Echo Network Issues

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nacho420

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Echo Network Issues

#1

Post by nacho420 » Mon Mar 17, 2014 12:46 am

Hey there :)

I replaced an Xbox 360 in my living room with a Ceton Echo so it would be quieter. The 360 never had any issues in this area and I have 2 other 360's operating as extenders in the house. For reference my entire house is wired. When I removed the 360 from this room I used the same cable sport/port for the Echo. I have replaced the cable and tried a different port to eliminate a hardware failure there - however the 360 worked so I was mostly just going through the motions.

The Echo seems to have an odd issue that I cant sort out. Every time I turn it on and load the guide and then start watching TV everything is fine for about 2-3 minutes and then I get the NETWORK ISSUE box in the upper right hand corner. It never recovers from this.

During the time that is displaying I can connect and watch TV without issue from he other 360's and the actual PC using Splashtop (its headless) simultaneously. Yet the NETWORK ISSUE box remains.

I power cycle the Ceton and more often than not I am good for the session. Some times its another two minutes and then NETWORK ISSUE again, power cycle, try again.

The device is running the 2013.0304.1657 firmware which I put on there to see if that was the issue.

If I go to the Ceton Echo Settings to stop playback - it acts the same as when I turn it on. So if the network issue is happening I can go to that, and then back to live and it starts. I can also fully browse the menu and start moviews - only LIVE TV has the NETWORK ISSUE.

Sorry this was long winded.

Anyone know what's up?

Cheers,

-Nacho

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Crash2009

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#2

Post by Crash2009 » Mon Mar 17, 2014 1:18 pm

Are the Echo and HTPC plugged into the same switch?

nacho420

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#3

Post by nacho420 » Mon Mar 17, 2014 2:50 pm

Yes they are plugged into the same switch...

Cheers,

-Nacho

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Crash2009

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#4

Post by Crash2009 » Mon Mar 17, 2014 3:49 pm

What speed are the switch's ports?

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#5

Post by nacho420 » Mon Mar 17, 2014 5:33 pm

The switch is a Netgear GS608v3 which operates at 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, or 1000BASE-T.

The port the Ceton is connected to is lit Green indicating a 1000MBPs link.

Cheers,

-Nacho

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Crash2009

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#6

Post by Crash2009 » Mon Mar 17, 2014 9:44 pm

What about the HTPC's connection's? What kind of NIC and what is the connection speed at the switch?

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#7

Post by nacho420 » Mon Mar 17, 2014 10:15 pm

My HTPC is using one of two onboard nForce Networking controllers and is connected at 1GPS.

Cheers,

-Nacho

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#8

Post by nacho420 » Mon Mar 17, 2014 10:20 pm

Perhaps also worth noting - the menu animations are notably slower on the Echo than on the 360. I would say it seems that it appears that the menu system somewhat lags opposed to my other TV's which use the 360 as the extender.

The playback of video and Live TV is flawless on the Echo and I wouldn't say I notice any degradation in quality there.

I assumed it was the difference between the devices, though may be relevant?

Cheers,

-Nacho

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Crash2009

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#9

Post by Crash2009 » Mon Mar 17, 2014 11:37 pm

So much for that hunch, All Gig network? including the router?

I used to get that Echo Network Issue error often, now it's rare. But as I recall when I was getting it a lot, I would open up the router page and look at the live traffic stats, my "Network Issue" usually coincided with one of the wireless clients doing something excessive. Such as, one of the Xboxes playing some 3D internet game or watching Netflix wirelessly. Recently others have written about the S4 Galaxy interrupting their TV watching. To combat this we have segregated the WiFi and banished all possible offenders to the Guest WiFi. Others have even gone so far as to establish VLAN's to protect the Live TV streams. They don't use much, but, it appears they like to be in a quiet network environment. Especially that dam Echo. Finicky little beast. Runs great but has to be spoon fed.

I installed Wireshark recently, and use it whenever I have any problems with the TV or associated devices.

Oh yea, menu animations improve with faster or slightly overclocked ram.

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#10

Post by nacho420 » Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:52 am

This switch is pretty isolated and there isn't anything else really on it that is ever turned on at the same time as the Ceton. There is an Apple Airport Express plugged into the switch, but I figure turning the ceton off and on again wouldn't be indicative of a network issue that the ceton never can recover from. However being able to stream without issue from the other two 360's which both come through this switch and into and out of another leads me to believe its the Ceton getting stuck somehow :)

Oh well I can play with the network some more and will wireshark the network to see if it happens in conjunction with something else. I love the concept of the echo but the frequentness of the issue (which I can deal with - but not my wife or kids) have me almost tossing the 360 back in.

What do you mean the menu animations improve with faster or overclocked RAM? Do you mean in the ceton itself - like taking that bad boy apart and upgrading it? That sounds like fun.

Cheers,

Nacho

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Crash2009

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#11

Post by Crash2009 » Tue Mar 18, 2014 3:30 am

nacho420 wrote:This switch is pretty isolated and there isn't anything else really on it that is ever turned on at the same time as the Ceton. There is an Apple Airport Express plugged into the switch, but I figure turning the ceton off and on again wouldn't be indicative of a network issue that the ceton never can recover from. However being able to stream without issue from the other two 360's which both come through this switch and into and out of another leads me to believe its the Ceton getting stuck somehow :)

Oh well I can play with the network some more and will wireshark the network to see if it happens in conjunction with something else. I love the concept of the echo but the frequentness of the issue (which I can deal with - but not my wife or kids) have me almost tossing the 360 back in.

What do you mean the menu animations improve with faster or overclocked RAM? Do you mean in the ceton itself - like taking that bad boy apart and upgrading it? That sounds like fun.

Cheers,

Nacho
So you have a 10/100/1000 Netgear GS608v3 and that has your HTPC and Echo plugged into it. Then you have another switch which has 2 Xboxes plugged into it (Model please). and an Airport Express plugged into the GS608v3 which likely goes to some kind of modem. The only thing I'm not clear on is how the other switch is connected. Can you finish the diagram and upload? Logically (I'm guessing) you are using the 2nd nforce from the HTPC to the Other switch.
Attachments
WiringDiagram001.jpg

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#12

Post by nacho420 » Tue Mar 18, 2014 4:22 am

Here is how it is currently wired :)
WireDiagram002.jpg
Wiring Diagram
I am only using one of the two onboard NIC's on the HTPC - the other is disabled. The other switch is a Linksys SD2008 which is a 10/100/1000 and I have a 1GPS connection between that and both of the Netgear's.

Cheers,

Nacho

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Crash2009

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#13

Post by Crash2009 » Tue Mar 18, 2014 3:41 pm

If you had a couple patch cables long enough, and you could convince your wife that this would be just a temporary test.....How far would it be to go from the Echo to the SD2008? Same question for HTPC to the SD2008?

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#14

Post by IownFIVEechos » Tue Mar 18, 2014 4:13 pm


nacho420

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#15

Post by nacho420 » Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:29 pm

Its far - a few hundred feet far traveling through the house.

Is it not recommended to have the Ceton on the same switch as the HTPC? I could easily switch the switches - heh - or even get another switch to replace or sit along side the GS608 v3. I have access to lots of networking goods.

Getting a cable to run down stairs to the opposite end of the house might be a bigger project than I would be up for on a weekend :)

Cheers,

Nacho

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#16

Post by Crash2009 » Tue Mar 18, 2014 8:06 pm

nacho420 wrote:Is it not recommended to have the Ceton on the same switch as the HTPC?
Yes, but something is causing some problems, otherwise you wouldn't be here, you would be watching TV and not trying to figure out why the TV don't work. Maybe it's the Airport. Have you tried your HTPC/Echo setup without the Airport connected to the GS608?

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#17

Post by nacho420 » Wed Mar 19, 2014 3:15 am

Crash2009 wrote:
nacho420 wrote:Is it not recommended to have the Ceton on the same switch as the HTPC?
Yes, but something is causing some problems, otherwise you wouldn't be here, you would be watching TV and not trying to figure out why the TV don't work. Maybe it's the Airport. Have you tried your HTPC/Echo setup without the Airport connected to the GS608?
Okay :). I guess I wasn't sure if it was to be expected with the device or not. It's just an odd thing. When the network error box pops up and I select it I get the network performance message. If I tune the network it stops the streaming of the live tv - and the line graph will be pegged at max. I can let it go like that and never ever see it dip. If I go back to live tv the error generally won't come back. It seems like it only frequently happens after power on from a long duration.

I guess I need to trace the traffic to and from the device to know what's happening. I'll check it out :)

Cheers,

Nacho

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