# wireless bridge and dvr40



## PeterGriffin (May 25, 2005)

I have a hacked dvr40 running 6.2. I'm using a netgear fa120 ethernet adapter. When I connect it directly to my router, it works fine. I get bash prompt and everything functions like it should. I bought a Buffalo Ethernet Converter WLI-TX4. I set up the Buffalo Converter with DHCP and when I log into my router, I see the Buffalo Converter as 192.168.0.13. Then, I plug in the fa120 to it. I check the router again, and the Buffalo Converter is gone. I'm not a pro at networking, but I can't figure out what the problem is. Any ideas?


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## Yog-Sothoth (Jun 14, 2005)

Your "converter" has an option to clone the MAC address of the device plugged into it, so enable it (page 18 of the manual) and enter the MAC address of your Netgear FA120. You shouldn't worry about the IP address of the converter itself, since it should be functioning as a transparent bridge.


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## PeterGriffin (May 25, 2005)

I appreciate the help. You're the best.


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## PeterGriffin (May 25, 2005)

Yog-Sothoth said:


> Your "converter" has an option to clone the MAC address of the device plugged into it, so enable it (page 18 of the manual) and enter the MAC address of your Netgear FA120. You shouldn't worry about the IP address of the converter itself, since it should be functioning as a transparent bridge.


On page 18 of the manual, it says this:

18
◗ Multiple Client Support - allows the built-in 4 port switch
to be connected to multiple clients. Disabling this limits
the Ethernet Converter to use with only one client device at
a time.
◗ SSID - In the SSID ﬁ eld, enter the SSID name of the
wireless network that the Ethernet Converter is to connect
with. Use the same SSID as your router/access point.
It can be typed in manually or it can be searched for by
pressing the Search button.
◗ Wireless Network Type - Choose between Infrastructure
(Access Point Based) or Ad-hoc (Client to Client).
◗ Wireless Channel - The channel will be automatically selected in Infrastructure
networks. For Ad-hoc networks, both clients must be set on the same channel.
◗ Encryption Key - The Ethernet Converter supports WEP encryption (64 and 128 bit)
and WPA-PSK (TKIP and AES). Input the proper encryption type and key into the
provided ﬁ elds. For WEP, select HEX or ASCII key type from the drop down menu.
If more than one WEP key is entered, please place a bullet next to the key that the
Access Point/Router is using.

It doesn't say anything about cloning the mac address of the fa120.


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## PeterGriffin (May 25, 2005)

anyone have any ideas? still struggling with this thing and there isn't anything on page 18 to clone the mac address of the fa120.


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## Yog-Sothoth (Jun 14, 2005)

I looked at the full manual on their website here.


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## PeterGriffin (May 25, 2005)

Yog-Sothoth said:


> I looked at the full manual on their website here.


Thanks for the help, Yog-Sothoth. I have my fa120 connected to the wireless converter and I can see the tivos ip address on my router. It shows up with the mac address of the fa120 also. When I try to log into the tivo with "telnet 192.168.0.11", which is the tivos ip address, it says its connecting but never connects and just times out. I know I am looking at the correct connection on the router. It even has the tivos service number listed. Any ideas? And thanks again for the help getting me this far. I appreciate it. One last thing, when I connect the tivo directly to the router, I can log into it and I don't have any problems. It's just when I try to do it over the wireless converter. Also, I have wep turned off on the router.


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## kb7sei (Oct 4, 2001)

Can you connect to the Buffalo converter with a web browser from the other side of the wireless bridge? It's not really a transparent bridge, it's a device with it's own IP address. It acts a lot like WDS or Client-Bridge modes on other equipment, actually. I'm using one now, and I get great transfer rates from my Tivo to the wired computer (connected to the AP). 

I'm using all Buffalo equipment here, I decided to try this unit after reading about it elsewhere and I just set it up today. If you have the router that goes with it, try using AOSS. Just hold down the AOSS button on the router for a few seconds till the light blinks, then do the same on the converter. They should link up and the lights should go solid after a minute or so. You should be good to go from here. 

If you don't have AOSS available, either disable encryption just to get it working, then add it back later, or make sure the keys are the same. Mine is all hooked up with WPA-AES and everything. I didn't really need to configure anything other than the wireless network settings on the converter itself, it just worked out of the box. Have you tried it with a non-Tivo device? It shouldn't matter, but it's worth checking. 

I then used the config utility on the CD that came with it to find it, configure the IP settings, and log in over the wireless network to change the password and such. I have mine connected at 80-110 Mbps. I can tranfer from the tivo at about 2.25MB/s. That's about a 30 min show in 4 minutes. I'm using the FA-120 and a SD-DVR80 with 4.0.1b self-hacked before the zipper came out.


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## PeterGriffin (May 25, 2005)

kb7sei said:


> Can you connect to the Buffalo converter with a web browser from the other side of the wireless bridge?
> 
> It's not really a transparent bridge, it's a device with it's own IP address. It acts a lot like WDS or Client-Bridge modes on other equipment, actually. I'm using one now, and I get great transfer rates from my Tivo to the wired computer (connected to the AP).
> 
> ...


I'm not sure what you mean by connecting to it from the other side of the bridge via a web browser.

I don't have aoss.

I have successfully used it to connect to the internet on my computer.

When I look it up on my router, I can see the tivos ip address via the buffalo converter. I just can't log into the tivo with telnet.

Thanks for the help. This thing has me stumped.


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## PeterGriffin (May 25, 2005)

Still struggling with this thing. Any ideas?


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## kb7sei (Oct 4, 2001)

Alright, have you given the converter it's own IP address? You would have to use the CD it came with or change your computer's IP to something like 1.1.1.2 to connect with a web browser to give it an address on your network. 

Once that works, connect to it with a browser and make sure the wireless settings are correct. In the managment section of the advanced settings screen it shows the network status. Is that all working? Now disconnect the ethernet converter from any wires except the power cable. Can you talk to it from your computer? Can you view the settings screen on it and such? 

When you say you have connected to the internet with your computer, does the computer have wireless access? It could have gone over that. If you haven't done it yet, try this setup:

Computer--->Ethernet Cable--->Ethernet Converter--->Wireless--->Router--->Internet

Make sure that the wireless card in the computer is disabled or does not exist. Does this work? If so, I can't imagine anything different about a Tivo that would make it not work. As far as the network is concerned, the Tivo is nothing special. It's just another ethernet device. 

You might try assigning a static IP address to the Tivo. I've had DHCP work over the converter, but it's something to think about. My Tivos are static addresses. I'll keep an eye on the thread to see if I can help.


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## kb7sei (Oct 4, 2001)

One more idea. Try swapping the converter and your router. Plug the Tivo into your router and plug your computer into the converter. Can you talk now? 

I realize this will probably not work as a long-term soultion as you probably use the wireless router for internet access, but it might help diagnose the problem. 

Also, check the wireless router to make sure you don't have any options set to prevent them from talking to each other. For example, most routers have a "Wiress Privacy" option that prevents wireless clients from talking to clients on the router's wired connection. If that is enabled, it could prevent packets coming back from the Tivo from getting to the wired section of your network. 

Check to make sure you're not using MAC filtering and such as well. If you can, you might want to reset both the router and the converter to factory defaults so they are both wide open and try it with no encryption or anything. You don't want to leave it that way, but it might help you see if there is an option in the router or converter preventing the communication.


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## PeterGriffin (May 25, 2005)

Got it. I think I might have been missing a simple step. Redid everything and now it's up and going great. Thanks for all the help.


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