What is the Deal with on Demand? and Geek Squad?

[slydog]

Ok so I finally was forced to transition to the HR20-700, and I'm trying to get it to connect to the on demand service. I was able to get it to connect once to the service for a few minutes and haven't had success since. When I put in the settings it says it's connected to the network, but not the internet (error 22).

When I called DTV for help, they said oh, you need to call Geek Squad to help you with this. WTF? I call Geek Squad and they say what the hell are you talking about, we can't help you. So I call DTV back and they say call Geek Squad. I've had DTV for 10 years and didn't buy it or upgrade it with Best Buy.

Has anyone gotten this to work? seems the DTV message board on their website has a bunch of threads with people who have the exact problem I have.

[SDizzle]

Many of us around here have had dod for quite some time....I've never heard the geek squad line before??

[litzdog911]

DirecTV does have some sort of arrangement with Best Buy's Geek Squad to provide assistance on home networking issues. Not sure of the costs, though.

[DougWare]

Ok so I finally was forced to transition to the HR20-700, and I'm trying to get it to connect to the on demand service. I was able to get it to connect once to the service for a few minutes and haven't had success since. When I put in the settings it says it's connected to the network, but not the internet (error 22).

When I called DTV for help, they said oh, you need to call Geek Squad to help you with this. WTF? I call Geek Squad and they say what the hell are you talking about, we can't help you. So I call DTV back and they say call Geek Squad. I've had DTV for 10 years and didn't buy it or upgrade it with Best Buy.

Has anyone gotten this to work? seems the DTV message board on their website has a bunch of threads with people who have the exact problem I have.

Perhaps this is unrelated, I just received an HR20-100, but I was receiving the same message. It would report that it was connected to the network and pass all of the tests except the final "Connecting to the internet" test. I unplugged the network cable and plugged it into the other ethernet port (into the top one I believe) and it passed all tests.

Hope this helps!

[Stuart Sweet]

I'm moving this to the HD DVR forum... also to the original poster it might help us if you tell us a little about your setup, what sort of hardware you use, etc.

[CJTE]

on a side note, DirecTV CSRs have been told that if customers have problem beyond the scope of the receiver itself (in this case, networking), that the customer should be referred to a computer repair/networking specialist. Geek Squad is explicitly listed, however firedog, and whomever else performs that kind of service is fine.

[jwebb1970]

Not to threadjack, but I have had similar issues. DoD worked in the past, but since the last natl update (I have an HR20-100), I get the "networked but not connecting to Internet" deal as well. Nothing connection/router wise has changed -rputer still shows connection & Internet access to PC & wireless to Wii continues to be fine. Last I checked, however, the HR20 did not apear on my network's client list.

Am running HR20 w/ the DirecTv supplied PLCs (Home Networking Kit)

[bwaldron]

DirecTV does have some sort of arrangement with Best Buy's Geek Squad to provide assistance on home networking issues. Not sure of the costs, though.

Or the effectiveness ;)

[wingrider01]

Or the effectiveness ;)

In 99 percent of the cases, BB's Geek Squad is pretty good, there was a large write up on them a couple of months back. They did a HDTV wall mount install and hookup for a friend sand the work was perfect, they cleaned up after themselves, they routed wires out of site and basicly did a very professional job. As far as pricing goes their website lists all their flat rate pricing.

http://www.geeksquad.com/default.aspx

[David MacLeod]

In 99 percent of the cases, BB's Geek Squad is pretty good, there was a large write up on them a couple of months back. They did a HDTV wall mount install and hookup for a friend sand the work was perfect, they cleaned up after themselves, they routed wires out of site and basicly did a very professional job. As far as pricing goes their website lists all their flat rate pricing.

http://www.geeksquad.com/default.aspx

dig deeper. they're fine for hooking up your tv, but they also advertise advanced network support and they're trying to get support contracts with businesses.
start mentioning active directory, gpo's, routing remote access policies to most of them and you can see the eyes starting to gray out as the cerebral overload starts to shut down external input.

[jwebb1970]

Not to threadjack, but I have had similar issues. DoD worked in the past, but since the last natl update (I have an HR20-100), I get the "networked but not connecting to Internet" deal as well. Nothing connection/router wise has changed -rputer still shows connection & Internet access to PC & wireless to Wii continues to be fine. Last I checked, however, the HR20 did not apear on my network's client list.

Am running HR20 w/ the DirecTv supplied PLCs (Home Networking Kit)

Actually, it does show up on client list.

And still does not connect....:mad: :mad:

Should I just request a new box?

[KenW]

What version of software is the HR20-700 running? There have been several updates.

If you can connect to your home network, but not the Internet, it sounds like a router issue? Have you checked firewall, etc? What router?

[rpiotro]

Not to threadjack, but I have had similar issues. DoD worked in the past, but since the last natl update (I have an HR20-100), I get the "networked but not connecting to Internet" deal as well. Nothing connection/router wise has changed -rputer still shows connection & Internet access to PC & wireless to Wii continues to be fine. Last I checked, however, the HR20 did not apear on my network's client list.

Am running HR20 w/ the DirecTv supplied PLCs (Home Networking Kit)

Do you have the ethernet plugged into the top of the two jacks? It does matter.

Oddly, I can't remember where I saw that information. I am surprised at how many people are having that problem! I was tempted to say "Did you RTFM" but I thought I had better go back through my manuals before I stuck my foot in my mouth. I could not find that info anywhere! I did not make it up because it has worked for everyone who has tried it.

Applies to the HR20-100 only.

[veryoldschool]

Do you have the ethernet plugged into the top of the two jacks? It does matter.

Oddly, I can't remember where I saw that information. I am surprised at how many people are having that problem! I was tempted to say "Did you RTFM" but I thought I had better go back through my manuals before I stuck my foot in my mouth. I could not find that info anywhere! I did not make it up because it has worked for everyone who has tried it.

Applies to the HR20-100 only.
Actually it may apply to more than just the HR20-100, as any with two network jacks have this problem. Even within "a model line" they can be different. Some "want to use" the top jack, while others the bottom.

"If in doubt": try the "other one". :)

[bobnielsen]

I don't believe that the "connected to network" notation is really a good indication of a connection (maybe it just detects that there is a physical interface). Pinging from a computer on the same network would be a better test.

[jwebb1970]

What version of software is the HR20-700 running? There have been several updates.

If you can connect to your home network, but not the Internet, it sounds like a router issue? Have you checked firewall, etc? What router?


It's a Belkin router (model # not in front of me right now). As to which software version for the HR20-100 (not a -700), it is the most recent natl release (updated early May)

As to the "which jack being used" it has always been in the top ethernet input or the HR20. Never changed.

No changes made to firewall or anything else. As mentioned before, it did work when I first connected with the Home Network Kit (PLCs) and did so up until earlier this month (seemed to coincide with the last update for hr20-100s).

As far as I can tell, everything SHOULD be working. It did in the past (DoD, at least) and all other web-connected devices continue to work fine. Router's client list shows HR20 w/ it's IP address as well as PC & Wii's. PC/WMP recognizes HR 20 as well for sharing purposes. But still, I get a "not connected to Internet" msg on screen w/ HR20, MEdia Share does not appear & DoD DL's will not happen (DL keeps pausing).

Will try the other ethernet jack on the HR 20, but don't think it'll help.

[rpiotro]

Actually it may apply to more than just the HR20-100, as any with two network jacks have this problem. Even within "a model line" they can be different. Some "want to use" the top jack, while others the bottom.

"If in doubt": try the "other one". :)

Good advice. It can't hurt to try it. I always like to try the stuff that is simple and free. You never know what will work.

[veryoldschool]

IWill try the other ethernet jack on the HR 20, but don't think it'll help.
FWIW: My HR2x did this same thing just this week. I'd been working on my network router & cables. I have a HR20-700 daisy chained to my HR21-200 and then off to my router. After several reboots & system tests, I swapped the top & bottom cables and "Bingo" the internet was "found".
I can't tell you why, but sometimes a software update has caused the top & bottom ports to swap the functions.

[wingrider01]

dig deeper. they're fine for hooking up your tv, but they also advertise advanced network support and they're trying to get support contracts with businesses.
start mentioning active directory, gpo's, routing remote access policies to most of them and you can see the eyes starting to gray out as the cerebral overload starts to shut down external input.

Why would you take them over a dedicted support staff in today's IT infrastructure world? Besides the companies can go to offshore organizations for a lot less money then what they charge, they need to halve their pricing if they are going to compete with offshore. From the thread here, business was not mentioned, so it was not commented on.

If people have this services in their home installation, I suspect that they are perfectly capable of setting up a wireless connection or pulling and terminated cat 6e cable to the various locations needed for VOD.

[David MacLeod]

1- never said I would go with them. said they advertise business support. I did not say taking over IT dept, looks like they were looking for contracts for smaller organizations.
the statement I replied to said that in 99% of cases they are fine, research shows this to be misleading.

2-how can an offshore entity service your pc?

I agree with them being capable of most household items, but when businesses and/or servers are run from home its totally different. and hooking up vod in these cases can lead to issues.

[poppo]

on a side note, DirecTV CSRs have been told that if customers have problem beyond the scope of the receiver itself (in this case, networking), that the customer should be referred to a computer repair/networking specialist. Geek Squad is explicitly listed, however firedog, and whomever else performs that kind of service is fine.

The only problem is that often it is not beyond the scope of the receiver. There are many reports (granted mainly in the CE area) of neworking that was working fine, suddenly not. There are still too many bugs in the network portion of the HR2x to warrant calling and paying for outside tech support for a problem that is most likely in the receiver.

[wingrider01]

1- never said I would go with them. said they advertise business support. I did not say taking over IT dept, looks like they were looking for contracts for smaller organizations.
the statement I replied to said that in 99% of cases they are fine, research shows this to be misleading.

2-how can an offshore entity service your pc?

I agree with them being capable of most household items, but when businesses and/or servers are run from home its totally different. and hooking up vod in these cases can lead to issues.

Easy, we have 5 people from a offshore company on location at this time, total throughout the organization about 20 personnel from the offshore company. They find it cheaper to outsource rather then high qualified people.

Been in the business for 37 years, started when the IBM 360/25 was hard started by dialing FF into location CE and loading the bootstrap cards into the 2560 card reader/punch

[jwd45244]

Troubleshooting a network connection on an HR2x:

1) Assuming your PCs get their IP address et al from your router, check these settings on the PC: IP address, netmask, gateway and DNS

2) Check the same on the HR2x. Your IP addresses on the HR should be very similar. So if for example your PC has and IP address that looks like 192.168.1 x where x is some number between 2 and 254 then your HR2x should have an IP address of 192.168.1.y where y is some other number between 2 and 254. If the address looks like 169.254.x.y that means that the HR2x did not get a real address and that could cause you to get a Network OK but an internet No

Also check your netmask gateway, and DNS addresses the shuodl match up to what your PC gets exactly.

[jwebb1970]

Tuns out, my connection issues had to do w/ the use of PLCs & the fact that my house is still using the same electrical internally since it was built (early 1940s). At least that's my best guess. All other possibilities were maxed out as EVERYTHING settings-wise was where it should be.

Checked outlet where PLC in the living room was. PLC was located behind a corner unit/AV rack, so it wasn't readily visible in the past. Outlet was lighting the ethernet indicator, but the "power" light was not lit (?). Disconnected, then reconnected. All lit properly for a moment then died again. Similar response as if you plugged the PLC into an ext cord or power strip. Connects for a moment, then shuts off. Outlet had worked in the past, but was intermittent. Paused VOD queue programming would mysteriously appear on the DVR list from time to time after past various connection attempts.

Tried a different outlet on the opposite wall - solid connection that stayed that way. And is unchanged today

25 new feet of cable from Office Depot later, OnDemand is back in action. DL'ed about half a dozen things last night. All came thru as fast as my DSL connection will allow & online Wii usage at the same time showed no effect on VOD speed/connection.

Now to tackle Media Share, which has yet to pop up on the HR20 (yet WMP11, Vista & router/network all "see" HR20 & appropriate files are set to share). Option did not appear after a RBR.