Psyclone
join:2002-09-29
Beaverton, OR
| FIOS TV Central website access with Non AT Router?
All,
After finally having enough with the undersized NAT table in the ActionTec, this weekend I decided to undertake the task of configuring my personal router as the outside router and setting up the ActionTec internal to my network. I was pretty successful for the most part. There's still a couple things that I am having issues with and also need some clarification as to the steps in the FAQ.
First a bit about my setup. I was an early FIOS Internet(Pre TV) adopter and at that time, they were wiring ONT's to be ethernet from the ONT to the router so that was not a hurdle/extra step that I had to deal with thankfully. I had since replaced the inadequate D-Link that was given to me with a Buffalo WHR-G54s router and have configured it with DD-WRT.
I am also a subscriber to the Home Media DVR service so I wanted to retain that functionality as well. Keeping this in mind, I looked up the FAQ to retain the Streaming functionality here and began the process to tame this configuration. I followed it step by step but did take some independent directin along the way due to what appeared to be some gaps in the faq and also to accomodate my existing network configuration.
At any rate, I ended up with the Buffalo as the outermost router directly connected(via PPOE, as we;re not on DHCP in my neck of the woods) and the ActionTec connected to the LAN port. I have configured the ActionTec to retrieve it's IP address via DHCP and disabled the DHCP server in the ActionTec so the Buffalo is leasing IP's to it and to the COAX network(STB's). The Buffalo is configured at 192.168.1.1 with a DHCP pool of 192.168.1.2-192.168.1.27 of which it only dynamically assigns *.26 and *.27 to the STB's due to the fact I mac assigned static IP's for the remaining devices on my network. I've also put the ActionTec in the DMZ of the Buffalo as suggested by another FAQ on this configuration. This covers all of my networked devices.
Everything seems to be working, I'm getting VOD and Guide data, the STB shows the proper IP addresses based on the IP pool configured on the Buffalo. And I am able to avoid the convoluted port forwarding interface of the ActionTec instead using the DD-WRT UI on the Buffalo. This is all good, however the one thing that I seem to have lost in this configuration is the ability to see my DVR's from the FIOS TV Central web site.
Prior to the change, I could see/delete recordings, schedule new ones, and view the HD usage data. Now when I go to the site, I just get a 'refreshing...' graphic and it never seems to be able to connect to the DVR's.
Does anyone have any experience with this non standard config and successfully using it with the FIOS TV Central web site? Any idea what settings I can/need to change to get this to work? |
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More Fiber
Premium
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
 ·Bay Area Internet ..
| Interesting. I'm not aware of anyone that has tried to access the STBs from VZ Central.
I understand you've changed the configuration somewhat, but there are some things that aren't clear in your post.
•How are the routers connected? LAN-to-LAN or LAN-to-WAN?
Part 4 of the FAQ relies on a LAN-to-LAN connection, however, you state:
I have configured the Actiontec to retrieve it's IP address via DHCP.
That would imply that you are using a LAN-to-WAN connection, since only the Actiontec WAN interface pulls a DHCP address.
If the Actiontec is connected LAN-to-WAN, this would also imply the STBs are double NAT'ed which would explain issues with VZ Central.
OTOH, you say the STBs are pulling the correct IP addresses and DHCP server is disabled in the Actiontec, which would imply the LAN-to-LAN connection is working.
There should NOT be a need to create a DMZ in the Buffalo. In the Part 4 FAQ, the Actiontec is acting ONLY as a switch and MOCA bridge. It is not functioning as a router.
Please post more specific information about your configuration. |
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darcilicious
Cyber Librarian
Premium
join:2001-01-02
Forest Grove, OR
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Comcast
| said by More Fiber  :Interesting. I'm not aware of anyone that has tried to access the STBs from VZ Central. It's how the remote DVR feature works in IMG 1.6 to schedule programming, set up favorites, etc via the web. |
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More Fiber
Premium
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
·Bay Area Internet ..
| said by darcilicious :said by More Fiber :Interesting. I'm not aware of anyone that has tried to access the STBs from VZ Central. It's how the remote DVR feature works in IMG 1.6 to schedule programming, set up favorites, etc via the web. My statement was specifically in reference to the various bridging configurations. |
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Psyclone
join:2002-09-29
Beaverton, OR
edit:
September 17th, @01:40PM
| reply to More Fiber
Ok to answer your questions. Here is the connection diagram:
ONT->cat5->[WAN Port-Buffalo-LAN Port]->Cat5->[Lan Port- ActionTec]
So they are connected Lan to Lan as you suggested. The IP configuration on the ActionTec is that it acquires it's IP Address via DHCP from the Buffalo. The internal DHCP server of the ActionTec which serves the COAX and Ethernet Lan ports is disabled. All IP's in the network are given out by the Buffalo, this inludes the ActionTec and the STB's.
Like I stated, this configuration does 'work' however I'm missing the ability to use the FIOS Central site to see my DVR's.
I have tried enabling the DHCP server on the ActionTec so that it gives the STB's their IP Addresses but they still seemed to get their IP's from the Buffalo. I may have to tweak with this config more. I'm not sure how much it matters what router the STB's get their IP's from.
I hope that clarifies things. |
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ProFiOSDude
Premium
join:2005-05-27
Chesapeake, VA
| Probably because Verizon sees the MAC address of your Linksys and knows it's not an Actiontec. There might be a pre-linkup where Verizon checks the status of your STBs, but since the the Linksys cannot communicate with the STB's in the same manner as the Actiontec, it doesn't allow it. IMHO.
PFD |
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Yaco
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ | reply to More Fiber
Hi,
I can "SEE" my boxes via Verizon.com. It that what you are inquiring about?
Lee |
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joe01880
join:2007-10-26
Wakefield, MA | reply to Psyclone
Why would someone want to go to all that trouble? |
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ProFiOSDude
Premium
join:2005-05-27
Chesapeake, VA | reply to Yaco
No. Interaction between the STB and Verizon would probably have to go through the Actiontec. Don't think they would bother coding for every possible router.
PFD |
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ProFiOSDude
Premium
join:2005-05-27
Chesapeake, VA | reply to joe01880
Someone at work tells you about this great show, but you won't get back home in time to set the DVR to record. Now you can.
Things like that...I don't see myself doing it, but there are people...
PFD |
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darcilicious
Cyber Librarian
Premium
join:2001-01-02
Forest Grove, OR | Better yet you're out of town; see a commercial on the hotel TV and want to record it.
I'm able to do this now with Vista Media Center via the MSN tv guide. It kinda rocks  |
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joe01880
join:2007-10-26
Wakefield, MA
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to ProFiOSDude
No, my question was not about what you wrote ProFios, it was in reference to phyclones orginal post.
Using other routers buffalo's or whatever the hell they are when the router supplied from Verizon does a fine job.
Only to avoid the rental from Verizon? That can be negotiated. To mask your ip address perhaps?
I do not understand the desire or necessity to have to go through all that to watch TV????? |
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darcilicious
Cyber Librarian
Premium
join:2001-01-02
Forest Grove, OR
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
| said by joe01880 :Using other routers buffalo's or whatever the hell they are when the router supplied from Verizon does a fine job. Actually, for a notable number of people, the Actiontec does NOT work well. Some game server requests (eg STEAM) for example, often bring the AT to its knees (because of its small NAT tabel). So do some torrent clients.
So folks bridge the AT to keep the TV/MoCA functionality and use their own, more robust router for Internet access. |
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jwdv22
join:2008-01-15
Phoenixville, PA
·Verizon FIOS
edit:
September 17th, @12:45PM
| reply to Psyclone
Also I think I heard somewhere that the STB need to be in the .100 range. I might have read this in the 1.6 IMG thread, but can't remember. I think it cause problems when the STB were not in that range.
**EDIT*** also how many DVR's do you have? One MR-DVR and a few other DVR's? Does streaming within the network still work? Really curious because I was planning on doing the same thing but didn't want to lose my MR-DVR functionality. THanks again |
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jwdv22
join:2008-01-15
Phoenixville, PA
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to joe01880
Because there are other things that Buffalo router with DD-WRT can do that ActionTec can't. Search Wikipedia for DD-WRT, I wanted to do this so I can setup a VPN. Then my laptop can access my Slingbox through the VPN, hence tricking the Slingbox to giving me the full upload, not just 1.5(which is locked down my the slingbox) |
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Psyclone
join:2002-09-29
Beaverton, OR
edit:
September 17th, @01:14PM
| reply to darcilicious
said by darcilicious :said by joe01880 :Using other routers buffalo's or whatever the hell they are when the router supplied from Verizon does a fine job. Actually, for a notable number of people, the Actiontec does NOT work well. Some game server requests (eg STEAM) for example, often bring the AT to its knees (because of its small NAT tabel). So do some torrent clients. So folks bridge the AT to keep the TV/MoCA functionality and use their own, more robust router for Internet access. Yeah, what she said.
Thank you darcilicious for answering for me |
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Psyclone
join:2002-09-29
Beaverton, OR
edit:
September 17th, @01:42PM
| reply to Yaco
said by Yaco :Hi, I can "SEE" my boxes via Verizon.com. It that what you are inquiring about? Lee I can "SEE" my STB's also, just as I have been able to since I set up my account on the site, but I cannot interact with them as I should be able to. The FIOS TV Central site, for those of you not in the know, allows a FIOS Home Media DVR subscriber to access their DVR's from the Web site. This allows you to see how much space you have used, see(and delete) the current recordings, and schedule stuff to record that you don't have a timer set for.
Like darcilicious said, it's nice to be able to do this remotely. I don't know about the rest of you but I've often gone on vacation, or otherwise been away from the house and forgot to set a timer for something I really wanted to see. This provides the ability to do that from a remote location. |
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Psyclone
join:2002-09-29
Beaverton, OR
edit:
September 18th, @03:00PM
| reply to jwdv22
said by jwdv22 :Also I think I heard somewhere that the STB need to be in the .100 range. I might have read this in the 1.6 IMG thread, but can't remember. I think it cause problems when the STB were not in that range. **EDIT*** also how many DVR's do you have? One MR-DVR and a few other DVR's? Does streaming within the network still work? Really curious because I was planning on doing the same thing but didn't want to lose my MR-DVR functionality. THanks again I did also read something about the .100 range requirement, however I thought this was 'required' just to get the VOD/guide data to even work in this configuration. If that's the case then I've already proven this statement to be untrue. I will try this and see if it resolves my issue.
To answer your question, I only have the MR-DVR at the moment and a second SD STB. By following the FAQ that I linked, it's supposed to retain the streaming feature, I presume both streaming features. Keep in mind that with the MR-DVR it does 2 kinds of streaming; music and pictures from a networked PC to the MR-DVR and recordings on the MR-DVR to other STB's in the house.
I honestly haven't tested streaming from the MR-DVR to the STB since I set this up. I did however test PC to MR-DVR streaming and it does work. I presume the former would work as well.
I have read, and in my exercise, proven that in order for the PC streaming to work that it has to be on the same subnet as the MR-DVR.
I assumed putting the ActionTec in the DMZ of the Buffalo would allow the STB's to be seen from the FIOS TV Central site but it appears that is not the case. I am going to play around with the IP addressing a bit more to see if I can't resolve the issue.
I don't know who authored the FAQ but it seems that it needs some tweaking. Step 12 for example says to 'Set your new router gateway address to 192.168.1.1' I assume this to mean to set your non ActionTec router's gateway to this ip address. I did this and it caused me to not be able to pull an IP address from the WAN. It really doesn't make sense, particularly when previous steps direct you change the ActionTec from it's default of 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.2 with no step to change it back to the .1.* range.
If I get this to work, I will help to update the existing FAQ to eliminate any ambiguities and inconsistencies. |
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More Fiber
Premium
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
·Bay Area Internet ..
edit:
September 18th, @07:04AM
| said by Psyclone :I don't know who authored the FAQ but it seems that it needs some tweaking. Step 12 for example says to 'Set your new router gateway address to 192.168.1.1' I assume this to mean to set your non Actiontec router's gateway to this ip address. I did this and it caused me to not be able to pull an IP address from the WAN. The FAQ was authored by birdfeedr . I reviewed and edited the FAQ. There is a feedback link on the FAQ page.
Step 12 as currently written:
12. Log in to your new router to verify and change any settings. Make sure you change your router password off the default value. Set your new router gateway address to 192.168.1.1, subnet 255.255.255.0. Also set it to distribute DHCP addresses in the range from 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.199. You can use the lower addresses for static IPs. Reboot router and PC if you made any changes. I've revised the wording as follows to clarify:
In your your new router DHCP Server settings set the gateway address to 192.168.1.1, subnet 255.255.255.0.
which means that you need to set the gateway IP address and subnet that the Buffalo will distribute to it's clients. This does not mean the Buffalo's WAN IP address. Clients that request DHCP addresses from the Buffalo need to receive back that gateway address and subnet mask. If the wording needs to be further clarified, I'm sure birdfeedr would be glad to do so.
said by Psyclone :It really doesn't make sense, particularly when previous steps direct you change the Actiontec from it's default of 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.2 with no step to change it back to the .1 range. Step 6 instructs you to set the IP address of the Actiontec to 192.168.1.2. This ensures that the IP address of the Actiontec does not conflict with the Buffalo. The Actiontec is still on the 192.168.1.x range. Your statement "no step to change it back to the .1 range" implies that you moved the Actiontec to a different subnet. The Actiontec must be on the same subnet as the Buffalo for MediaShare to work. At no point did the Part 4 FAQ instructions refer to moving the Actiontec
If the Buffalo can not pull a WAN IP address, then you have a configuration error or a WAN DHCP lease issue. I recommend doing a hard reset on both routers; follow the instructions from the beginning as written; and verify that everything works before trying to incorporate any customizations. |
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More Fiber
Premium
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
·Bay Area Internet ..
| reply to joe01880
said by joe01880 :Only to avoid the rental from Verizon? That can be negotiated. The Actiontec router is not rented. It is included "free" as part of the service with either internet and/or TV. |
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