works fine.
> 
> How long has it been since the Mini was first set up on your account? It should be fully activated within 24 hours, but some people have also waited an uncomfortably long 3 days before the Mini and DVR will recognize each other.
> 
> Sometimes renaming the DVR and forcing it to connect to the service helps kick it in (and then the Mini may need a reboot to restart the Guided Setup process to recognize the status change of the DVR.)


Thanks for the advice. The Roamio was activated last Wednesday and the Mini late Friday. I was trying to set up the Mini on Friday night & Saturday morning (less than 12 hours after Tivo told me the Mini was activated). I haven't tried it since then.

I'll also rename the Roamio. Does it matter that the Roamio name is not the same one listed under my active devices with my Tivo.com account? Or should I rename it, and then rename back to the name listed under my account?

I'll tell you this Mini setup is a total PITA. I just became a dealer so I plan on installing these in client's homes but this has to go smoother in the future. I cannot go to client's home and then tell them I'll be back in a few days to set up the Minis since they cannot talk to the DVR right away.


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## Futureinsights (Nov 19, 2013)

eht said:


> Thanks for the advice. The Roamio was activated last Wednesday and the Mini late Friday. I was trying to set up the Mini on Friday night & Saturday morning (less than 12 hours after Tivo told me the Mini was activated). I haven't tried it since then.
> 
> I'll also rename the Roamio. Does it matter that the Roamio name is not the same one listed under my active devices with my Tivo.com account? Or should I rename it, and then rename back to the name listed under my account?
> 
> I'll tell you this Mini setup is a total PITA. I just became a dealer so I plan on installing these in client's homes but this has to go smoother in the future. I cannot go to client's home and then tell them I'll be back in a few days to set up the Minis since they cannot talk to the DVR right away.


When you activate from a third party, activation takes a little longer.

If you are using moca, the roamio must be connected via Ethernet (no wifi). A Poe filter is installed at the access point. You can get the Poe filter from TiVo. This should be done BEFORE setting up the moca. Then, set up the roamio with Ethernet + moca (that is just the name of the connection, you are actually using the roamio/premiere as a bridge). Moca is preferred over Ethernet only, because the coax carries much better signal (multimedia over coax alliance, moca). You would need Ethernet outlets throughout the house (not so good when in apartment like myself), in order for the OR ETHERNET to work.

Call and have TiVo activated, signing up for lifetime if preferred. It will take AT LEAST TWO HOURS for the system to even recognize another box (it may show up under your account, ignore those messages). Then, hook up TiVo mini to tv, start the guided set up. It will take about another six hours for the v70 errors to go away. Be sure you have named the TiVo mini. After about 4 hours, start to force connections on the roamio premiere. Then, rename the host box IF it has not already been named (still showing something like dva xxx).

Reboot the host box, sit for awhile playing kaboom, then attempt connection with mini. These are the probs with saving some money ordering from third parties (mine was from amazon -but I no longer want to start paying for service until I have the unit hooked up).

The rep was right, moca in the host box displays as connection type Ethernet + moca.


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## eht (Dec 5, 2013)

Well, it looks like I just had give it time for the Mini to connect to the Roamio (ethernet only). I powered up the Mini this morning (about 48 hours since my last attempt) and it connected perfectly.

The next issue I had with the Mini was no SDV channels (V58 error). So rebooted the tuning adapter, the Roamio, and then the Mini. Then I tried to go to a SDV channel, it would play for 2-3 seconds and the screen would freeze. I then viewed a recorded show for 5 minutes and went back to a SDV channel and appears to it's working. So we'll see it continues to work.

BTW, does anyone have any experience with testing the performance (pixelation, errors, etc.) of a Mini using ethernet vs MoCA? I have to ability to do either so I hoping there was some user experience data that recommended one connection type over the other.


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## apwelsh (Dec 11, 2013)

Futureinsights said:


> If you are using moca, the roamio must be connected via Ethernet (no wifi). A Poe filter is installed at the access point. You can get the Poe filter from TiVo. This should be done BEFORE setting up the moca. Then, set up the roamio with Ethernet + moca (that is just the name of the connection, you are actually using the roamio/premiere as a bridge). Moca is preferred over Ethernet only, because the coax carries much better signal (multimedia over coax alliance, moca). You would need Ethernet outlets throughout the house (not so good when in apartment like myself), in order for the OR ETHERNET to work.


As suggested here, do not use WiFi and MoCa. You DO NOT need to use ethernet though. If you do not have Ethernet running to your TiVo, you can setup the Roamio to only use MoCa. But if you do this, you will need to also install a MoCa adapter at your router. This MoCa adapter would go on the Coax between the cable feed and the Cable Modem, and it will also have an ethernet port to connect the ethernet 10baseT cable into your router. This $45 (prices vary) device will provide a bridge between the MoCa and Ethernet network.

Just be sure that your TiVo is configured in the correct network access mode. for performance, prefer Ethernet gigabit, then MoCa, then Ethernet 100Mbit then WiFi. MoCa is capable of 400Mbps. The ethernet ports on the tiro is gigabit, but even with cat 6, you will only get around 700Mbps, and the router must be gigabit too. So, it is generally preferred to use MoCa over ethernet unless the whole system is gigabit ethernet.

Also, MoCa is faster than Gigabit on Cat 5 or Cat 5e cables, so keep this in mind too.


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## teklock (Sep 11, 2012)

apwelsh said:


> As suggested here, do not use WiFi and MoCa. You DO NOT need to use ethernet though. If you do not have Ethernet running to your TiVo, you can setup the Roamio to only use MoCa. But if you do this, you will need to also install a MoCa adapter at your router. This MoCa adapter would go on the Coax between the cable feed and the Cable Modem, and it will also have an ethernet port to connect the ethernet 10baseT cable into your router. This $45 (prices vary) device will provide a bridge between the MoCa and Ethernet network.
> 
> Just be sure that your TiVo is configured in the correct network access mode. for performance, prefer Ethernet gigabit, then MoCa, then Ethernet 100Mbit then WiFi. MoCa is capable of 400Mbps. The ethernet ports on the tiro is gigabit, but even with cat 6, you will only get around 700Mbps, and the router must be gigabit too. So, it is generally preferred to use MoCa over ethernet unless the whole system is gigabit ethernet.
> 
> Also, MoCa is faster than Gigabit on Cat 5 or Cat 5e cables, so keep this in mind too.


Unless you have really long runs, you won't be able to tell the difference between different cable types. Cat 5e is fine for 1gig if the run is less than 100m.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

apwelsh said:


> As suggested here, do not use WiFi and MoCa. You DO NOT need to use ethernet though. If you do not have Ethernet running to your TiVo, you can setup the Roamio to only use MoCa. But if you do this, you will need to also install a MoCa adapter at your router. This MoCa adapter would go on the Coax between the cable feed and the Cable Modem, and it will also have an ethernet port to connect the ethernet 10baseT cable into your router. This $45 (prices vary) device will provide a bridge between the MoCa and Ethernet network.
> 
> Just be sure that your TiVo is configured in the correct network access mode. for performance, prefer Ethernet gigabit, then MoCa, then Ethernet 100Mbit then WiFi. MoCa is capable of 400Mbps. The ethernet ports on the tiro is gigabit, but even with cat 6, you will only get around 700Mbps, and the router must be gigabit too. So, it is generally preferred to use MoCa over ethernet unless the whole system is gigabit ethernet.
> 
> Also, MoCa is faster than Gigabit on Cat 5 or Cat 5e cables, so keep this in mind too.


Cat5e and Cat6 can both easily exceed 900Mb/s transfers. They are both rated for 100 meteres. I've been using GigE connections since 2001 on cat5e. Giagbait Ethernet was designed to run on Cat5e. If you can only get 700Mb/s over Cat5E then something is wrong.

Of course the TiVo can't get speeds like that. And the only advantage I've seen with GigE on my Roamio Pro is faster transfer rates to my PC. Around 180Mb/s. Otherwise from a user perspective, the experience has been identical whether I use WiFi, MoCA, ethernet, or gigabit Ethernet.


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