I have 2 Virgin V6 Tivo boxes. When I connect them both using wi-fi on the same subnet they can see each other and each box is capable of streaming from content stored on the other. When I plug an ethernet cable into one of these boxes, they can't see each other. This was working fine until I upgraded to the latest firmware due to the security issues. Is there likely a problem with this firmware?

I'm using a Vigor 2860ac. The boxes are connected to the same VLAN using subnet 192.168.3.* and I can see each has its IP in this subnet visible in the ARP cache table and the DHCP table and also via the network status of each box. The wireless setup does not isolate members.

The Virgin box connected via cable reports failure in its port configuration test but succeeds sometimes but not always when connected via wi-fi. The Virgin DNS resolution test fails in either scenario although the network status properly identifies my 2 DNS settings of 9.9.9.9 and 8.8.8.8. I've no idea what these tests mean. I guess the Virgin stuff is only relevant to those with these boxes but if someone else has these boxes it would be good to hear how theirs fares.

Both boxes can stream from Netflix connected in either method. It's only the issue of them not being able to see each other - which is useful to see programs recorded on the box in another room. I can make do with wifi for both but it isn't as fast as the direct cable connection so I might get some stuttering sometimes if both are streaming using wi-fi.

rustleg wrote: When I plug an ethernet cable into one of these boxes, they can't see each other. This was working fine until I upgraded to the latest firmware due to the security issues.

Do you mean that literally - i.e. you only want one of the boxes hard-wired, with the other remaining on wifi?

If not, do they talk when both hard-wired?

I believe that the Tivo tries quite hard, to check that both devices are on the same physical LAN (Remote Access being an optional feature, not available in the Virgin variant). They don't, for example, work across a VPN (something I would love to get working!). I've definitely had the original Tivo and new V6 box communicating via 2860n LAN ports and can't imagine what could change in firmware that would stop that working...

hornbyp wrote:

rustleg wrote: When I plug an ethernet cable into one of these boxes, they can't see each other. This was working fine until I upgraded to the latest firmware due to the security issues.

Do you mean that literally - i.e. you only want one of the boxes hard-wired, with the other remaining on wifi?

Yes, only one is near enough to be hard wired.

If not, do they talk when both hard-wired?

Unfortunately the other is in another room too far away to be wired.

FYI http://tivopod.sourceforge.net/tivoconnect.pdf

(I've only skimmed through this document - and note it's quite old)

A bit more information. I phoned Virgin to fix this and after various tests they did the chap on the phone said there was a problem with my ethernet cable and he would send me another. But I needed a 10m cable and his offer was only a 2m cable which was no good. So I suggested connecting via wi-fi instead and magically the problem disappeared. End of phone call.

As I wanted to get the ethernet connection working, I decided later to buy another 10m cable even though I think my cable was good. The new cable (good quality cat 6A) still didn't improve matters. This is when I put it down to the firmware update.

When you connect one box by Ethernet, how does the other one get Wifi from? The Draytek router or another access point wired to the Draytek?
If connected on the Draytek router's wifi, maybe the setting that isolates wifi clients is activated?