[JDMAC]

Hi folks. Appreciate everyone's hard work and help around here. I have used the forum every now and again for help and I greatly appreciate the advice and time spent to help all of us out.

I have 3 HD DVRs (HR20, HR21, HR22) all connected to the internet and used in a whole home setup.

I foolishly perhaps ordered a Nomad some time back and have had nothing but trouble with it. Even when it worked, it still worked intermittently.

Where I am now is a step short of crazy from trying to beat the Nomad and get it to function again. It is clearly an inferior piece of consumer electronic equipment if I dare even call it that. I have spent more time trying to troubleshoot this thing than I care to admit.

I have an Actiontec router (MI424WR-GEN2) FIOS issue. One of my DVRs is on the other side of a one switch and another is on the other side of another.

My issue is that I cannot get the Nomad to hold onto an IP address. If i pull power and plug it back in it briefly shows up pulling a DHCP address from the router, but when I ping it it receives 4/4, but spits nothing back to me. Shortly thereafter it loses the connection all together.

Anyone have any ideas here. i have reset, rebooted, re-everythinged an bunch of times. I have even tried port fowarding the ports I had read on a directv thread for the nomad. This is driving me nuts - if anyone has any ideas, I would greatly appreciate the help.

Thanks,
JD

 

[CCarncross]

Everything needs to be on one subnet to work correctly. It is unclear whether you have separate subnets, but just a thought since you appear to have multiple switches and/or routers on your network unless I misread your post.

 

[JDMAC]

Thanks, everything is on the same subnet. I do have a second router that is configured as an access point, but nothing is behind that access point. My issue is that I cannot get the Nomad to pick up and hold onto an IP address for longer than a minute.

 

[NR4P]

By having DVR's on one side of a switch and others on another side, I am reading that you aren't on a WHDVR installed network. It reads like an unsupported self installed network?

If I am wrong, please provide some type of drawing.

What I can attest to is that having a supported WHDVR system over the DECA configuration with my Nomad plugged into the router directly via Cat5 cable, I've never had a problem.

On second thought, even if it is self installed network an is unsupported, a drawing will be helpful.

 

[The Merg]

Thanks, everything is on the same subnet. I do have a second router that is configured as an access point, but nothing is behind that access point. My issue is that I cannot get the Nomad to pick up and hold onto an IP address for longer than a minute.

Does your router allow you to assign DHCP reservations? Basically, assign a DHCP IP address to a specific MAC address. If you can do that, see what happens.

- Merg

 

[hdtvfan0001]

Does your router allow you to assign DHCP reservations? Basically, assign a DHCP IP address to a specific MAC address. If you can do that, see what happens.

- Merg

Yeah....that's how I always do it here when adding a networked device...and the nomad IP has "stuck" since day one.

 

[Richierich]

Does your router allow you to assign DHCP reservations? Basically, assign a DHCP IP address to a specific MAC address. If you can do that, see what happens.

- Merg

I used DHCP Reservations for myWHDVR Service and my problems went away as it is much the same thing as using a Static iP Address in the DHCP keeps on reassigning the same IP Address when it renews its Lease.

 

[dennisj00]

Be sure you have DHCP turned OFF on the second router. Two DHCP servers can create havoc on the net.

Also, since you can't set a static IP on nomad, I'd try a reservation as the others have suggested.

 

[harsh]

Most consumer routers maintain relationship between MAC address and IP address as long as you don't do something rash (like frequently changing the firmware).

Other routers give out new leases like they were going out of style. This is undesirable as it messes with name resolution and largely prohibits the use of port forwarding (desirable from the standpoint of an ISP that doesn't allow servers).

My recommendation would be to see about using a router of your choosing rather than what FIOS saddled you with. As a test, you could borrow a conventional router and plug it into a LAN port on the Actiontec.

 

[JDMAC]

Thanks all. The 2nd router is just setup as an access point, it does not assign DHCP, but thanks for that suggestion as I know it would screw things up.

I am going to call Actiontec and see if they can help me out with this. Trust me that i would love to ditch the Actiontec router for another unit, but I had experienced some ridiculous connectivity issues over the past year with FIOS and it is finally sorted, but they will not help troubleshoot a non-actiontec router and I have everything working super smoothly now. I know as when I started experiencing the issues I had a D-link swapped in for an older Actiontec. I really just don't want to go to the trouble of reconfiguring the entire network and digging myself a hole if there is a way to get the Nomad to work with this router.

Everything else and anything else I introduce to the network works great. My whole home works terrific (it is a supported install swim etc).

I have to look into an easier way to reserve DHCP with the Actiontec... there is a convoluted method I tried that appeared as if it should have worked, but the Nomad still lost the connection after 30s. The IP address became associated with the MAC address of the Nomad and every time I try to get it to connect it does go to that same IP address, but it just won't stay connected.

Is there really no way to create a static IP address for the Nomad?

 

[harsh]

If your nomad is wandering off, DHCP probably isn't the issue. Unless it is showing up at a new IP address, it is likely that it is just sticking its head in the sand and needs to be replaced for bad behavior.

IIRC, you need to do this ASAP as the nomad warranty period is limited (12 months) and it isn't covered by the standard Protection Plan.

 

[dennisj00]

I assume you've tried a different / known good cable and a different port on your router or switch?

I have my nomad on the DECA cloud (with a DECA adaptor and PI on the coax) and a reserved IP outside of the DHCP address range. Works fine and has survived a recent firmware update.

It's certainly possible it's defective hardware or power supply.

 

[hdtvfan0001]

I am going to call Actiontec and see if they can help me out with this. Trust me that i would love to ditch the Actiontec router for another unit, but I had experienced some ridiculous connectivity issues over the past year with FIOS and it is finally sorted, but they will not help troubleshoot a non-actiontec router and I have everything working super smoothly now. I know as when I started experiencing the issues I had a D-link swapped in for an older Actiontec.

Your problem is likely determined by what your router can/cannot do in terms of setting up an IP reservation for any device, including your nomad.

After logging into your adminstrative screen on your router, most units allow you to go into an "advanced settings" section and then a "network filtering" or similar tab for mapping a mac address with an IP. That is what "assigns" that IP in the router to your device in terms of "reserving" it for just that device.

Your problem likely has nothing to do with nomad itself.

 

[JDMAC]

If your nomad is wandering off, DHCP probably isn't the issue. Unless it is showing up at a new IP address, it is likely that it is just sticking its head in the sand and needs to be replaced for bad behavior.

IIRC, you need to do this ASAP as the nomad warranty period is limited (12 months) and it isn't covered by the standard Protection Plan.

Thx. Warranty expires on 12/28. On it.

 

[Richierich]

Your problem is likely determined by what your router can/cannot do in terms of setting up an IP reservation for any device, including your nomad.

Your problem likely has nothing to do with nomad itself.

I couldn't have stated it Better!!!

I would think that Replacing you Nomad will not help you as it is a Router Problem and Not a Nomad Problem as no one else reports this problem but you.

 

[hdtvfan0001]

Thx. Warranty expires on 12/28. On it.

As a point of caution and reference...that dog-icon poster is a Dish customer and has no idea how nomad works in terms of any hands-on experience.

Those of us that do have these units would point you in an entirely different direction - the router setup (and the 99.9% probable source of your obstacle).

 

[hdtvfan0001]

Is there really no way to create a static IP address for the Nomad?

Yes...there is a way to have a "reserved" IP, based on the setup in your router. The IP is assigned by your router only, not nomad.

As a point of caution and reference...that dog-icon poster is a Dish customer and has no idea how nomad works in terms of any hands-on experience.

Those of us that do have these units would point you in an entirely different direction - the router setup (and the 99.9% probable source of your obstacle).

Try logging into your router per its instructions...then search the router help for "mac addreses" and see how it maps those to devices for a reserved IP.

 

[JDMAC]

Your problem is likely determined by what your router can/cannot do in terms of setting up an IP reservation for any device, including your nomad.

After logging into your adminstrative screen on your router, most units allow you to go into an "advanced settings" section and then a "network filtering" or similar tab for mapping a mac address with an IP. That is what "assigns" that IP in the router to your device in terms of "reserving" it for just that device.

Your problem likely has nothing to do with nomad itself.

I have mapped a mac address w/ an IP although i made it one in the DHCP range... could that have something to do with it? Doesn't seem like that could make a difference in why it can't hold an IP address for more than 10s and every other device I have ever come across can.

 

[hdtvfan0001]

I have mapped a mac address w/ an IP although i made it one in the DHCP range... could that have something to do with it? Doesn't seem like that could make a difference in why it can't hold an IP address for more than 10s and every other device I have ever come across can.

You are right that it should work. It does with my D-Link router.

That said...some routers have their own "unique" ways of handling network controls...so it could be worth trying it outside the range.

One other thing...make sure you "reboot" the router first and then nomad (you can just pull the power out for 5-10 seconds) just to make sure all the settings are in place when those devices "handshake" on the network.

 

[JDMAC]

You are right that it should work. It does with my D-Link router.

That said...some routers have their own "unique" ways of handling network controls...so it could be worth trying it outside the range.

One other thing...make sure you "reboot" the router first and then nomad (you can just pull the power out for 5-10 seconds) just to make sure all the settings are in place when those devices "handshake" on the network.

Will give it a go. Appreciate the efforts.