[KoRn]

This sounds really cool and just found out this box is capable of that. I heard it's basically a mini-switch in there and I can have my Xbox 360/HR22 online at the same time. How exactly does this work? I have Charter cable and on there 16mb/2mb plan. I have a router and currently here is how my network looks:

PC
Xbox 360 (static ip with port forwarding)
Nintendo Wii (static ip with port forwarding)
DTV for on demand

Does this mean I can free up a router port and a 50ft cable?

 

[phat78boy]

Thats exactly what it means. Plug your ethernet cable coming from your router into the first port on the HR22, then plug your Xbox into the 2nd port on the HR22.

 

[Doug Brott]

Thats exactly what it means. Plug your ethernet cable coming from your router into the first port on the HR22, then plug your Xbox into the 2nd port on the HR22.

That is correct. Technically it is an Ethernet switch, but conceptually it's like the Ethernet "passes through" to another device.

 

[KoRn]

Left every thing as is. I just went ahead and removed my 50ft cable from the router to 360. Then ran a short ethernet wire from the 360 to the HR22 switch. It is working fine. I just did not know how this switch deal worked since I have never used 1. My only question is this. When I play on xbox live. And say a movie is dl on demand. Will it cause lag?

 

[Chip Moody]

Probably not the answer you're looking for, but you won't get any MORE lag with the way you have it hooked up now vs. having your Xbox and DVR connected to their own ports on your router.

360 lag will depend on how much of your internet connection's "pipe" is taken up by the DVR download. I believe (and I'll defer to others that have actually metered the DVR downlaod rate) that with a decent (10+ MBPS) broadband connection that you won't see lag. I play Halo 3 (if you hadn't guessed) while downloading stuff at 500-700K on my laptop via cable modem and don't experience lag from it. I doubt your DVR is going to download DOD content faster than that...

- Chip

 

[KoRn]

Sounds good. This actually saved me from having to buy a new router since, I had officially run out of ports. Been talking about another pc and now a port is open on my router for it. I'll tell ya. These boxes are light years ahead from Charter cable hd-dvr's. I wonder why DTV does not really advertise this little perk on there boxes. Its great!

Probably not the answer you're looking for, but you won't get any MORE lag with the way you have it hooked up now vs. having your Xbox and DVR connected to their own ports on your router.

360 lag will depend on how much of your internet connection's "pipe" is taken up by the DVR download. I believe (and I'll defer to others that have actually metered the DVR downlaod rate) that with a decent (10+ MBPS) broadband connection that you won't see lag. I play Halo 3 (if you hadn't guessed) while downloading stuff at 500-700K on my laptop via cable modem and don't experience lag from it. I doubt your DVR is going to download DOD content faster than that...

- Chip

 

[wingrider01]

That is correct. Technically it is an Ethernet switch, but conceptually it's like the Ethernet "passes through" to another device.

Is this capablity only on the HR21? Have a Hr20 that this function would save me purchase of a bigger switch for the entertainment center, have a 16 port switch there and only need 1 more that is not PPOE

 

[Stuart Sweet]

This feature is only on HR21s, HR22s, and HR23s. HR20-100 has two ports but one is unused, and HR20-700 has only one port.

 

[KoRn]

1 last question. Since this second port can use either a static ip or dhcp. Am I able to delete the port forward settings for the Xbox in my router settings? Or do they need to be kept?

 

[Doug Brott]

1 last question. Since this second port can use either a static ip or dhcp. Am I able to delete the port forward settings for the Xbox in my router settings? Or do they need to be kept?

We're just talking about physical connectivity here. If you need to set up port forwarding for your Xbox to make connections to the Internet, then that process will not change. Regardless of wireless/wired, all you are doing is making a connection from your Xbox into your home network. To go outside your home network (or more likely penetrate your network from the Internet), if you use port forwarding, then you will need to continue to do that.

 

[LameLefty]

1 last question. Since this second port can use either a static ip or dhcp. Am I able to delete the port forward settings for the Xbox in my router settings? Or do they need to be kept?

Your static IP address for the XBox is set based on the device's MAC address, not by which ethernet port in your network you've plugged it into. Leave your router settings alone and it should be fine.

 

[KoRn]

Thanks.

 

[Chip Moody]

Not to go too far off topic, but why do you have port forwarding set up for your Xbox? I've got mine on DHCP, and no ports forwarded for anything...

- Chip

 

[Grentz]

Some routers do not automatically forward the necessary XBL ports (3074 and 88) and thus your NAT will not be fully open.

Now there can be other reasons for the NAT not being open as well that might just be from your ISP, but many times it is just your router.