I am having issues with my DirecTV Genie network and need some expert advice from you nice folks! I am rather experienced in networking - at least enough to be dangerous. I have reviewed several posts and white papers on the subject, for which I cannot thank you folks enough for posting them! :grin: After following those recommendations, everything pretty much appears to be working - except GenieGo. The system was professionally installed in 07/2014. Everything in the DTV Network was installed at the same time, incl. the GenieGo. Here is how my DTV network is configured:
Consists:
TVRO - A SWiM LNB (Not certain the version) and dish outside (of course :tongue:)
THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE - (RG6 installed when house was built in 1999 - dual runs to each room)
DEN - Genie HR44-500 DVR - 20ft RG6 - IP 10.10.10.30
OFFICE - C41 Genie Mini - 20ft RG6 - IP 10.10.10.32
GUEST RM - C41 Genie Mini - 35ft RG6 - IP 10.10.10.33
MASTER BR - C41 Genie Mini - 90ft RG6 - IP 10.10.10.34
IN THE BASEMENT - (These devices are located at the Home-Run DMARC)
A GenieGo (Gen2 - with the single LED) - 4ft RG6 - IP 10.10.10.31
A DECA-BB (The newer, oval-shaped kind) - 4ft RG6
A SWiM Power Injector
A single 8-Port Splitter
All 7 devices in the DTV network are connected in the basement at a single 8-way splitter. The 8th port is capped with a terminator. So is the unused IRD port on the SWiM Power Injector. Also, the PwrInj is connected to Port 1 of the splitter to pass power through. The LNB is on the "9th port" to the dish. The DTV network accesses the internet via a direct Ethernet connection to a NetGear NightHawk router vis-a-vis the DECA-BB. This is the only bridge between my 1Gbps Ethernet/WiFi network and the MoCA Network.
The home network is Static, IPv4, 10.10.x.x / 255.255.x.x. Router is at 10.10.10.1. Broadband is through Comcast CATV at 50Mbps on my own Motorola modem (not community). The router allows ports 8082 and 8083 out for the GenieGo. It is also set to allow the ports for the HR44.
Problems:
The DECA-BB illuminates an amber network indicator (power is always green) after the MoCA has been up for more than 48 hours or so, after a complete system cycle and start-up. (This is INFURIATING, because the tech who installed the system last summer when I bought the house had this same problem, spent 2 hours trying to fix it, but split after it went green! A day later, it was back to amber!)
The Master BR C41 freezes on rare occasions - and ONLY after commands are selected on the remote (calling up the playlist, FF, RW recorded video playback, changing channels, etc.) A reboot is all that will unfreeze it. No other unit in the home has this issue - the Den, Office, and Guest Room all work PERFECTLY!
The GenieGo can stream inside the home ALWAYS, can be seen outside the home (w/Playlists on the HR44) ALWAYS, but streaming is hit-or-miss outside. In fact, I have only been able to stream ONCE in the year I have had this set-up! Diags on GenieGo show all green and that OOH Access is set up successfully. (And, YES - The HR44 is set to allow OOH access and Playlist sharing.)
What I have done:
Using the methods found in the white papers found on this site (again, THANK YOU!!! :D), I have discovered that the problem with the Master BR C41 lies in the household cable run between the jack and the basement. This should be ONE CONTINUOUS RUN, from insert-to-insert. When the tech installed the system, he DID replace EVERY barrel in EVERY jack with the DTV-approved kind, as well as retermed ALL the ends in the network - LNB-to-Split, all room runs - everything! He also used a magnet to check the existing RG6?? He also manufactured all the RG6 patch cables between the equip and the jacks/splitter.
I swapped-out the MBR and the Guest Room C41's - same problem. I took the MBR C41 down to the Basement, connected directly to the same port the run was on for the MBR, and it works a-ok! I also connected the C41 directly into the RG6 feed without ANY barrels or patch cables - same problem.
The network test on the HR44 (Select + > screen) shows ACCEPTABLE PSY LEVELS according to the White Papers. NO WHERE NEAR -45!!! The grid shows 225-290 on ALL equipment. In fact, the data returned BETTER numbers for the MBR than any other device on the network??? :eek2:
DEN (Node 0) = N/A (Of course)
OFFICE (Node 1) = -13
GUEST RM (Node 2) = -15
MASTER BR (Node 3) = -9 !!!!!!
DECA (Node 4) = -12
GenieGo (Node 5) = -13
I am going to try and term the ends on the second feed to the MBR and see if it is just that ONE cable that has a problem. I hope 90-100 feet isn't TOO long? But, the length is double that of any other feed. Any insights??
And, why does the Master BR have such a low PSY level when the run is longer?
On the GenieGo, I am kind of at a loss. DirecTV is just like "try to stream again, later..." No errors. No explanations. NOTHING! Total BS! Does the GenieGo OOH streaming just totally suck THAT BAD? This happens on WiFi in a few hotels in different cities, our work WiFi in BOTH office locations, on two of my friends' WiFi, at my mothers on her WiFi, with both the iPhone, iPad, and the laptop!
My final question is WHAT IS THE POWER-UP PROCEDURE FOR MY NETWORK AS DESCRIBED??? This is how I do it, now - following the Coax Networking White Paper. (Unfortunately, that paper does not describe when to power-up GenieGo!)
UNPLUG EVERYTHING and WAIT. Then...
Power up one at a time in THIS order... (Items 1 and 6 were added by me)
1 - Cycle the router - wait until it is back up and I can get on the internet
2 - SWiM Power Injector - wait 90 seconds
3 - DECA-BB - wait 90 seconds
4 - HR44, and WAIT until it is up completely
5 - Each of the 3 C41 Clients, one at a time, waiting until they are fully up before moving on to the next one.
6 - Power-up the GenieGo.
Is this the correct order with the GenieGo? I know the HR44 MUST be up before doing the GenieGo. Duh. But, should the C41 clients be done AFTER or BEFORE the GenieGo?????
I did this last night, and the DECA is green. But, time will tell. And, the net test on the HR44 STILL shows bad PSY levels between ALL devices and the MBR C41. So, just a matter of time before Amber LED returns on the DECA. Ugh. That MBR RG6 feed is ABSOLUTELY the problem. I am hoping the second feed is better - maybe the first was pinched in the attic, or something. This ONE FEED is totally the worst one to replace. (figures) I would live with the errors and freeze before I'd replace it - it would be THAT difficult!
I have never termed COAX before - just RJ45/Cat whatever cable. No RF. Any tips???
Anything I could have missed???
Thanks in advance for reading through my humongous post!
Consists:
TVRO - A SWiM LNB (Not certain the version) and dish outside (of course :tongue:)
THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE - (RG6 installed when house was built in 1999 - dual runs to each room)
DEN - Genie HR44-500 DVR - 20ft RG6 - IP 10.10.10.30
OFFICE - C41 Genie Mini - 20ft RG6 - IP 10.10.10.32
GUEST RM - C41 Genie Mini - 35ft RG6 - IP 10.10.10.33
MASTER BR - C41 Genie Mini - 90ft RG6 - IP 10.10.10.34
IN THE BASEMENT - (These devices are located at the Home-Run DMARC)
A GenieGo (Gen2 - with the single LED) - 4ft RG6 - IP 10.10.10.31
A DECA-BB (The newer, oval-shaped kind) - 4ft RG6
A SWiM Power Injector
A single 8-Port Splitter
All 7 devices in the DTV network are connected in the basement at a single 8-way splitter. The 8th port is capped with a terminator. So is the unused IRD port on the SWiM Power Injector. Also, the PwrInj is connected to Port 1 of the splitter to pass power through. The LNB is on the "9th port" to the dish. The DTV network accesses the internet via a direct Ethernet connection to a NetGear NightHawk router vis-a-vis the DECA-BB. This is the only bridge between my 1Gbps Ethernet/WiFi network and the MoCA Network.
The home network is Static, IPv4, 10.10.x.x / 255.255.x.x. Router is at 10.10.10.1. Broadband is through Comcast CATV at 50Mbps on my own Motorola modem (not community). The router allows ports 8082 and 8083 out for the GenieGo. It is also set to allow the ports for the HR44.
Problems:
The DECA-BB illuminates an amber network indicator (power is always green) after the MoCA has been up for more than 48 hours or so, after a complete system cycle and start-up. (This is INFURIATING, because the tech who installed the system last summer when I bought the house had this same problem, spent 2 hours trying to fix it, but split after it went green! A day later, it was back to amber!)
The Master BR C41 freezes on rare occasions - and ONLY after commands are selected on the remote (calling up the playlist, FF, RW recorded video playback, changing channels, etc.) A reboot is all that will unfreeze it. No other unit in the home has this issue - the Den, Office, and Guest Room all work PERFECTLY!
The GenieGo can stream inside the home ALWAYS, can be seen outside the home (w/Playlists on the HR44) ALWAYS, but streaming is hit-or-miss outside. In fact, I have only been able to stream ONCE in the year I have had this set-up! Diags on GenieGo show all green and that OOH Access is set up successfully. (And, YES - The HR44 is set to allow OOH access and Playlist sharing.)
What I have done:
Using the methods found in the white papers found on this site (again, THANK YOU!!! :D), I have discovered that the problem with the Master BR C41 lies in the household cable run between the jack and the basement. This should be ONE CONTINUOUS RUN, from insert-to-insert. When the tech installed the system, he DID replace EVERY barrel in EVERY jack with the DTV-approved kind, as well as retermed ALL the ends in the network - LNB-to-Split, all room runs - everything! He also used a magnet to check the existing RG6?? He also manufactured all the RG6 patch cables between the equip and the jacks/splitter.
I swapped-out the MBR and the Guest Room C41's - same problem. I took the MBR C41 down to the Basement, connected directly to the same port the run was on for the MBR, and it works a-ok! I also connected the C41 directly into the RG6 feed without ANY barrels or patch cables - same problem.
The network test on the HR44 (Select + > screen) shows ACCEPTABLE PSY LEVELS according to the White Papers. NO WHERE NEAR -45!!! The grid shows 225-290 on ALL equipment. In fact, the data returned BETTER numbers for the MBR than any other device on the network??? :eek2:
DEN (Node 0) = N/A (Of course)
OFFICE (Node 1) = -13
GUEST RM (Node 2) = -15
MASTER BR (Node 3) = -9 !!!!!!
DECA (Node 4) = -12
GenieGo (Node 5) = -13
I am going to try and term the ends on the second feed to the MBR and see if it is just that ONE cable that has a problem. I hope 90-100 feet isn't TOO long? But, the length is double that of any other feed. Any insights??
And, why does the Master BR have such a low PSY level when the run is longer?
On the GenieGo, I am kind of at a loss. DirecTV is just like "try to stream again, later..." No errors. No explanations. NOTHING! Total BS! Does the GenieGo OOH streaming just totally suck THAT BAD? This happens on WiFi in a few hotels in different cities, our work WiFi in BOTH office locations, on two of my friends' WiFi, at my mothers on her WiFi, with both the iPhone, iPad, and the laptop!
My final question is WHAT IS THE POWER-UP PROCEDURE FOR MY NETWORK AS DESCRIBED??? This is how I do it, now - following the Coax Networking White Paper. (Unfortunately, that paper does not describe when to power-up GenieGo!)
UNPLUG EVERYTHING and WAIT. Then...
Power up one at a time in THIS order... (Items 1 and 6 were added by me)
1 - Cycle the router - wait until it is back up and I can get on the internet
2 - SWiM Power Injector - wait 90 seconds
3 - DECA-BB - wait 90 seconds
4 - HR44, and WAIT until it is up completely
5 - Each of the 3 C41 Clients, one at a time, waiting until they are fully up before moving on to the next one.
6 - Power-up the GenieGo.
Is this the correct order with the GenieGo? I know the HR44 MUST be up before doing the GenieGo. Duh. But, should the C41 clients be done AFTER or BEFORE the GenieGo?????
I did this last night, and the DECA is green. But, time will tell. And, the net test on the HR44 STILL shows bad PSY levels between ALL devices and the MBR C41. So, just a matter of time before Amber LED returns on the DECA. Ugh. That MBR RG6 feed is ABSOLUTELY the problem. I am hoping the second feed is better - maybe the first was pinched in the attic, or something. This ONE FEED is totally the worst one to replace. (figures) I would live with the errors and freeze before I'd replace it - it would be THAT difficult!
I have never termed COAX before - just RJ45/Cat whatever cable. No RF. Any tips???
Anything I could have missed???
Thanks in advance for reading through my humongous post!