HD200 suddenly can't see server

[mschauer]

I've a SageTV setup for years consisting of an HD200 with the server running on a Windows Vista (yeah, I know) machine. All of the sudden the HD200 can't fine the server. No change to network.

What I've done so far:
- verified that the Vista machine can ping the HD200
- powered everything down (modem, router, hubs, all devices) and then powered up just the mode, router and hub used by the Vista machine and and HD200
- replaced HD200 with a spare
- replaced HD200 with an HD300 that has never been used

I'm at a lose as to how to troubleshoot this. Can anyone give me some ideas?

[mschauer]

Forgot to say I also verified that the server is running. It's setup to run as a service. I also tried shutting down the service and starting the SageTV console which works.

And the server when running as a service has continued to record shows.

[alfi33]

Windows firewall?

[mschauer]

Hi! Thanks for the response. The firewall is off.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by mschauer

I've a SageTV setup for years consisting of an HD200 with the server running on a Windows Vista (yeah, I know) machine. All of the sudden the HD200 can't fine the server. No change to network.

What I've done so far:
- verified that the Vista machine can ping the HD200
- powered everything down (modem, router, hubs, all devices) and then powered up just the mode, router and hub used by the Vista machine and and HD200
- replaced HD200 with a spare
- replaced HD200 with an HD300 that has never been used

I'm at a lose as to how to troubleshoot this. Can anyone give me some ideas?

You say hub, but I hope you meant to say switch. If you are still using a hub, you should replace it as soon as possible with a switch.

You don't specify whether the server and the HD200 are both connected directly to the hub/switch. They should both be connected to the switch. Once that is done, the modem and router should be completely out of the picture, as far as a cause of the problem. In fact, you should be able to disconnect the hub/switch from the router, and still use the HD200 to do just about everything that it could do if the server was connected to the router and modem. Just don't reboot your server or HD200 until you have reconnected the router, otherwise those devices may not get a valid IP address assigned.

It's possible that you have a bad port on your hub/switch. It's also possible that you could have an IP address conflict, is your server and HD200 setup up for DHCP or have you set them up with static IP addresses?

[mschauer]

Hi Keith!

Currently I have the HD200 and the server machine connected directly to the router with no other devices. And am using DHCP for all devices.

Can't be a bad port cuz I can ping the HD200 from the server.

[UgaData]

If your using DHCP for everything, have you made a DHCP reservation for the Server? Or is the server the exception and has a static IP address?

My suggestion would be to verify the server IP address and that the HD200 is using the correct IP address.

[mschauer]

No, there is no reservation for the server. Why would there need to be? The client goes through a discovery process on bootup.

[UgaData]

When using DHCP, IP addresses can change over time. A reservation makes sure the DHCP server always give that device the same IP address (based on the MAC address of the device).

The other option is to use a static IP address, outside the scope of the DHCP server allocated addresses.

[UgaData]

How does the HD200 find the server? Are you using an IP address or just the name of the server?

I don't use extenders, so I am not familiar with the way they find the server.

I do use clients and I enter the IP address of the server (which in my case is static on the server)

[UgaData]

Can you manually set the IP address of the server on the extender?

It is possible that the network card in the server is getting flaky or the router is getting flaky.

I use the term flaky since somethings are currently working but others are, for no apparent reason, not working.

[mschauer]

#$%$^*$%!!!

Discovered the problem. The setting in the server that allows an extender to connect was turned off. I recently added a tuner and must have accidentally changed the setting but the setting didn't take until the server was restarted which must have happened sometime during the recent storms we've had.

Thanks a lot for the help guys!

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by mschauer

No, there is no reservation for the server. Why would there need to be? The client goes through a discovery process on bootup.

There are a variety of good reasons to setup a DHCP reservation for the server. For example, I have the SageTV Web Interface plugin installed, which allows me to perform certain functions via a web browser. Without a predictable IP address, getting to the web interface would be a bit more difficult.

That being said, if your setup works fine with a dynamic IP address, there is certainly no need to create a DHCP reservation.

[UgaData]

Heh, heh, heh, ain't that the way it goes sometimes.