Tivo box. Netflix and iplayer freezing

[Alan29]

Tivo box (not v6) keeps losing the internet connection. The box is downstairs by the TV and the router is upstairs where our study is. Each has its own wall socket. This happens after about 20 minutes even after rebooting both the router and Tivo and getting a connection through settings. I can use internet on a tablet downstairs, so there is a wifi signal.

I am paying for services I cant use.

[japitts]

The TiVo doesn't get its internet connection from your homehub, so while those WiFi checks are interesting, they're not doing much! 🙂

Out of interest, how do you know the box is losing the connection - is this just from the streaming & VOD dropping?

Do you have any flashing green lights on the front-left of the TiVo?

[Alan29]

I get a message on screen from Netflix telling me there is no connection.

[japitts]

Fair enough..

Do you have any flashing green lights on the front-left of the TiVo? Specifically, the second-from-left with a painted heart symbol next to it.

[Alan29]

Its lit but not flashing.

This problem seems worse in the evenings than during the day.

[japitts]

Ok, that LED is the TiVo's internal modem - if it's static then it's online.

You've mentioned this is worse during the evening, this could be indicative of network congestion but don't think we're at the stage of proving that yet.

Can you explain what you mean by "getting a connection through settings"?

[Alan29]

Through the virgin Home screen/settings/network.

[japitts]

Suspected as much, but wanted confirmation first..

The only other thing I'd want to check is.. when you get problems with VOD or streaming not working, what is shown in the network connection screen initially? You imply that forcing a manual connection temporarily resolves the issues, but what's happening before you do this... if the LED status isn't flashing, the modem is online. So the network status in here will be interesting.

[Alan29]

Well I will have to wait until it freezes - which could be any time.
I phoned 150 and got an automated voice that just reset the router and TiVo box - useless, I can do that myself. Do they not have actual humans any more?
What is your gut telling you .... is it my Tivo that needs upgrading, but then the router will have to move downstairs to be in the same room. Or is it line congestion?

[japitts · Accepted solution]

You've mentioned Netflix & iPlayer thus far, which are streaming apps. The TiVo is an old box running old hardware, and this is one of a few reasons why the newer streaming apps are only available on the V6 box. Put simply, the V6 runs the same software as TiVo but does have much newer, more capable, hardware.

If your TiVo's internet connection was the issue, I'd expect you to also be reporting problems using VOD (OnDemand) in general - so non-BBC catchup, and any box-set programme. In other words, OnDemand programmes accessed from the guide/EPG directly.

I'm not sure what you mean by having to move the router downstairs - I assume you're referring to the V6's lack of an inbuilt 'net connection & reliance on your homehub for this. Of course Ethernet is always preferable given a choice, but many people run V6's over WiFi perfectly well - you just need to be aware of the extra variables and issues that wireless introduces.