Phantom Recordings (and more) ONLY when DECA connected

[ZandarKoad]

Alright, here's one for the X-Files.

I had a customer yesterday who demonstrated to me the following: He showed me 20 or so items on his DVR List and said he only recorded less than 1/3rd of those items. Then, he unplugged the DECA kit, and after 2 to 3 minutes, all the items he didn't record DISAPPEARED from his list. We replaced the DECA kit, and plugged it back in. Then, after 3-4 minutes, all those same items REAPPEARED on his list. At no time during any of this was his To-Do list affected, and none of these recorded items were on his To-Do list. He has a newer SWM system (installed 3-4 months ago) with one HR24, and two H25s. I called corporate to verify those are the only IRDs on his account. Those are the facts as I witnessed them.

He also said that he could delete those DVR items, but they would keep randomly recording. These phantom recordings happen ONLY WHEN HIS DECA KIT was plugged in. Some of his OWN recordings would be randomly deleted too. Also, the shows which are being recorded are of the BET flavor (Steve Harvey, Judge Judy, etc.)

I have no idea what to do to solve his problem. I feel like I'm working for Dish Network again. I didn't replace the HR24 (yet) as we don't stock them since the Genies rolled out. I'm replacing his HR24 on Wednesday. I don't think that will fix his problem, and neither does he, but what else can I do?

One of my theories is that somehow, another customer's DVR is linked to his account over the internet, and they are sharing recording space that way. But how am I to resolve that, or how could that even happen?

Help?

 

[texasbrit]

If he is in an apartment building and has whole home, those recordings are probably on another DVR in the apartment complex. Whoever did the installation failed to install band stop filters to isolate one apartment from the others.

 

[ZandarKoad]

If he is in an apartment building and has whole home, those recordings are probably on another DVR in the apartment complex. Whoever did the installation failed to install band stop filters to isolate one apartment from the others.

Good thought, but he is in a single family home. I did the install. No other DVRs on the coax or account.

 

[Lanarian]

Ran into this once before. Check if they have a wireless Router (The Deca doesn't necessarily matter). If theres a wireless router, then odds are either the customer is connected to a neighbors network or a neighbor is connected to his. Whole home will share over a wireless network connection (We proved this in Case Management).
One easy way to check would be to go into the whole home settings on one of the H25's while the DECA is connected and see how many Networked DVR's show up. If there's more than whats actually there.. well you found your bogie.

 

[Lanarian]

On second thought, If it's a wireless DECA, then double check that its connected to the customers network and not a neighbors...

 

[ZandarKoad]

On second thought, If it's a wireless DECA, then double check that its connected to the customers network and not a neighbors...

It's a non-wireless deca kit. I will call the customer and check into that.

 

[ZandarKoad]

He disconnected his wireless router and hooked up an old non-wireless switch. He has no other internet devices in his home connected except the deca and the problem persists. He went into the whole home setup on his H25, and sure enough another DVR is showing up, named 356527. This DVR shows up on all three IRDs in his home, and only when the deca is connected.

He has internet through the local power company, CDE.

What the flip-flop?

 

[ZandarKoad]

Problem resolved: I had the customer install a router (with firewall) in between his ISP and his BBDECA. Poof, no more phantom DVR. The problem is with his ISP.

 

[texasbrit]

Ran into this once before. Check if they have a wireless Router (The Deca doesn't necessarily matter). If theres a wireless router, then odds are either the customer is connected to a neighbors network or a neighbor is connected to his. Whole home will share over a wireless network connection (We proved this in Case Management).
One easy way to check would be to go into the whole home settings on one of the H25's while the DECA is connected and see how many Networked DVR's show up. If there's more than whats actually there.. well you found your bogie.

Yes, whole home will share over wireless. I have two separate installations on my property, connected by wireless, with whole home across all the DVRs.

 

[texasbrit]

He disconnected his wireless router and hooked up an old non-wireless switch. He has no other internet devices in his home connected except the deca and the problem persists. He went into the whole home setup on his H25, and sure enough another DVR is showing up, named 356527. This DVR shows up on all three IRDs in his home, and only when the deca is connected.

He has internet through the local power company, CDE.

What the flip-flop?

So it's basically the OPs own fault. I guess he has no security at all on his router, and his neighbor is piggybacking on his internet service.

 

[ZandarKoad]

So it's basically the OPs own fault. I guess he has no security at all on his router, and his neighbor is piggybacking on his internet service.

I'm the OP (Original Poster) and it's not my fault. Perhaps you meant it's the customer's fault. But that's not the case entirely either. We've decided that it's the customer's ISP's fault. It's the local power company, and they seem to be connecting their customers incorrectly. There is no way any device should be available through your ISP to another customer's home. But in the end, internet security is really best handled by the end user (the customer). He didn't have a router at all in between the ISP and his DECA (he had a switch). Once we placed a router (with a firewall) properly, the problem went away.

 

[texasbrit]

I'm the OP (Original Poster) and it's not my fault. Perhaps you meant it's the customer's fault. But that's not the case entirely either. We've decided that it's the customer's ISP's fault. It's the local power company, and they seem to be connecting their customers incorrectly. There is no way any device should be available through your ISP to another customer's home. But in the end, internet security is really best handled by the end user (the customer). He didn't have a router at all in between the ISP and his DECA (he had a switch). Once we placed a router (with a firewall) properly, the problem went away.

Yes, I re-read the posts and it is the ISPs fault. Did you tell them about the screwup? But there is no way I would ever rely on the ISP to handle my security.

 

[ZandarKoad]

Yes, I re-read the posts and it is the ISPs fault. Did you tell them about the screwup? But there is no way I would ever rely on the ISP to handle my security.

The customer already hated his ISP. He really wan't looking forward to calling them for any reason.

All in all, it's a non issue now for him, since he knows where to put his router (at no inconvenience to him).