Absolute Beginner having trouble with the idiot guide.

[johnlk2]

Hello all, 1st timer who's maybe bitten off more than he can chew here. I have just bought a DB500s and have connected up to my sat (pointing at 19.2E) but can't find out what connections I should make to my PC. I'm presently trying to make the 'network connection' as mentioned in the guides, but none seem to mention what cables to put where. I have my PC connected to a downstairs router, do I need to run another to the router for the DB? Or can I connect PC directly to the DB and somehow share the connection. I have a null modem lead, but I don't know if I need it at this early stage.
I am determined to succeed so all help would be gratefully appreciated.
P.S. Telling me I've bitten off more than I can chew would not be helpful!
Thank you.

 

[mhku]

Welcome

Connect your DB to your router using a CAT 5 (ethernet cable), then set up the communication page (Menu > 6 > expert > communication).

IP should be same range as your router. Get your DNS server using

ipconfig /all from start > run > cmd on your pc

and use this as your nameserver. Full details in The Guide.

 

[rparkera]

You're doing fine - the Idiot Guide does cover it all, don't worry

You can connect the DB to your PC via a crossover cable but there's no need to if you have a router; Connect with a normal network cable from the DB to the router and, using the DB on TV menu, go into the setup menu - expert settings - communications and choose (tick) DHCP - it may already be setup this way. Reboot the DB and it will pick up a network address, if not. You can use http - Internet Explorer or Firefox etc. to see the DB Enigma settings and lots more by connecting to the network IP address e.g. http://192.168.1.9 or whatever IP address it gets

Best of luck

 

[johnlk2]

Hi, thanks for the quick replies.
mhku, I've plugged in the cable directly from the router and found out my DNS server no. (192.168.0.1), but how do you mean 'range'? Also, how do I change the IP on the DB, it's preset to 192.168.0.24 (which is recommended in one of the guides), but when I move around the 'communication setup' page the IP part does not highlight, only the DHCP box, Type: LAN, Enable network box and Port box (preset at 80). Should I press the blue button which takes me to 'mounts'?
rparkera I tried your way too and after the reboot all the previous settings were as before. Your next piece of advise has gone 'zoom', over my head. Do I need to switch the router cable back to the PC for this next step? Should I have the null modem cable connected yet?
Sorry, I did warn you I was a beginner.
Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[rparkera]

Hi there - I'm just a beginner too - did all this 2 weeks ago

>>mhku, I've plugged in the cable directly from the router and found out my DNS server no. (192.168.0.1), but how do you mean 'range'? Also, how do I change the IP on the DB, it's preset to 192.168.0.24 (which is recommended in one of the guides), but when I move around the 'communication setup' page the IP part does not highlight, only the DHCP box, Type: LAN, Enable network box and Port box (preset at 80). Should I press the blue button which takes me to 'mounts'?

I can't answer for mhku - but you don't need to go to 'mounts' as that is for setting up another PC to act as a hard drive for your Dreambox - a little later perhaps! ;-). But you do need to click 'save' - did you do that?

>>rparkera I tried your way too and after the reboot all the previous settings were as before. Your next piece of advise has gone 'zoom', over my head. Do I need to switch the router cable back to the PC for this next step? Should I have the null modem cable connected yet?

Sorry if I jumped too far ahead - your router is connected to your PC by a Cat5 cable; use another Cat5 cable to connect the DB to the router. That way the DB is connected to the router and then to the Internet - it is also connected to the PC. All this is a permanent arrangement - there are advantages that you will come to learn about later in having the DB connected to the Internet via your router.

We are both assuming that youur router is set up to give your PC and also now your DB a network (IP) address. This will be something like 192.168.1.9 - usually it is the last number that is different from PC to PC to DB and each one will have a different numerical address. The router gives the address to the PC etc. using a service called DHCP (just take my word for that). By ticking the option to get the IP address using DHCP in your Dreambox you are allowing this to work and the DB gets an address automatically (it is described on page 87 of the latest manual, The PC and the DB and the router as well all have to be on the same 'sub net'. What that means is that the first part of that IP address should begin with the same numbers e.g. 192.168.1.X - where the last number willbe different for each of the PC and DB. That allows them to communicate with each other.

The null modem cable is mainly used to flash the DB image - this means to replace the existing software with another, usually modified version. I found that you didn't need that and used software called FlashWizard Pro to do the same thing using the Cat5 cable links that we are describing now - maybe that is a bit early too though right now

Gawd - that sounds complicated as I write it - hope you can follow me

Best of luck

rparkers

 

[johnlk2]

Thanks rparkers, by connecting DB and PC to router that explains how DB and PC communicate. Is there a way of splitting the CAT5 at my PC and then connecting to DB? That way would save a large amount of disruption as the router is some way away? If not then I'll set up the other CAT5 and, I presume set the router to acknowledge the presence of the DB. I've just looked at the settings on the router and it shows the currently 'allowed' users on the network, these are identified by their MAC addresses. This is an address I do not know about for my DB, so is it known by another name? And will I have to add this number to the router when I make the connection?
Still on the subject of CAT5 cables, if I connect a new one between DB and router, should it be a crossover or straight? And also if it can be split at my PC, do I need an output for connection to PC?
I apologise again for probably easy questions, but all info is gratefully appreciated.
By the way I've found how to change the numerical settings on the setup page, (uncheck DHCP box first), but until I connect up to the net I won't change anything. I didn't press 'save' before, but it was all on the default settings anyway, nothing was changed.
I'll scour the net to try and get better educated on what some of these settings are for, which can only help for when the time comes to connect.
Thanks again.

 

[rparkera]

Hi again - glad to see that you're starting to get sorted.

These are really starting to be network queries rather than Dreambox and you may need to tell us a little more about your network and router - and it sounds as if your router is some way off from the PC. It would be really helpful if you could also say a little more about what you want to do when you connect everything together successfully. Will it be worth running a new Cat5 cable through and so on

Could you move the router? Or is it a combined router / modem set up where your broadband connection comes in doors?

Other solutions are more complex - splitting the Cat5 is a challlenge as is using the PC as a network sharing device.

Answering some of your queries - the cat5 cable from DB to router should be a 'straight' cable.

If you set the IP address on the DB yourself - i.e. you don't use DHCP - then pick an address in the same subnet. Take a look to see what IP addresses your router has assigned to other devices - either look on the router web page or (if you are using windows XP) go to Start | Run type in cmd and then type into the black DOS box at the prompt 'ipconfig' (without the quotes) and click enter. Look to see what it says for IP Address. Mine says 192.168.123.6 on my PC. You need to use the first three sets of numbers - 192.168.123 in my case and then pick an high number like 199 that won't ever be used for any other PC in the future. Enter that on your DB as the IP adddress. That would give you 192.168.123.199 in my case

If you just want to flash your DB with new software then you could go down the null modem cable route as you probably planned for originally. If you are going to benefit from the permanent Cat 5 link from the DB to the Internet then it may be worth the effort. Tell us what you want to do and what your set up is - there are plenty of us around to help!

All the best
rparkera

 

[johnlk2]

Back again and I'm almost flying!
I've managed to set up the connection with a CAT5, and also got as far as pinging successfully, so I guess the questions regarding my exact set-up are no longer needed.
As for the question as to what I want to do with my DB, well, let's just say I want to 'make the most of it'. I do like watching football by the way.
I am almost at the stage of flashing now and from what I've read, Gemini is the best/most popular around. I've downloaded DreamUp, and the 'latest firmware' (version 1.03) from the manufactures site, but I'm not sure if this is even Gemini. I'm not fully understanding the guides to the flashing as some say to use the null modem, while another says to use a memory stick. I do have both in preparation and would appreciate your input.
I won't try flashing until tomorrow as it seems like it might take a while, so I'll continue sifting through the mountains of info. Also, I'll check out the forum rules so that I don't say the wrong thing in future.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[Lancelot]

Card Sharing. We are happy for you to discuss the techniques, but we do not allow soliciting for members or advertising card shares and do not recommend that anyone does so in open forum or news group. This rule is for your protection, not ours

So discussion of technique is OK.



L.

 

[rparkera]

Well done - you're on the way

if you want to flash a DM500 then you will need to remove the existing DB software - there is no way to use a memory stick. Don't worry though - the software let's you make a backup first before erasing. Also - you can download the latest official DB image version if you need to and I gather that it is rare indeed to damage a DB beyond repair by accident. The GP image is an 'adapted' version of the official software (that description hardly does justice to it).

I bought a null modem cable and downloaded Flash Wizard Pro (Google for it) - it's free and did the whole job superbly in 2 minutes including a back up - using cat5 only. Much easier - I am keeping the null modem just for emergency repairs - so far not needed. You can get the latest GP image from the www.i-have-a-dreambox.comwebsite. There are plenty of guides around the web for what you want to do next around the web.

Best of luck
rparkera

 

[johnlk2]

Hi again, a late start today but I'm ready to get going with the flash. I do have a couple of queries though (for a change!)
I've joined the forum at 'I have a dreambox', and found the Gemini download page, but it warns to only use DreamUp and not DCC (?), or FW (Flash Wizard???), for the 3.20 MaxVar version. Should I just ignore and go with Flash Wizard?
Meanwhile I'll find the latest Flash Wizard to download, just in case.
Thanks for now.

 

[rparkera]

Ah well - that's a good question. All the advice on every site seems to be to use a null modem cable. All that I can safely say is that I used Flash Wizard Pro to do everything for me and loaded three different images without any problems. All of which were done over Cat5 only. The null modem cable I bought from Maplin sits in the packet that it came in still! FWP does all the erasing, flashing, testing and setting of permissions etc - automated. It is very well put together software, tried and tested. But I am a newbie too - see what the older wiser hands have to say if you're not sure

Best of luck whichever ... rparkera

 

[johnlk2]

I think I've had success. I downloaded FWP and then used it to make a backup of the original image. Then I started DreamUp, made another backup (probably unnecessarily), erased and flashed the Gemini. It didn't work the first or second time, for some reason it was aborted, but on the third attempt it was successful.
I checked on the Blue panel, 4, System info, Dreambox setting, and sure enough it shows that Gemini is there. I did the flash through the null modem cable, by following the guide, because of reading about potential 'risks'.
I hadn't really looked through the entire menu on the DB before flashing, but it doesn't really look much different now. Maybe I should have paid more attention. One thing that has changed are the settings on the 'communication setup' page, I guess I should re-set these back to how they were before and then save and re-boot?
Well it's taken most of the weekend to get this far and I'm pretty upbeat about it. I know there's a considerable amount of things to still do, and I'm not exactly sure in what order to do them, but some more sifting through the info will aid me I'm sure.
Thank you very much for all your help, keep your eye on the new postings as I'm sure I'll be asking some more questions in the not-too-distant future.
Thanks again.

 

[rparkera]

Well done; great feeling isn't it?
Gemini is definitely 'better' than the original; mostly in the communications area and in the addons, scripts, cams and plugins you can download directly and install easily. You won't need your PC for most of these as Gemini will do it for you now you are 'online' Others are going to be able to help you and the best place to start is by searching these forums - most of what I supect you may want to know next is on this forum and others like it
Best of luck!

 

[T_G]

Regarding the MaxVar: This is a different image than the rest, I.E normal Gemini images. It creates a lot of space in the var by changing something in the partition. They believe that the upload with FW or other methods does not handle it well. IHAD recommends using the NullModem for it, and to be honest, that is what I did. After I loaded the image, I connected to the computer and made a backup of the image, and whenever I need a "fresh" version I use the flashwizard to upload the backup-ed version. So, if you don't want to take chances do as they recommend, they usually know what they are doing!