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jetfixer
join:2007-10-23
Clover, SC

jetfixer

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How to undo HPNA and go to Cat 6

My entire system is run via HPNA since the house had no Ethernet cabling. I have access to very good quality CAT 6 cable. If I ran all the home runs myself, would I be able to switch my system over to Ethernet entirely, or would this require a tech visit? Can anyone here explain exactly what I would have to do if it can be done by myself?

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@myvzw.com

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Anon

Is there something wrong with your HPNA network now ?
Paralel
join:2011-03-24
Michigan, US

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You can do it yourself, no problem. Run the Cat 6, power everything down, unplug the coax, plus the Cat 6 in, start everything up (Gateway -> DVR -> STBs [Also any secondary routers if you have any]) and you should be good to go.

You'll likely find everything runs smoother and better with Ethernet cabling compared to Coax. Coax has always been a second line solution for UVerse.

my thoughts

Anon

The RG has a device list of how equipment is connected, if moving from coax to Ethernet will want to factory reset the RG to build a new device list, otherwise issues with receivers having access to DVR functions.

Caution factory resetting RG restores defaults, if any custom settings will want to make note of so can restore after factory restore process.
jetfixer
join:2007-10-23
Clover, SC

jetfixer to my opinions

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to my opinions
Had another dvr box fail, and in replacing it, the tech said we'd be a lot better off with ethernet. Everything works well most of the time, but we are now relying on more streaming such as Netflix. We tried a Netflix 3d movie, and started to get a lot of buffering. The tech said we are pretty much at the limits of HPNA bandwidth.

itsbry
join:2001-02-22
Fernandina Beach, FL

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I rewired the house with cat6 and it truly was plug and play. Verified phone line had a tone and plugged in the RG, then powered up the TV boxes. Done.

brookeKrige
join:2012-11-05
San Jose, CA

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said by jetfixer:

tried a Netflix 3d movie, and started to get a lot of buffering

AFAIK, the four LAN ports on RG are all active, perfectly usable, whether or not you are also using HPNA.

You should trivially be able to just wire a few clients to those RG LAN ports without touching or disabling HPNA. For example to test your Netflix player device (smart TV or blu-ray or Apple TV or ...) under various media types, when not using HPNA.

Also one of first things you should test: wire a PC to the RG LAN port, and run a speed test (with *all* other clients and TV/DVR inactive). Are you getting full speeds? What uverse internet tier do you have?

If speed test does not show meaningful improvement, then most likely neither will Netflix. Plenty of broadband customers on all ISPs have streaming video buffering issues, through no fault of their local network nor last-mile connection, esp. but not limited to prime time.
jetfixer
join:2007-10-23
Clover, SC

jetfixer

Member

said by brookeKrige:

AFAIK, the four LAN ports on RG are all active, perfectly usable, whether or not you are also using HPNA.

You are correct, and I am using them for other devices. Also, I have a secondary router (in bridge mode) plugged into the dvr lan port. But since the RG is supplied by coax from outside, and all inside wiring is currently coax, I wouldn't be able to tell if there was a difference without at least running cat 6 from outside to the RG. Due to the current location of the outside panel and the RG, if I was going to run one strand, I may as well run them all.

brookeKrige
join:2012-11-05
San Jose, CA

brookeKrige

Member

fyi: Coax home run to NID is not HPNA, separate issue from HPNA LAN.

What model is your RG? Its broadband/status page tells the whole story (of the home run + NID + external copper pair(s)). Post it (excluding publicIP).

Either it shows problems like poor noise margin, high attenuation, high uncorrectable errors, frequent loss of signal or retrains... or it does not.

If not, the existing home run to NID and external line, are not causing your streaming video buffering. That coax needs to be replaced anyway for >= Power tiers.
jetfixer
join:2007-10-23
Clover, SC

jetfixer

Member

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said by brookeKrige:

What model is your RG? Its broadband/status page tells the whole story (of the home run + NID + external copper pair(s)). Post it (excluding publicIP).