Network access through Optik STB - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

jdlh199 · 2012-06-15, 09:25 PM

I had a weird buzzing noise coming from my 6 month old Optik STB (CIS430) and called Telus who sent a service tech out today. To my ear it sounded like the hard drive was grinding. He came and replaced the STB while I was at work, and talked to the wife who has no idea on the setup. He told my wife that the reason the box stopped working is because we had cables plugged in that shouldn't be there, and he removed them when he replaced the STB.

I have a "Smart" TV that needs a network connection to access Netflix, youtube etc. I plugged a LAN cable from the back of the TV into the STB port marked "network". The link to Netflix has worked fine like this since it was installed 6 months ago. This seems like the tech is talking BS to me?

The other issue this tech had was with an external network hard drive that is connected by a LAN cable to the Telus modem, that is in a closet under the stairs. This box has movie files on it that are accessed by the "Smart" TV. He also had an issue with this and disconnected it. Again, the link to the hard drive has worked fine like this since it was installed 6 months ago. So again this seems like the tech is talking BS to me?

I need a network connection for the TV and hard drive, and it seems to me that this tech was talking out of his rear end. I wish I had been there when he showed up. He gave my wife a hard time, telling her that they would only replace a certain number of boxes before they started charging us for replacements.

Comments?

GeeCee · 2012-06-15, 10:55 PM

Yeah, it sounds to me like the tech is full of BS. If anything, you likely had a STB with a failing hard drive or failing capacitors.

Putting a lot of network traffic through the ethernet port on the STB can indeed cause issues if you have other STBs watching TV at the same time or use the internet at the same time since it will mess with the QOS, but I seriously doubt that it can possibly cause the issues that the tech described.

If you search this forum and BBR, you'll probably find posts from Telus employees saying that the network port will work, but it is an unsupported configuration. You shouldn't expect to be able to run torrents or a whole network through the port, but for your described usage, I really don't see any problems.

Artiecon · 2012-06-20, 12:50 AM

First of all, the network connection on the back of the 430 is designed as a network "IN", to feed the 430 from the modem/router. You are probably using Co-Ax to connect the 430 to your Telus Modem/Router. The tech disconnected the mis-configured network cable since you were having problems with the 430. The NAS hard drive connected to the modem/router should not have been disconnected as it is a properly configured device to connect to the switch part of the modem/router.

ruiner · 2012-06-20, 06:39 AM

Quote:

the network connection on the back of the 430 is designed as a network "IN"

It works as a pass-through to the HPNA network when coax is connected. You may have missed the part where he said it works in this configuration, or the guy under him who also said this.

Artiecon · 2012-06-23, 11:41 AM

No, I didn't miss that. Although it works, it is not MEANT to work that way. Since the visiting tech is more than likely not a network engineer, he fixed what he could see as not the "proper method" of connecting stuff. He has probably been directed to configure things as per spec when he visits, and the problem was with the 430 PVR...

ruiner · 2012-06-23, 03:14 PM

Quote:

it is not MEANT to work that way

Just because the suits at Telus would prefer you didn't use it like this doesn't mean it wasn't designed to work this way. It is pretty difficult to accidentally bridge two network interfaces.

2012-06-15, 09:25 PM	#1
jdlh199 Rookie Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1	Network access through Optik STB I had a weird buzzing noise coming from my 6 month old Optik STB (CIS430) and called Telus who sent a service tech out today. To my ear it sounded like the hard drive was grinding. He came and replaced the STB while I was at work, and talked to the wife who has no idea on the setup. He told my wife that the reason the box stopped working is because we had cables plugged in that shouldn't be there, and he removed them when he replaced the STB. I have a "Smart" TV that needs a network connection to access Netflix, youtube etc. I plugged a LAN cable from the back of the TV into the STB port marked "network". The link to Netflix has worked fine like this since it was installed 6 months ago. This seems like the tech is talking BS to me? The other issue this tech had was with an external network hard drive that is connected by a LAN cable to the Telus modem, that is in a closet under the stairs. This box has movie files on it that are accessed by the "Smart" TV. He also had an issue with this and disconnected it. Again, the link to the hard drive has worked fine like this since it was installed 6 months ago. So again this seems like the tech is talking BS to me? I need a network connection for the TV and hard drive, and it seems to me that this tech was talking out of his rear end. I wish I had been there when he showed up. He gave my wife a hard time, telling her that they would only replace a certain number of boxes before they started charging us for replacements. Comments?

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2012-06-15, 10:55 PM	#2
GeeCee Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Anmore, BC Posts: 88	Yeah, it sounds to me like the tech is full of BS. If anything, you likely had a STB with a failing hard drive or failing capacitors. Putting a lot of network traffic through the ethernet port on the STB can indeed cause issues if you have other STBs watching TV at the same time or use the internet at the same time since it will mess with the QOS, but I seriously doubt that it can possibly cause the issues that the tech described. If you search this forum and BBR, you'll probably find posts from Telus employees saying that the network port will work, but it is an unsupported configuration. You shouldn't expect to be able to run torrents or a whole network through the port, but for your described usage, I really don't see any problems.

2012-06-20, 12:50 AM	#3
Artiecon Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Calgary Posts: 49	First of all, the network connection on the back of the 430 is designed as a network "IN", to feed the 430 from the modem/router. You are probably using Co-Ax to connect the 430 to your Telus Modem/Router. The tech disconnected the mis-configured network cable since you were having problems with the 430. The NAS hard drive connected to the modem/router should not have been disconnected as it is a properly configured device to connect to the switch part of the modem/router.

2012-06-23, 11:41 AM	#5
Artiecon Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Calgary Posts: 49	No, I didn't miss that. Although it works, it is not MEANT to work that way. Since the visiting tech is more than likely not a network engineer, he fixed what he could see as not the "proper method" of connecting stuff. He has probably been directed to configure things as per spec when he visits, and the problem was with the 430 PVR...