# Best wireless N router to work with TiVo



## TitanTiger (May 5, 2009)

I've been using a WRT54G-TM (TMobile @ Home) wireless router, but we are leaving Tmobile and I'd like to upgrade to a faster router. And the one we had seems to have issues with the TiVo iPad app. If you reboot the TiVo it shows up for a while but within an hour or two, it can no longer be seen on the network. I'd like to avoid that on the new router. Any help would be appreciated.


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## TitanTiger (May 5, 2009)

So, no suggestions?


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

Unlikely that the router is to blame. If you want a new router anyway, look at the TP-Link line. Inexpensive and work well.


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## lrhorer (Aug 31, 2003)

TitanTiger said:


> So, no suggestions?


Sure. Don't try to go wireless. It is highly recommended against, doubly especially for video, and triply especially for hosts that establish themselves via protocols such as Bonjour.

If there is any way at all possible to avoid wireless, do so. Otherwise, expect trouble.

Meanwhile, some wireless routers do indeed give more trouble with Bonjour or TiVo Beacon than others. You can try switching from one to the other.


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## javabird (Oct 13, 2006)

Are you a Mac user? If so, you might look into an Airport Extreme.


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## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

I second the recomendation to get your tivos off wireless. Moca just works too well and too easy to mess with wireless and its issues for Tivo.

As far as well designed and supported wireless routers, I have been very pleased with Cisco. Have one of thier wireless routers and 2 wireless extensions for full coverage from garage to back yard.


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## mm2margaret (Dec 7, 2010)

I use an Asus 802.11ac router and bridge. It's just as fast as wired Ethernet or Moca (keeping in mind that Tivo's top speed is 100 Mbps, Fast Ethernet), and my Tivo Premiere's transfer videos just as fast as before when I had Moca, and they stream back and forth just fine. But, it's pricey, as 802.11ac is new. So, if you're going for cheap, another router might be better for you.


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## lrhorer (Aug 31, 2003)

mm2margaret said:


> I use an Asus 802.11ac router and bridge. It's just as fast as wired Ethernet or Moca (keeping in mind that Tivo's top speed is 100 Mbps, Fast Ethernet)


Well, actually, not. If the wireless setup is perfectly healthy - which is a challenge, then it can handle a single transfer to or from a single TiVo. A TiVo can simultaneously transmit and receive, however, resulting in a maximum hypothetical throughput of 200 Mbps (admittedly, I have never seen more than 160 Mbps from a single TiVo), and even a 100Mbps download results in a utilization of about 120 Mbps, total. One can also have multiple TiVos and other devices all transferring at the same time. On a wired network, this can easily result in several gigabits total throughput.


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## mm2margaret (Dec 7, 2010)

lrhorer said:


> Well, actually, not. If the wireless setup is perfectly healthy - which is a challenge, then it can handle a single transfer to or from a single TiVo. A TiVo can simultaneously transmit and receive, however, resulting in a maximum hypothetical throughput of 200 Mbps (admittedly, I have never seen more than 160 Mbps from a single TiVo), and even a 100Mbps download results in a utilization of about 120 Mbps, total. One can also have multiple TiVos and other devices all transferring at the same time. On a wired network, this can easily result in several gigabits total throughput.


??? Not sure what your point is, really. Unless you're talking about theoretical speeds, which really isn't the point here. My wireless setup transfers files as fast as the Tivo can handle them. How do I know? Because I used to have Moca and I've benchmarked both. There is no difference in speed - the limitation is the Tivo's ability to handle the traffic.

The Tivo's Ethernet chip IS Fast Ethernet, which at full duplex, allows 100 Mbps transfers in both directions, 100 Mbps down and 100 Mbps up. No more. If you want to call that 200 Mbps, you can, but that's misleading, because the greatest speed that can be attained with Fast Ethernet in one direction is 100 Mbps. By the way, you're talking to a CCIE. Don't know what that is? Google it.

I've had my installation up for 2 months using the Asus AC router and Media Bridge with no problems. I use MRV and transfer files between my two Premiere's with no issue. So, well, ACTUALLY, yes, it works just fine. As for other wireless devices, I just can't say, as I made sure I had enough speed and coverage capability to make this work.

I should note that I installed pyTivo, and have transfered multiple of multiple of Gigabytes of data with no issue (Movies tend to be larger than TV shows).


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## tvmaster2 (Sep 9, 2006)

mm2margaret said:


> ??? Not sure what your point is, really. Unless you're talking about theoretical speeds, which really isn't the point here. My wireless setup transfers files as fast as the Tivo can handle them. How do I know? Because I used to have Moca and I've benchmarked both. There is no difference in speed - the limitation is the Tivo's ability to handle the traffic.
> 
> The Tivo's Ethernet chip IS Fast Ethernet, which at full duplex, allows 100 Mbps transfers in both directions, 100 Mbps down and 100 Mbps up. No more. If you want to call that 200 Mbps, you can, but that's misleading, because the greatest speed that can be attained with Fast Ethernet in one direction is 100 Mbps. By the way, you're talking to a CCIE. Don't know what that is? Google it.
> 
> ...


so a gigabit router would be pointless for TiVo?


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