Static IP for Echo?

[ajhieb]

Being able to watch TV on an extender when my router is down is the last thing I'd be worried about - the rest of the family will be barking because the internet is down. And besides, it's not like the Echo will lose the dynamic IP if the router goes down anyway so what you're saying is only true in a combo situation like a lightning zap taking out your router while power cycling the Echo. The router crapping out by itself doesn't mean you can't watch TV, at least not right away.

Look we get it, static IPs are something you should take for granted in a device like this. But it's not the most important thing to get added, nor is it the end of the world that it only does dynamic.

While that may be true in your house, your scenario doesn't apply everywhere. Not everyone is surfing the net 24/7 so assuming that internet access would be the priority is wrong. This seems to be the crux of the matter in the first place... People assuming that works for them should work for everyone else, or that their needs and wants somehow set the standard and anything beyond that is unnecessary.

As far as the request goes, I don't see anyone here demanding that it be added, right now or ever, just that it would be nice to have. (especially considering every other consumer device has that same functionality) And while I appreciate the numerous alternatives that have been suggested here, none of them address all of the issues that have been raised.

So again, I'll +1 the request for Static IP assignment, whenever Ceton sees fit to add it.

[vert18]

+1 here as well

[barnabas1969]

If Ceton wants to state the Echo is the best extender out there it better actually be better and have every feature every other one does.

Now that part... I agree 100% with that!

[ajhieb]

@ajhieb: My phone (HTC Evo 3D) has an HDMI output. It requires an MHL adapter that plugs into the phone's USB port. It allows me to connect the phone to a TV and watch Netflix and movie files that are in the phone. Check to see if your phone has this capability. It comes in real handy in hotel rooms.

My phone doesn't support MHL, so no dice on the cell phone, but I'm not really interested in Netflix anyway. (I was probably not choosing the best wording when I said "streamer" before... I'm just looking to play media files directly from my laptop)

As far as the Echo on the road...

If it was stable, I think it would be more tolerable, but as it stands now it's pretty much unusable in a setup like this. Since it doesn't support static IP,s the only way to get it connected to my laptop is via ethernet and Windows ICS. The problem with that is every time the Echo reboots, it gets a new IP address. And every time it gets a new IP address, it just hangs at the connecting screen. Only way to get past that is to uninstall the echo from the host PC, then re-pair it... until the next reboot.

So unless you pack a router with you, or install some DHCP server in a VM, just to make sure the Echo gets the same IP address every time, you're pretty much looking at a glorified paperweight on the road.

That being said, from what I've observed, it looks to me like a lot of the reports of the Echo hanging at the "connecting" screen might be caused by something as simple as the device getting a new/different IP address, and could be solved by something as simple as static IPs.

[Moderator note: Post #44-#56 moved here from the 2013.320.1349 Firmware Update thread]

[foxwood]

So unless you pack a router with you, or install some DHCP server in a VM, just to make sure the Echo gets the same IP address every time, you're pretty much looking at a glorified paperweight on the road.

No need for a VM. There's a number of simple DHCP servers that will run on a Windows machine. They usually have deep roots, originally written in the '90's, before we all started to get routers that did DHCP with our broadband connections.

http://www.dhcpserver.de/
http://tftpd32.jounin.net/

[epayson85]

Would you need a cross over cable to connect directly to your laptop?

Also I don't understand all the gripe about no static IP support. My ceton has a static IP. I set it in my router. I locked the IP so that it can't be used by any other device and when ever my router sees the echo it gives it that IP address.

[foxwood]

Would you need a cross over cable to connect directly to your laptop?

Most Gig-E hardware auto-senses , so you probably don't even need a special cable.

[ajhieb]

Would you need a cross over cable to connect directly to your laptop?

Also I don't understand all the gripe about no static IP support. My ceton has a static IP. I set it in my router. I locked the IP so that it can't be used by any other device and when ever my router sees the echo it gives it that IP address.

As stated above, no special cable required.

And your Echo doesn't have a Static IP. It has a reserved IP. They aren't the same.

I don't subscribe to HBO or Shotime, so I don't see all the gripe about Premium Channels that look like crap on the Echo. (Point being, just because you don't need it doesn't mean it wouldn't be useful for others)

[ajhieb]

So unless you pack a router with you, or install some DHCP server in a VM, just to make sure the Echo gets the same IP address every time, you're pretty much looking at a glorified paperweight on the road.

No need for a VM. There's a number of simple DHCP servers that will run on a Windows machine. They usually have deep roots, originally written in the '90's, before we all started to get routers that did DHCP with our broadband connections.

http://www.dhcpserver.de/
http://tftpd32.jounin.net/

True, these would work, but the point still stands that it would work without any 3rd party servers if the Echo included what is considered basic functionality in nearly every consumer device with network connectivity.

[werds]

My only Echo in service right now is still acting funny. I get the occasional random reboot (which could happen doing literally anything on the Echo... watching live TV, watching recorded TV, watching media from my library, navigating in mediabrowser, or just sitting idle, I've seen it all) But the last few days, I've also noticed something strange during Live TV viewing... The picture will go black, audio will drop and it just sits there. No message, no nothing. Just a black screen. I tried letting it sit several minutes the first time, hoping it might come back to life. I assumed at this point it would be unresponsive, but lo and behold it actually would bring up the guide and navigate as expected. But I couldn't get it to bring up live tv again. Power cycle the echo and everything is fine. It's done this a few times over the last 3 or 4 days. Shrug.

Is it the Echo rebooting or is it causing issues with the HTPC? I ask because I just got an echo and after setup anytime I did ANYTHING on the Echo it would randomly cause the HTPC to blue screen and reboot... Unfortunately until installing and adding the Echo to my network the HTPC has been rock solid so it must be either the installed driver for echo config or something the Echo does... sadly I probably can't spend much time troubleshooting as the wife would murder me... the HTPC is the lifeblood for all our tv's elsewhere and the bulk of the recording is done during the little free time before I have to sleep... I was so wishing to be one of the lucky ones where it just worked

[ajhieb]

Is it the Echo rebooting or is it causing issues with the HTPC? I ask because I just got an echo and after setup anytime I did ANYTHING on the Echo it would randomly cause the HTPC to blue screen and reboot... Unfortunately until installing and adding the Echo to my network the HTPC has been rock solid so it must be either the installed driver for echo config or something the Echo does... sadly I probably can't spend much time troubleshooting as the wife would murder me... the HTPC is the lifeblood for all our tv's elsewhere and the bulk of the recording is done during the little free time before I have to sleep... I was so wishing to be one of the lucky ones where it just worked

So far, I have not experienced any issues on the HTPC that are Echo related. (unless the Echo figured out a way to hork up my SSD)

The HTPC is the main viewing device in the house, so if it was bluescreening with the same frequency as the Echo, I would certainly know about it.

[foxwood]

True, these would work, but the point still stands that it would work without any 3rd party servers if the Echo included what is considered basic functionality in nearly every consumer device with network connectivity.

It should work without any need for a dhcp server at all, even directly connected to your laptop. Unless you've assigned a static address to the Ethernet port of the laptop.

[ajhieb]

It should work without any need for a dhcp server at all, even directly connected to your laptop. Unless you've assigned a static address to the Ethernet port of the laptop.

It should but it doesn't.

See previous posts. (If you're expecting APIPA to work its magic, don't hold your breath)

And to be clear, I'm not seeking solutions for the connectivity problems. I'm perfectly capable of bunging together any number of Rube Goldbergian solutions to make it work. But I shouldn't have to.

My point is simple: the ability to assign a static IP would make this a viable device to take on the road (assuming you're staying in a hotel that doesn't charge for ice)

Oh and for those that insist that requesting the ability to assign a Static IP (a feature that is present on pretty much every piece of consumer gear that has network connectivity) is outrageous and unnecessary, is it also unreasonable to expect it to work via APIPA or is that also something that no one should ever need, under any circumstances?

[ajhieb]

The point is that the Echo doesn't have a UI for entering settings - it only supports a remote UI, and a remote UI implies a reliable IP address. As has been pointed out, setting an invalid static IP address through a remote UI is far more likely to cause problems and support issues than your far fetched example.

So what you're saying is that the Echo can't have a static IP address because it only supports a remote UI, so what everyone should do is assign it an IP address via a device that has a static IP address and only supports a remote UI?

No flaws in that logic at all. Nope. Not a one.

[slowbiscuit]

C'mon man, stop blowing it out of proportion - nobody has said it's outrageous and unnecessary, just that it's not that important on the overall list of enhancements since there are any number of ways to give the device an IP. Running a simple, free DHCP server on your laptop is not a Rube Goldberg hack to get it working.

[ajhieb]

C'mon man, stop blowing it out of proportion - nobody has said it's outrageous and unnecessary, just that it's not that important on the overall list of enhancements since there are any number of ways to give the device an IP. Running a simple, free DHCP server on your laptop is not a Rube Goldberg hack to get it working.

If you're going to distort my (and other's) point of view, I'll distort yours.

And I completely disagree on your latter statement. You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I think that's a crappy cop out. It isn't the most awkward and kludgy solution, but compared to just having a consumer device that has the ability to set a static IP address LIKE EVERY OTHER NETWORKABLE CONSUMER DEVICE (which was my whole point to start with) having a 3rd party server running on your laptop just to get an IP address to your Echo to work is absolutely a Rube Goldbergian solution.

[barnabas1969]

Adding the ability for the Echo to have a static IP seems like an easy thing to implement, and is probably one of the most requested features.

[slowbiscuit]

Agreed, but as with all things Echo they can't seem to get a handle on making it just work the way people want. It seems to be in a perpetual beta state.

[barnabas1969]

Agreed, but as with all things Echo they can't seem to get a handle on making it just work the way people want. It seems to be in a perpetual beta state.

Yeah, and the fact that they couldn't seem to make it at least play live/recorded TV reliably is why I sent it back. I have Linksys and HP extenders that play live/recorded TV without a hiccup. The only reason I wanted to replace them with Echos is to get more features than I get with the HP and Linksys extenders, but the Echo didn't deliver as promised. I've avoided the XBox due to noise, heat, power consumption, and RROD... but now that I know that the XBox uses DirectX instead of GDI for the interface, I understand why everyone likes the XBox's presentation of the menus better than they like the other extenders. If the new $99 XBox that is supposed to be coming out next month works as an Extender, I'll buy one to test it. If I like it, I might buy a few more. It will at least be supported for some period into the future, and is stable.

[Crash2009]

True, these would work, but the point still stands that it would work without any 3rd party servers if the Echo included what is considered basic functionality in nearly every consumer device with network connectivity.

It should work without any need for a dhcp server at all, even directly connected to your laptop. Unless you've assigned a static address to the Ethernet port of the laptop.

Isn't there a DHCP server built in to the Infini4 ? Anybody ever tried to make an Echo get an IP from the Infini?