Homeplug --how do I do it?

[TheKrell]

which actually works better, the set up with one adapter and the power plug stuck in the wall, or the setup with two adapters and an ethernet cable?

The short answer is that an Ethernet cable between receiver and router will be the fastest, cheapest, and most reliable. There is no "setup with two adapters and an ethernet cable". The receiver needs no adapter if cabled up via Ethernet. Are you calling the router an "adapter"? If you are, then the router is still needed with the "one adapter and the power plug stuck in the wall" (the HomePlug solution), because you still need the HomePlug adapter such as the SlingLink, and also a router. I think combination routers with built-in HomePlug exist, but they are rare.

 

[ackbar]

I guess I mis-read Cyclone's chart.

An ethernet cable isn't practical because it would be too long and have to make a difficult traverse, straight across a ceiling which society objects to.

(but that brings up a question: would an ethernet cable be better than a coaxial cable plugged into a tv tuner card, (if those even work with Dish)?)

Am I right then that if I wanted to record anything to the hard drive on the computer I would require a tv tuner card and be watching the program, that I cannot just load it off the dvr?

And that I could not load anything off the computer onto the dvr or access it on the tv?

 

[Dah-Henny]

...straight across a ceiling which society objects to.

lol

 

[TheKrell]

Am I right then that if I wanted to record anything to the hard drive on the computer I would require a tv tuner card and be watching the program, that I cannot just load it off the dvr?

That unfortunately is correct. Content owners hate it when a digitally perfect copy of their stuff (particularly HD stuff) gets moved off the DVR and placed elsewhere, such as on a computer. The "single copy" rule allows Dish to move programs onto an EHD and back again. But it's encrypted when doing so and cannot be played on a computer or given to 3rd parties, even those with Dish Network. The easiest way to get around this is to record the analog output via a tuner card.

 

[pabeader]

akbar -- you mentioned 'telephone' and 'modem' in some earlier posts. you do have high-speed broadband, right?

 

[ackbar]

Yes, but it isn't fast broadband, it maxes out at 1.3 Mbps.

Upload speed is a little better than half that.

 

[pabeader]

ok. at least you aren't dead in the water. can you describe exactly what you have from the wall to your computer? i'm assuming that from the jack in the wall you go to a DSL to Ethernet adapter. sometimes called a "modem" From there to your computer.

On some "modems" there are more than one 'output'
if you have that then all you have to do is get the homeplug adapter. plug it into the wall and then plug a cable from it to one of the extra outputs on the "modem".

 

[ackbar]

Yes, on the modem there is an extra plug labelled 'phone' for a phone cord and an extra plug labelled 'usb'.

The modem came from the phone company when we got broadband.

 

[pabeader]

Yes, on the modem there is an extra plug labelled 'phone' for a phone cord and an extra plug labelled 'usb'.

The modem came from the phone company when we got broadband.

Darn. you are going to need some sort of router from the modem to give you more LAN outputs. you would plug the router into the spot where your computer goes now. then you would plug the computer into the router. this should then give you a few extra LAN connections to use for other devices like a homeplug adapter. i have left out a bunch of stuff because we are starting to wander off of satellite and into computer networking. i would be happy to fill in the details if nobody objects.

 

[ackbar]

No, I don't object!

I know nothing about these matters.

 

[DishTechPA]

I don't know about any others, but the rsp I work for supplies 5 port LAN switches to get network connectivity. If you have the service plan on your account you could get a service call and get the thing hooked up. Those are my favorite service calls

 

[ackbar]

My phone company appears to offer only wireless routers.

(I see they are selling DirecTV, the only thing news-to-me about it seems to be that it has voice mail and 'click to call' where you click a number in your caller history and it rings your phone when the call connects, evidently.)

 

[pabeader]

you can pick up a cheap one at walmart for around $50 bucks. or even cheaper. they are usually very good at walking you through the setup, since the assumption is that most people are not savvy.