Problems with connecting

[JustinD]

So I had been pretty happy that 2 weeks ago I had been able to setup my Tivo. I just put in the turbonet card and setup a static IP with my router gateway number and connected the wireless bridge and away I went. I even updated the time without too much problems after been directed as to what to do. But, since Thursday or so I lost connection to my tivo - no Tivo web, no telnet and my router was showing that the MAC address of the turbonet card was no longer active.
So, I checked out the wireless bridge using a notebook and it was solid. Oh, and another thing that was happening was my recording (red) light would come on but no recording was going on.
So, not having a serial cable, I took out the drive and checked my network configuration with the Oztivo install disk running and it was setup correct and unremarkable. So, I then went and re-imaged the drive (I can always replace recordings). Well, although I can see the turbonet MaC on the network it continues to say failed to connect to service (last night and this morning). Is Minnie down? And if not, do people far more knowledgable than me have any suggestions?
Other things - I also reseated the turbonet card and it also has always had the light on. Do i need to get a serial cable thingy? And will this definately tell me the problem? My hesitancy with doing this is that it worked for a period of time without issues but now not.
Any help appreciated.:confused:

[petestrash]

you have not mentioned whether you have tivoweb or telnet access back after the re-image.

If you do, then follow the troubleshooting guide @ NetworkingHowto#Configuration_and_Diagnostics (http://minnie.tuhs.org/twiki/bin/view/Network/NetworkingHowto#Configuration_and_Diagnostics)

Peter

[JustinD]

Sorry. No, not able to telnet in - but I am also not getting past the first step of the test dial with guided setup. Should I be able to telnet in when guided setup has only just begun?

[petestrash]

Should I be able to telnet in when guided setup has only just begun?

Yes.

Is it possible to bypass the wireless bridge and try connecting the TiVo directly to the router ? Even though you have tested the bridge with your laptop, it would be worth removing any extra hops.

Peter.

[JustinD]

Good point!

I directly connected with no joy - no telnet, no ping, no tivoweb - nothing.
I even removed the Turbonet card and untwisted the ties on the motherboard so when I refitted the card it was fitting as best it could - but still no joy.

The light on the card is on and if I attempt to ping the tivo the light actually flashes when it comes back as "timed out", which leads me to think it is getting something. :confused:

[JustinD]

Do you think I should also try to reimage but make the tivo work with DHCP and not static?

I didn't want to do this as I had setup tytool and also remote access with TivoWeb and orenosp and tunnelling though another PC on my home network

[petestrash]

I even removed the Turbonet card and untwisted the ties on the motherboard so when I refitted the card it was fitting as best it could - but still no joy.

When you installed the card, did you remove the centre pin on the front foot, or at least trim it. If the pin is there it can cause issues with the card not fitting properly.


Do you think I should also try to reimage but make the tivo work with DHCP and not static?

It wouldn't hurt, but doubt it would help.

Did you leave the ipaddress on boot message enabled ? can you remember before you re-imaged if the information given matched what you had set.

At this point I think it would be best to buy/build a serial cable, so that we can at least access you box via telnet and find out what is going on. This way we should be able to confirm software or turbonet fault.

From what you have said so far, it does seem like it may be an actual hardware fault with the turbonet or how it has been physically installed. Most software issues should have been resolved by the re-image.

Swapping the cat5 cable also wouldn't hurt, even though you have a link light :)

Peter.

[JustinD]

When you installed the card, did you remove the centre pin on the front foot, or at least trim it. If the pin is there it can cause issues with the card not fitting properly.

I didn't, but I am not sure what pin you mean. Do you mean the twist ties or something else? Is there somewhere I can see a picture of what you mean?




Did you leave the ipaddress on boot message enabled ? can you remember before you re-imaged if the information given matched what you had set.

Yes. And when I attempted to get communications it came back with the IP setup that I had configured. With the last re-imaging I haven't got that message as I didn't get that far, but I did check out the IP setup by linking the HD on my PC and checking it with the OzTivo Knoppix disk image utilitiy.


At this point I think it would be best to buy/build a serial cable, so that we can at least access you box via telnet and find out what is going on. This way we should be able to confirm software or turbonet fault.

I will get one on Monday if I can. I will purchase one as I wouldn't want to create another point of weakness through me building one and screwing it up.
EDIT: I will see if I can order one from Darren King ~ some delay compared to getting from a store (assuming I can find one) but then I know I will have something that works and a little longer lead.



Swapping the cat5 cable also wouldn't hurt, even though you have a link light :)
I also have swapped the Cat5 cable during this testing.
The only thing I would like to resolve is the pin thing before I get the cable.

thanks for answering my questions

[petestrash]

I didn't, but I am not sure what pin you mean. Do you mean the twist ties or something else? Is there somewhere I can see a picture of what you mean?

This picture shows the pin, just pry it out.
http://www.eksys.com/TurboNet02.jpg

You may even want to remove the whole foot at this point just to be sure.
http://www.eksys.com/images/TurboNet03.jpg

Once you have the turbonet fully seated it should look like this.
http://www.eksys.com/images/turbo_install01.jpg

you can the replace the foot and either glue it in place or just cut some off the tip so it does not touch the turbonet connector.

Peter

[JustinD]

thanks for the pictures. Did the pin removal - didn't help.
But I purchased the cable from Darren (thanks for letting me get the cable on a Sunday!)
I am now working through the SerialPPP on XP article to enable the connection. From there I don't know what I am meant to do:eek:

[petestrash]

Once you have telnet up and running you can go through and check dial prefix, ifconfig and route etc.

These steps are all listed in the Configuration_and_Diagnostics (http://minnie.tuhs.org/twiki/bin/view/Network/NetworkingHowto#Configuration_and_Diagnostics) link I posted earlier.

Also if your close to Darren, he may be able to test the Terbonet card outside of your TiVo to confirm it works.

Peter.

[JustinD]

Ok. Will do.
Problem at the moment is that I am getting no joy with PPP.
I used the article that you wrote and I cannot seem to get the incoming connection to show its alive. I have tried hyperterminal but nothing there.
The only thing I have found is that the log in the modem I created shows the following info when I reboot the tivo:

04-02-2006 23:25:07.343 - 57600,8,N,1, ctsfl=0, rtsctl=1
04-02-2006 23:25:07.343 - Initializing modem.
04-02-2006 23:25:07.343 - Waiting for a call.
04-02-2006 23:25:57.031 - Recv: <00><00><e0><e0><00><e0><e0><00>
04-02-2006 23:25:57.031 - Unknown Response
04-02-2006 23:25:57.031 - Recv: <e0>
04-02-2006 23:25:57.031 - Unknown Response
04-02-2006 23:25:57.031 - Recv: <00><e0><e0><00><e0><00><00>
04-02-2006 23:25:57.031 - Unknown Response
04-02-2006 23:25:57.031 - Recv: <00>
04-02-2006 23:25:57.031 - Unknown Response
04-02-2006 23:25:57.031 - Recv: <00><e0><e0><e0><e0><e0><00>
04-02-2006 23:25:57.031 - Unknown Response
04-02-2006 23:25:57.046 - Recv: <00>

There is more but I don't know if it is helpful to post. I wonder what setting this means I have stuffed up.

[petestrash]

Just confirming you did modify or load the premodified mdmhayes.inf file. If not it will not respond to incomming connections.

Peter.

[JustinD]

Yes, I downloaded the modified file and saved over the existing. Just looked at the file and it is shown as having the modified lines.

[JustinD]

As a further note:
- tried this on two PCs (so I could be doing the same error on both in my setup I guess)
- tried different com ports but unsure as to which I should chose
- have the speed at 57600 since i believe my image from 2005
- my PC's are on fixed IPs on my network but I assume this doesn't impact the setting of IPs on this new connection as I ensured it had the same IP root but not the same last digits.
- re-setup the modem and incoming connection maybe 5 times without success and the hyperterminal possibly 3 times.

So, now totally open to suggestions

[petestrash]

Ok,

Lets forget about ppp over serial for the moment and just try the basic telnet.

Delete or disable the incomming connections you created.

Open up hyperterminal, Start a new session, under "connect using" in the pull down select your com port. A window will come up.

Port settings window, Bits per second: 9600, Data bits: 8, Parity: None, Stop bits: 1, Flow control:None
Click [OK] then click [File] then [Properties]
On the tab setting up top click [Settings]
On the Emulation pull down change from "AutoDetect" to "VT100"
On the same screen click [ASCII Setup] click the box "Echo typed characters locally"

Then start up your TiVo.

After the initial boot screen comes up, you should see some Garbage, then the Tivo: prompt.

See if this works for you.

If not also try without the turbonet installed, as it may be faulty causing some of these issues.

Peter.

[JustinD]

Thanks Pete.
Tonight when I get home I will attempt the setup you mention

[JustinD]

worked straight up!

[petestrash]

Finally something works ! :D

Ok, if you now go though some of the steps in post #11 and see what the results are.

Peter.

[JustinD]

Ok.
So my IP setup was all over the place and I changed it back to what it should be. I also checked the dial prefix to #401
Funny how everything in hyperterminal was double whatever I typed - little disconcerting really.
Anyway, I then did the route check which was fine.
I then logged out that way and attempted to reconnect through the ethernet and the IP address and it worked.
I have now rigged it up with the wireless bridge and its doing the first download as I type. Thanks for all the help. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.

Just curious, why do the PPP by serial when it seems to be easier the last way?
Also, do you have any idea why a setup like mine could all of a sudden go a bit strange like this? I mean, when it didn't connect, initially I did take out the drive and run the OzTivo disk and it showed the nic_config as being setup correctly. Could it have been me connecting by TivoWeb?
Thanks again for the help

[petestrash]

Ok.
So my IP setup was all over the place and I changed it back to what it should be. I also checked the dial prefix to #401

Hopefully you mean ',#401' it won't work without the comma ;)


Just curious, why do the PPP by serial when it seems to be easier the last way?

The 2nd method is really only for telnet, though you can download using zmodem but it's a little ugly.

Using PPP you have full access (if it worked) just like an ethernet connection, so you can view tivoweb pages, move files with FTP, and also still use telnet.


Also, do you have any idea why a setup like mine could all of a sudden go a bit strange like this?

If you weren't using DHCP and you didn't poke around places you shouldn't have, then I have never seen it before.

Peter.

[JustinD]

If you weren't using DHCP and you didn't poke around places you shouldn't have, then I have never seen it before.

Peter.

Well, I guess it was the ghost in the machine:o

thanks again, and things seem to be working fine now. Also, I now have some tools if it goes haywire again.