MediaMVP with wireless bridge

[mjrogers99]

Currently a BTV user considering the switch to Sage. Running a trial right now. Everything is working great except my MVP on a WRT54G running as a wireless bridge. It skips and chops like crazy and is not useable. If I hardwire the MVP to my main Netgear router it works fine but running cable is not an option right now.

So here is the strange part. Using the same wireless bridge in the same location plugged into my laptop, Sage client runs just fine. No problems at all.

I have actually tested this with a Linksys WET54G real wireless bridge and get the same results.

So wtf? What does the MVP not like about my bridges? It seems clear that there is plenty enough bandwidth unless the sage client on my laptop requires less then the MVP but that doesn't seem likely.

Overall I have to say that Sage is pretty cool and when I hardwire the MVP things run like a champ! I am surely diggin' the software.

[DIBU]

i use my mvps with wlan game bridge 54g from belkin. without problems..but i test now the new powerline 200mbs from allnet and will switch from wlan to powerline. it works great with my mvps.

[claven]

I had the same problem.

I eneded up purchasing a buffalo technology WLI-TX4-G54HP WiFi to ethernet converter with MIMO.

I tried some others and the ones (basic g) and MIMO seemed to work a lot better.

I then traded out my Linksys BEFSR41 with wireless g for a Linksys wireless g router with SRX400 (MIMO) (WRT54GX4) Now everything works great at the other end of the house.

Just like you, running a wire wasn't a choice.

-Curt

[sabre]

I have the same setup - WRT54G w/ 3rd party firmware setup as wireless bridge --> MVP. Works flawless. I know the bridge can be picky on the setup. I use DD-WRT one of the v23s (i think they are updated now), but modify it some to get it working w/ MVP. Newer versions may have the setup fixed in the GUI.

although i now see you tried the real bridge, so this is unlikely to be the answer.

[mjrogers99]

I am wondering if it is a duplex issue. I believe the MVP is half duplex and I don't know if the wrt or wet autonegotiate well.

I guess it is time to dig up a cisco switch that I can force the duplex setting on.

[mjrogers99]

Duplex wasn't it. I'm stumped.

[george_s]

I really struggled getting a reliable wireless bridge setup using wrt54g's. Both my SageTv server and media mvp are bridged to a central ap (so I have a total of 3 wrt54g's). I tried several different firmware distros before finding that DD-WRT v23 using WDS works like a champ. WDS was the key for me, I couldn't get "client bridged" mode to work with the mediamvp. Until I switched to WDS I couldn't even get my MediaMVP box to boot (using either SageTv or Hauappauge's software) when using client bridged (sometimes called WET mode depending on the firmware).

What is really strange, I had a somewhat reliable setup with Sveasoft Satori using client mode on the two bridges. Using Satori the mediamvp would boot but I had other issues that caused me to switch firmware.

[techtips]

I am having the same problem, studdering video/audio. My configuration is a Cisco Aironet 1200 AP connecting to a Linksys WET54G V3 firmware 1.08. The connectivity shows 100% at 54meg but still have studdering Video/audio.

Dang I really do not want to pull more cable.....any thoughts??

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by claven

I had the same problem.

I eneded up purchasing a buffalo technology WLI-TX4-G54HP WiFi to ethernet converter with MIMO.

I tried some others and the ones (basic g) and MIMO seemed to work a lot better.

I then traded out my Linksys BEFSR41 with wireless g for a Linksys wireless g router with SRX400 (MIMO) (WRT54GX4) Now everything works great at the other end of the house.

Just like you, running a wire wasn't a choice.

-Curt

Everyone who is having problems should do themselves a favor. Go to Best Buy and pick up the Buffalo bridge, plus a MIMO router. This bridge is awesome. And if it doesn't work out for you, BBuy has a 30 day return.

B

[techtips]

After doing further testing I got to thinking it may be a speed/duplex on the ethernet side of the MVP. I put a Cisco 2950 switch and connected the WET54G and the MVP. The choppy video was remarkably better but not totally eliminated. The bridge is connecting at 54meg. It appears that recorded video is better that live, so I need to do further investigation to see if I have a server Issue. None of the other 3 wired MVP are experiencing problems.

[tlimon]

I had a similar issue a while ago on my netgear AP running in bridge mode. I traced it down to the bridge's "auto speed detect" in the wireless set up menu. It would seem that the bridge kept trying to use higher speeds until the video stream increases (due to a pan or zoom etc...)

I changed the value to 36Mbps instead of "auto" and all is fine now.

Let me know if that works for you

--tim

[techtips]

tlimon
I did as you advised and it worked, I left the Cisco Aironet AP alone, but changed the speed on the Linksys Bridge to 36meg from auto and it corrected the problem. All is well.....

Thanks for your help

-danny

[tlimon]

Great, glad to be of service.