Trouble with modem connection.

[NoSignal]

I'm afraid as of the 9th October 2010, I am still having the same kind of trouble discussed above.

I think it was saying "Service Failed". Today, after reading this post, I tried rebooting the TiVO. Now, after attempting a Call, it says "Failed. Service not answering".

I'm using dialup (and I've confirmed the ISP is still working), and I'm using the OzTivo image (I did't find out about the NZTivo image till after I had everything set up). It was all working fine till 30th Sept.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I have not had Guide data since Tuesday (I've been away for a few days) so I'm starting to get worried.

[petestrash]

If there was a server problem there would likely be more posts about it. At this stage I would guess the problem is at your end. Have you tried using a phone and listening in when the TiVo dials out to make sure it is dialling your ISP and that the two are talking to each other?

Peter.

[Skolink]

When you say "confirmed the ISP is still working" I assume you mean you used the modem in your computer to dial in to your ISP and connect?
If you have broadband at home I can supply and help you install a network card (I'm in Chch too).
Maybe your ISP is now enforcing using CHAP/PAP authentication and no longer allow plain-text authenication. You can probably test this with your PC by unselecting the options under the dialup connection. There is a patch you can apply to your TiVo if that is the case.

[NoSignal]

Hi guys, thanks for the pointers.

petestrash - I tried listening in, but it didn't seem to connect when expected, or maybe I just missed it. I'll have to try again, but as I have to wait till the next scheduled time, its not always when I am around.

I tried disconnecting the phone line entirely - it gave a different error: "Failed. Couldn't connect." which suggests that it is getting at least some of the way through the process.

Skolink - yes, I used the modem in my computer to dial in to my ISP and connect successfully. My computer settings are still "Typical (recommemded settings) -> Allow unsecured password". CHAP and PAP are only selectable if I change to "Advanced (custom settings)" so I'm pretty sure my computer connected with plain-text authentication too.
I have broadband and a TurboNet card, but from memory, it froze/crashed my Tivo every time I tried to connect to it from my computer. I can't recall - I think it might have caused other network problems too, so I put it aside.
I'm very grateful for your offer of assistance - work is not giving me much spare time at the moment, but I'll definitely bear it in mind when things calm down.

It still strikes me as coincidental that I didn't have problems until the server did, but I can't draw a connection from that to a solution, short of re-imaging the drive, which would require figuring out how to backup Season Passes and some shows.

Many thanks again,

Eric

[Skolink]

Family isn't giving me much spare time either, but let me know if you need a hand. It would probably be easiest if you came over with your TiVo one evening, however we would only be able to get the network card going not the modem, as I don't have a phone line (only a VoIP service).

[petestrash]

petestrash - I tried listening in, but it didn't seem to connect when expected, or maybe I just missed it. I'll have to try again, but as I have to wait till the next scheduled time, its not always when I am around.

Even though you are on dial-up you should be able to manually force a call while you listen by pressing the Live TV Button on the remote to bring you live TV. Then press Clear, Live TV, Clear one after the other which will start the daily call process. It can take a few minutes while the TiVo gets ready for the call before it actually dials.

It is possible to backup season passes and view logs by using a PPP connection over a serial cable (http://www.oztivo.net/twiki/bin/view/Network/a SerialPPPWithXP).

I think the easiest would be to get your Turbonet card going with Skolinks help.

Peter

[petestrash]

I have split this from the guide thread as I do not believe it is related to the server issues.

Peter.

[NoSignal]

Thanks again guys. I'm not sure if I am climbing out of the rabbit hole, or slipping deeper, but I powered down the TiVo for a few hours. A few hours after booting up, it dialed and says "Last Status: Succeeded". However, it still has no Program data available.

I manually triggered a daily call (great tip thanks) and it connected ok, was only connected for about 30-60 seconds, then disconnected. Again, it says "Last Status: Succeeded" (with a new time).

So I'm pretty sure I am not having a modem connection issue. Which throws doubt on whether TurboNet/Broadband would really help at all.

Is there a chance my Tivo failed to connect to the normal server, so crossed that one off the list, and is now trying to connect to some old server it had stored somewhere? I'm grasping at straws, but if the modem is ok, then the only possible causal factors I can think of are 1) The server going offline and coming back one, or 2) Coincidentally something random.

Thanks,

Eric

[petestrash]

The only way to know what is going is to look at the logs, which is not easy as you connect via dial-up.

Your TiVo will not be trying to contact any other server, and even if it did it should not be getting a successful result.

I still believe it is coincidental that the NZ server went down for a day.

Peter.

[NoSignal]

It is with great pleasure (and admitted confusion) that I can report my TiVO is back up and running in full health.

I can't quite explain it. After my last post (http://forums.oztivo.net/showthread.php?2467-Trouble-with-modem-connection&p=16731#post16731) I still had no TV guide data. Then, when I came back to the Tivo, all the guide data was there! I checked, and it had not made another call since the forced call.

So I can only presume that one of two things (or both) helped:
1) Turning off the Tivo for a few hours (as opposed to reboot or a 10 second powerdown).
2) Forcing a call (thanks petestrash - I had no idea how to do this).

From vague memory, it takes quite a few minutes for Tivo to process the call data and make it visible. So I guess this was happening while I was looking at "Success" and resigning myself to failure.
The forced call was within a few minutes of the automatic call (that listed as "Success"), so I don't know which one actually succeeded in pulling the data down. But I suspect it was the first one (after prolonged power down) as the second one (forced call) was only connected to the internet for less than a minute.

Thanks heaps guys for all you help. I love this community and I love my Tivo!

[petestrash]

Since your TiVo had no data at all, it would have taken hours for the indexing to complete and all of the guide to be visible.

Glad it's working.

Peter.