VU+ Solo connection to Livebox

[sonnetpete]

So...I've ordered a VU+ Solo and am now thinking of how to connect it to my wi fi. I'm thinking of buying these ethernet bridge devices;

_http://www.amazon.fr/Netgear-XAVB101-adaptateurs-Ethernet-Homeplug/dp/B002MS1PQQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Sorry it's in French but I'm certain you can see if they're suitable. I understand that you merely connect from the spare ethernet port on the Livebox to the bridge and then from the remote bridge, via another ethernet lead to the VU+. Is it really that simple or will I have either input the Livebox address into the VU+ or something more complex? Or, (as I hope) will it all work 'from the box'?

Sorry for relative newbie questions but this will be my first foray into Linux STB's.

 

[Chris76]

HI Pete

Its really that simple and they work great as well mate enjoy.

Chris

 

[paxrax]

to be honest, i always stay away from wireless and use homeplugs/ethernet adapters.

 

[Huevos]

Is it really that simple or will I have either input the Livebox address into the VU+ or something more complex? Or, (as I hope) will it all work 'from the box'?

No it doesn't work out of the box but it is pretty simple. It will come with a CD which you load on your PC. Then you plug the device into your network and the PC configures it. Then you plug in the second one and the PC configures that. This sorts out encryption so your neighbours can't tap into the traffic on your network by listening in on your homeplugs. From then on you just use them in the way you described above, which works the same as a direct CAT5 connect between the Vu and the Livebox.

 

[sonnetpete]

Well, I've ordered the Homeplugs. Here's hoping that by this time next week I've got the VU+ and them up and working!!

 

[Huevos]

use homeplugs/ethernet adapters.

That's what they are.

Edit: too slow!

 

[sonnetpete]

This sorts out encryption so your neighbours can't tap into the traffic on your network by listening in on your homeplugs.

LOL, nearest neighbour 300 mtrs away on other side of a one hectare field. Can't see him listening in really! It still sounds simple though. I'm assuming that the cd will work under Linux, which is on my other laptop and I'll probably try to configure the network from there.

 

[Huevos]

I'm assuming that the cd will work under Linux, which is on my other laptop and I'll probably try to configure the network from there.

Probably not. Just configure them using a Windows machine. Once they are configured they don't require any futher input.

 

[fergyc]

I've never set up encryption on my homeplugs. Is it bad? Noone lives next door anyway.

 

[paxrax]

lol, i read ethernet bridge and presumed it was a wireless bridge, my bad!

on a side note, if youre uk based, ebuyer have some 85mps pairs in for £24.98 each, free delivery if you spend over £50.

bargain for basic networking if you dont want to stream hi def stuff.

 

[sonnetpete]

According to the PDF I've just read from the Netgear site, there isn't a cd with the homeplugs. Apparently you hold the power button down for 2 to 4 seconds on each plug (within 2 minutes which would be a pain if you had a large house on several levels!) and the plugs will communicate and set up security themselves.

@paxrax : I live in France and unfortunately I think the free delivery wouldn't apply outside the UK. In any case the shipping is quicker if I source things within France and the Homeplugs I've ordered were 200Mbps and €40 for the pair delivered, which I think is about £34. I reckon by the time you add on delivery from the UK, it would be roughly the same.

 

[sonnetpete]

Ok, the VU+ Solo arrived this morning and I'm already impressed by the sensitivity of its tuner. The menus are a bit confusing (think I also need to update the image as Huevos suggested) and the transponder lists are quite a bit out of date. No tp's for ITV HD or BBC1 HD. But it will keep me going this week. I'll start a new thread comparing it to the Vantage in due course (and after I get the Homeplugs working)

 

[Lazarus]

Excellent.

I love new toys, me.

 

[Huevos]

I'll start a new thread comparing it to the Vantage in due course (and after I get the Homeplugs working)

Post a link in here so we can all find the new thread.

 

[wod]

Ok, the VU+ Solo arrived this morning and I'm already impressed by the sensitivity of its tuner. The menus are a bit confusing (think I also need to update the image as Huevos suggested) and the transponder lists are quite a bit out of date. No tp's for ITV HD or BBC1 HD. But it will keep me going this week. I'll start a new thread comparing it to the Vantage in due course (and after I get the Homeplugs working)

the vix 2.0 image has been said to work great on vu+. going to have to get one myself soon hopefully but spent some of the money on other things that i needed.

 

[Huevos]

the vix 2.0 image has been said to work great

I like it a lot. Really like the EPG.

 

[World-of-Satellite]

I'd say the ViX2.0 image are proberbly the best VU+ image around atm

 

[paxrax]

being a bit set in my ways i tried the black hole image on my vu+ duo when i got it. i know my way around the image from the dm800 and ive always found it the best image by far.

i tried the new vix 2.0 and after having a problem mounting the hdd i find it a little better than bh.

nice clean menus and a good working epg. will stick with it for a while i think!

 

[sonnetpete]

So..the Homeplugs arrived today, I plugged them in and they worked straightaway. Certainly the VU+ connected to the internet very easily and I downloaded a couple of plug ins. One problem is that I can't get the VU+ to display it's IP address which I would need to FTP the box so I can edit bouquets etc. It may just be a matter of rebooting though.

 

[Huevos]

One problem is that I can't get the VU+ to display it's IP address which I would need to FTP the box so I can edit bouquets etc.

Mate, I would start with the image first. Seems silly to me to start configuring the stock image when you are going to flash a new one over the top and lose all your settings.

On the IP address give it a static one. That way if the power goes off you won't have to worry about which IP the DHCP server is going to allocate to each device.

BTW to find which IP the Vu has currently you can access your router config and see which dynamic IPs the DHCP server has allocated.