IP Address Woes

[UKGuest44]

Hello,

I've recently purchased a new MediaMVP for use upstairs to complement the one downstairs. Unfortunately, upstairs is wireless and only 802.11b so there's no use connecting this MVP to the server downstairs. However, what I am instead doing is directly connecting it to my laptop and running GBPVR on there, and using VLC to stream from the downstairs computer to upstairs, and then play that file with the MVP. The main network connection is 192.168.0.4 on a USB wireless adapter, with the MVP network connection a crossover ethernet cable with the laptop on 192.168.2.1 and the MVP ideally 192.168.2.2

When I first set it up yesterday, I managed to get it working after much hassle, and even then it seemed to be luck. My combinatoin for getting it working was to shutdown the hauppauge services, start up tftpd32 and dish out DHCP on 192.168.2.*, with the laptop was 192.168.2.1. The MediaMVP got the 192.168.2.2 address, and then I started up GBPVR MediaMVP Service and all was well.

Now today, I just don't seem to be able to recreate this stroke of luck. No matter what I do, I am always told the MVP is unable to obtain and IP address - even if tftpd32 shows it getting an IP address!

I have tried starting the MVP up with the hauppauge services (which supposedly includes DHCP), with tftpd32, with gbpvr, and various combinations to no avail.

More annoyingly, once it decides there is no IP address, it searches for a server and fails, and there seems to be no way to get it to retry to find an IP address or even turn it off - (it says back to exit but that doesn't work). The only thing I can do is to power cycle it, which is getting rather frequent with my desperate attempts to get it working.

If anyone has any ideas at all, I would really be very greatful

[UKGuest44]

Ok, after much fury and patience, I managed to get it to work. If anyone else has the same problem, maybe this will help.

I repaired, then disabled the local area network connection to the MediaMVP, then re-enabled it, and it started to send packets (good start). Then, I turned off the MVP, and went mad, starting GBPVR, Hauppauage and tfptd32 all at the same time, crossing my fingers at least something would work - and it did. MediaMVP still said it failed to get an IP address (despite tftpd32 showing it did), but then it found the laptop (finally). I selected it, and 2 minutes later I have GBPVR up

[pastro]

Ok, after much fury and patience, I managed to get it to work. If anyone else has the same problem, maybe this will help.

I repaired, then disabled the local area network connection to the MediaMVP, then re-enabled it, and it started to send packets (good start). Then, I turned off the MVP, and went mad, starting GBPVR, Hauppauage and tfptd32 all at the same time, crossing my fingers at least something would work - and it did. MediaMVP still said it failed to get an IP address (despite tftpd32 showing it did), but then it found the laptop (finally). I selected it, and 2 minutes later I have GBPVR up

I take it there is no way to assign a static IP to the mediaMVP?

[HtV]

I guess that depends on the router you have. I would think with a dhcp-server on the server it should be possible.

[indigest]

I repaired, then disabled the local area network connection to the MediaMVP, then re-enabled it, and it started to send packets (good start). Then, I turned off the MVP, and went mad, starting GBPVR, Hauppauage and tfptd32 all at the same time, crossing my fingers at least something would work - and it did. MediaMVP still said it failed to get an IP address (despite tftpd32 showing it did), but then it found the laptop (finally). I selected it, and 2 minutes later I have GBPVR up

I'm glad you got this working, but I would recommend getting a more stable setup. After all, the power might go out and the DHCP leases will eventually expire. Then you will be stuck cycling powers and rebooting computers when all you really want to do is sit down and watch some tube.

It sounded to me like you are sort of using your laptop as a wireless node. You mentioned that 802.11b isn't fast enough for the MVP, but isn't your laptop using 802.11b anyways? Anyhow, that probably isn't related to the connectivity issues that you've been seeing.

If you are going to run one network with the IP range 192.168.0.* and the other with 192.168.1.*, then I believe you have to specify your subnet mask (on every machine) as 255.255.0.0 so that all the machines will appear on the same subnet. Even then, I'm not sure it will work because you will be relying on the tftpd32 program to receive packets over Ethernet and forward them out over the wireless connection (and vice versa). I'm not sure if this program supports that. Also, if you can do it, it would be better to have a single DHCP server running on your network.

Your setup makes me wonder: why even use the MVP at all? Why not just connect your laptop directly to the TV?

I would recommend the following steps to get this to work more reliably:

1. Buy another 802.11b/g/n router to replace your existing 802.11b router.
2. Move your 802.11b router upstairs and set it to "extend" the wireless network created by the new router. Also turn off DHCP so that the new router will be the only DHCP server on the whole network.
3. Connect the MVP via Ethernet to the 802.11b router upstairs.

The biggest question mark in this system is whether or not the 802.11b router can provide enough throughput to handle the video data. But it sounds like you are already relying on 802.11b so hopefully it is enough. A side advantage of my steps is that you now have a bigger wireless network for yourself.

Another idea might be to get a Wireless MediaMVP.

I hope I understood your questions and setup correctly. Please do not settle with your setup until you are either fully satisfied or fully broke!

Good luck and let us know if you have any more questions!

[jksmurf]

I take it there is no way to assign a static IP to the mediaMVP?

I have my MediaMVP D3A (Wired) hooked up to a WRT54GS (Lounge.Router) in Bridge Mode, to my Main WRT54GS (Bedroom.Router). I use Thibor 15c 3rd Party F/W on my Linksys Routers.

With the Main one I reserve an IP address for the MVP and even give it a name "MediaMVP.Lounge" using static reservation (apparently it's not "assign" per se, but reserved... ).

With the mvpmc dongle I can even type http://MediaMVP.Lounge in a Browser window and access the MVP from upstairs..., turn it off etc....

tbh I don't undersand a lot of this stuff, but I follow the instructions and it works.... I feel like such a geek :-)

k.