Directly connected MediaMVP

[paulbeers]

This may have been asked previously, but here is what I am curious about. Can an MVP be connected directly to a server? My sister has wireless internet, and wants a Sage setup (especially when she saw my setup with 2 mvps). What she wants, is to put the sage main box in her living room and then have an MVP in her bedroom (the two tv's share a wall). Unfortunately there is no way to run ethernet to her livingroom/bedroom. Has anyone tried connecting a wired MVP to a computer directly? She would have a wireless card in the "server" to update the guide/etc, and then hook the MVP to the ethernet port in the server. Would I need to run software DHCP on the server? Crossover cable? Anyone ever try this?

[ke6guj]

There are a couple ways I could think of to do it besides the crossover method. I don't recall if the crossover method worked easily or not in Sage. With the Hauppuage software, it was a little cludgy for my tastes. Depending on what spare gear you may have, here are a couple options.

One is to set up a second router and hook up the MVP and computer up to it. That way, the router would do the DHCP for that small network. and there would be no need for a crossover cable.

Or, with a multi-port wireless bridge, you could have the MVP and server ethernet connected to the bridge and use the wireless bridge to get internet access, instead on the wireless card. With both the MVP and the server hardwired to it, you should still get good bandwtih between them.

The last way would be to use a wireless bridge for the MVP, but that way you are sending the video stream over wireless and that would be the least preferred way to go.


edit: how is the wireless internet supplied? The wireless router couldn't be moved? And maybe set up other computers wirelessly instead?

[paulbeers]

I think doing the second router might be the way to go. I know my parents have a router sitting around their house (old wired only router) that would work perfectly for this.

I had thought about moving their router to over by the tv, but that would require a lot of convincing (just who she is) and it would be easier to just leave it be ya know?

[sainswor99]

Originally Posted by ke6guj

The last way would be to use a wireless bridge for the MVP, but that way you are sending the video stream over wireless and that would be the least preferred way to go.

Jack covered a lot of the bases; I just wanted to point out that the wireless bridge method works great for me. You could also explore TCP/IP over phone/power, but your transmission speed is about the same as wireless G.

I think his last point about moving the router to the bedroom/living room net segment is a good idea; just put wireless cards in the other PC's.

Stu

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

I think doing the second router might be the way to go. I know my parents have a router sitting around their house (old wired only router) that would work perfectly for this.

If you go that method, on a multi-homed PC, you may need to bind Sage to a specific IP address in sage.properties. "miniserver/forced_server_ip=1.2.3.4" pointed to the etherneted IP address.

Originally Posted by sainswor99

Jack covered a lot of the bases; I just wanted to point out that the wireless bridge method works great for me. You could also explore TCP/IP over phone/power, but your transmission speed is about the same as wireless G.

On that I was thinking that the video stream would be going wirelessly from the server to the wireless router and then back to the wireless bridged MVP. So 2 wireless transmittions from server to MVP. I may be wrong on that, I don't recall if all traffic has to go through the wireless AP, or if it can go directly from server to bridged MVP like in an ad-hoc network.

[sainswor99]

On that I was thinking that the video stream would be going wirelessly from the server to the wireless router and then back to the wireless bridged MVP. So 2 wireless transmittions from server to MVP. I may be wrong on that, I don't recall if all traffic has to go through the wireless AP, or if it can go directly from server to bridged MVP like in an ad-hoc network.

I hadn't thought about that; my Belkin router in bridge mode also acts as an AP, so I would have associated the server with the bridge, and not the primary router. However, I could see how your scenario might be problematic; I just didn't think about setting it up that way.

However, I do think the setting up a segment with a wired connection between the two is best. Good idea!

Stu

[FidgetyRat]

Im sure you could run a software DHCP server on the server machine and just run a crossover to the MVP. As long as the MVP gets an address within the same range as the server you should be ok.


Though routers are so dirt cheap (especially non-wireless versions) that would be easier.

[JParedis]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

... Can an MVP be connected directly to a server? ... Would I need to run software DHCP on the server? Crossover cable? Anyone ever try this?

Besides the wireless alternatives, to give some feedback on the option to directly connect an MVP to a server. Yes it's possible, but ...

I did so - using a cross-cable and via my home cabling - and it worked straight away for the Hauppauge software. The SageTV software however does not do it just like that. The reason is that the Hauppauge service seems to 'emulate' DHCP and gives the MVP an IP, while the SageTV service doesn't.

Although I did not try it, it should be possible to run a software DHCP (as this one) on the server giving the MVP it's required IP address so SageTV should run.

Have also a look at this thread.

In case you do give it a try with direct connection using a software DHCP and SageTV, I'm interested to know the results (may just push me into trying it also).

Jan