New VIP722K Duo and Home Network

[Mind's Eye Watering]

Hello All,

I have just recently switched my service from Directv to Dish Network, and I am pretty happy with my new service and new equipment.
I did try to connect the receiver to my wireless home network using a Netgear WG111T Wireless USB adapter that I have, but the receiver reports that this is an unsupported device, and Dish Network's Tech Support tells me: "DISH Network will be releasing a wireless adapter; the ETA is unknown at this time. Currently, our only option to connect receivers to your home network is to connect a network cable to the Ethernet port on the back of the receiver or through the use of a Powerline Broadband Connector; which allows the wireless connection from your modem or router. The USB port on the receiver is not active at this time for a connection to broadband."

Now, I could reconfigure my wireless network so that I can run a CAT5 directly to the receiver's Ethernet port, but it occurs to me that I don't really know what the advantage(s) to having the receiver networked might be. I don't want to pay for Pay Per View or any other service over what I am already paying, and searching Dish Network's site only raises more questions than answers.

My receiver already has an active phone line attached (for CallerID). Is there any real advantage to attaching the receiver to broadband?Also, does the Ethernet port work as advertised?

Thanks!

 

[chicagonettech]

Check out my response [#5] to this post: http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/231368-broadband-usb.html

 

[Mind's Eye Watering]

Thanks, that's interesting, but I'm not going to buy anything new for this system unless it's really worth it., and it won't be difficult to hard-wire the receiver, if necessary.

I just don't know what all of the advantages to connecting the receiver might be.

 

[chicagonettech]

There are a couple of other solutions, too, but I could not find those posts.

The ethernet port will allow you to take advantage of the new partnership with Google, as well as download "on-demand" and "pray-it-works per view" content - most at significant additional costs.

The Google partnership, should you decide to take advantage of it, will require additional equipment for full integration. It will also require an "activation fee" and an additional "monthly access fee." In my humble opinion, most of the content offered by the Google partnership can be found on the Internet at little or no cost.

I have little desire to use my large screen television sets for Internet access so I have locked out the on-demand and search content so none of our friends can run up the bill. All you have to do is setup a password, lock pay-per-view content, and all of the on-demand content will require the same password.

If you have the capability of hard-wiring to a receiver, then wireless is not an issue. For many, however, wireless is the only solution short of stringing cable along the baseboard or across the bedroom floor.

Spouses and significant others frequently object to such solutions when they are not as tech oriented and "do not understand why the Internet needs to be hooked up to the TV in the first place!"

 

[DustoMan]

You forgot about Remote Access of the 722K either from inside the home or out. Sometimes it's nice to not interrupt whoever is watching a show to set timers or do some show management. Plus it's nice for those cases when you are outside the home and think to yourself. "Damn, I forgot to set a recording timer for (such and such) show" and be able to make a correction then and there instead of trying to remember to do a search to see if the show is repeated later in the week or start recording again the next week. Not everything is about DISH trying to suck your wallet dry. There are *some* nice features of their receivers that don't cost you any extra money.

 

[Mind's Eye Watering]

"There are *some* nice features of their receivers that don't cost you any extra money."

Thanks. And that is just what I need - the features and advantages of networking the receiver that DON'T cost additional money.