TV service suspended "On wrong network" when internet fails-over to backup service

[metahome]

I have a VM360, connected to my own router, which connects to Virgin Hub in modem mode. I also have a secondary internet connection to my router using a GPRS dongle which the router fails over to if the VM internet dies.

When VM internet fails (as it has done today) and my router fails over to the backup internet connection the VM360 TV service stops. However a power cycle of the VM360 gets the TV back for a short period (say 10-20 minutes) then up pops a message saying "Service suspended. Connected to the wrong network" and the TV service stops. Power cycling the VM360 restores the TV service again for a while then it pops up the error message and suspends again.

Can anyone explain to me what is going on here? It is clear that TV signal is coming down the cable, and when the TV service is working I can get the TV guide OK so that must be coming through my backup internet connection. So why is the VM 360 exhibiting this behaviour and suspending the TV service every so often and what can I do to stop it from happening?

Thanks in advance for whatever wisdom the community can share with me.

[japitts]

TV360 is at heart a server-based system, with the "HDD in the master-box" a UK-specific tweak. Furthermore, VM's TV360 & V6 (runs TiVo-software not Horizon-software, but the concept here is the same) both rely on a Virgin broadband connection and will not run on any third-party ISP.

When your VM broadband fails, your TV360 therefore has to work with one hand tied behind its back. Incidentally, do you really mean a GPRS dongle? That's 2G-only which has very limited data speeds.

[metahome]

Thanks for the response. I had a "firm discussion" with a customer service rep this evening who assured me that VM offer TV packages on top of other suppliers internet packages, so that not being connected to VM internet would not be the issue (not sure I believed him).

Based on other discussions in the community about this error I wondered if it relied on VM DNS providing some hidden VM internal IP addresses, but my router forces all DNS through Quad9 using DoT even when connected to VM internet, so I don't think it can be that. I'm puzzled. 

Oh and GPRS was a bit of a generic term on my part - it is a mobile data SIM giving me about 35Mb/s down and 12Mb/s up - enough to keep email, basic web browsing and a few other essentials flowing when VM internet falls over.

[japitts]

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@metahome wrote:

Thanks for the response. I had a "firm discussion" with a customer service rep this evening who assured me that VM offer TV packages on top of other suppliers internet packages, so that not being connected to VM internet would not be the issue (not sure I believed him).

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You were correct to not believe him. All of VM's TV services except for the legacy TiVo (with inbuilt internet) require a VM broadband connection. The various servers that make TiVo & TV360 work are closed off from the outside world and only accessible from VM's network.

[nodrogd]

V360 Horizon works from a local server at the headend that controls your part of the network. This server only connect to your local network, so only a VM hub connected to the same line can see the server. All boxes use the same address for the server as only the local one can be accessed at any point on the network, so putting it into the "outside world" it will never connect.

[metahome]

Thanks for the response. I understand what you are saying about the infrastructure but I still don't understand why my TV service works for about 20mins after I power cycle my VM360. I'm not expecting to get the fix I would like, but it seems puzzling to me that it seems to work for a while before suspending. One of life's little mysteries I guess.

[roy247]

Is it just live TV that works or can you still use the apps.

If it's only live TV I suspect it's the time it's taking to check your box through the network.

[nodrogd · Accepted solution]

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@metahome wrote:

Thanks for the response. I understand what you are saying about the infrastructure but I still don't understand why my TV service works for about 20mins after I power cycle my VM360. I'm not expecting to get the fix I would like, but it seems puzzling to me that it seems to work for a while before suspending. One of life's little mysteries I guess.

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Not a mystery at all. The TV channels are linear DVB-C2 broadcast channels that are delivered directly to the box through the coaxial cable to the boxes 6 TV tuners in the same way as a satellite or Freeview receiver gets its channels. However, the boxes regularly check that they are authorised to decode the subscribed channels via the local server, hence the box ceases to work when this check fails. This also stops anyone moving boxes to different locations to where they are supposed to be being used, as the boxes also have to match both the hub in use & the network location where the account has been set up for.

[metahome]

Thanks. That explains exactly what I am seeing.

I guess with the massive growth in FTTP from CityFibre (in my area they are everywhere at present) that VM are going to find their customer base shrinking if they are not careful, so maybe they will be forced to offer their TV packages over other ISP internet connections. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[nodrogd]

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@metahome wrote:

Thanks. That explains exactly what I am seeing.

I guess with the massive growth in FTTP from CityFibre (in my area they are everywhere at present) that VM are going to find their customer base shrinking if they are not careful, so maybe they will be forced to offer their TV packages over other ISP internet connections. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

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VM are a cable franchise provider. This currently restricts their TV services to their licenced franchised networks. With a move away from the DOCSIS cable infrastructure to XGS-PON & removal of broadcast cable TV services in the next few years these restrictions will be removed.