Dummies Guide to networking 2 Beyonwiz T4s?

Liberty · Post by **Liberty** » Fri Dec 04, 2015 22:47

After several years of happily using a DP-P1 networked with a DP-P2, I just lashed out and purchased 2 T4s after the DP-P2 gave up its ghost in a big way. I have set both the T4s up with Ice-TV and they seem to be doing their thing individually, however I want them to share recorded off-air TV recordings between each other so that my wife and I can watch any recordings recorded on either T4 from either T4. I didn't think this was much to ask until I realised there is no "how to" in the manual or on this forum, although clearly people are achieving what I want . Rather than spending my weekend figuring this out for myself experimenting with "mounts", can anyone provide simple step-by step instructions please? Apologies if these instructions already exist but I can't find them - so in that case a pointer to where they are would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Swanny · Post by **Swanny** » Sat Dec 05, 2015 05:40

I am only a newbie with the T4s. We have our 2 X T4s connected to our wired network. We are able to do what you want. We can watch a recording on either T4 on any of the associated TVs. We are also able to watch any of the recordings on our iPads because the LAN is connected to our WiFi. We can even watch movies that can be copied to either T4 hard drive (not DRM coded ones). We also have an IceTV current subscription that works perfectly for us.
It would be helpful to know what networking you have set up in your house and what is connected to it. Is it a wired LAN or WiFi.

simoncasey · Post by **simoncasey** » Sat Dec 05, 2015 06:44

Liberty wrote:After several years of happily using a DP-P1 networked with a DP-P2, I just lashed out and purchased 2 T4s after the DP-P2 gave up its ghost in a big way. I have set both the T4s up with Ice-TV and they seem to be doing their thing individually, however I want them to share recorded off-air TV recordings between each other so that my wife and I can watch any recordings recorded on either T4 from either T4. I didn't think this was much to ask until I realised there is no "how to" in the manual or on this forum, although clearly people are achieving what I want . Rather than spending my weekend figuring this out for myself experimenting with "mounts", can anyone provide simple step-by step instructions please? Apologies if these instructions already exist but I can't find them - so in that case a pointer to where they are would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Not sure how step by step you want, but assuming they are both on your network as you have IceTV running, you should be able to go to Setup>Network>Network Browser. The other device on your network should appear there and allow you to browse to it and add the other device as a mount. It should fill in all of the settings for you.

Once the mount is added you can access the other device from the movie list by pressing the yellow Location button and selecting the other device.

dRdoS7 · Post by **dRdoS7** » Sat Dec 05, 2015 12:03

Hi,

simoncasey wrote:Once the mount is added you can access the other device from the movie list by pressing the yellow Location button and selecting the other device.

You can also create a direct link to a share, so it appears as a folder in "Media".

dRdoS7

Swanny · Post by **Swanny** » Sat Dec 05, 2015 15:43

In the setup it may be a good idea to give each T4 a simple unique name. It will make it easier to identify.

Liberty · Post by **Liberty** » Sat Dec 05, 2015 20:44

Thanks everyone for your help. I have everything working well now, except for Swanny's last suggestion to give each T4 a unique name in Setup. I must be blind but I went through all the setup menus over and over but could not find where to change the default name BeyonwizT4 name. I hope I don't feel like too much of an idiot when someone tells me how to do this (please). Surely it must be dead simple.

IanSav · Post by **IanSav** » Sat Dec 05, 2015 21:45

Hi Liberty,

You can set the host name in "MENU > Setup > Network > Mount manager > Change hostname".

Regards,
Ian.

Liberty · Post by **Liberty** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 08:57

Hi Ian
I gave each T4 it's own unique host name but I can't see where this helps in identifying each T4. Where does the host name appear when viewing either T4 remotely from the other one.

By the way, for one of the T4's, I ditched the wireless Beyonwiz USB dongle I bought and reverted to using the bridged AirPort Extreme I had been using with the P2. In my case the dongle seemingly just couldn't keep up with the data and video was often choppy or froze completely. The other T4 is on Ethernet. I have very smooth streaming now.

John

prl · Post by **prl** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 09:16

Liberty wrote:... I gave each T4 it's own unique host name but I can't see where this helps in identifying each T4. Where does the host name appear when viewing either T4 remotely from the other one. ...

When you scan for file shares in MENU>Setup>Network>Network Browser, in MENU>Setup>Sources / Files once you've mounted a share, when you look at available DLNA servers in MENU>Setup>Sources / Files, and navigate to DLNA, and in the Movie Player selection screen (MEDIA from live TV) when you select YELLOW Location>DLNA.

Liberty · Post by **Liberty** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 11:03

Thanks Peter. I am clearly doing something wrong. Per Ian's advice I set the host name in "MENU > Setup > Network > Mount manager > Change hostname" and it seems to accept the new name however it does not show up in any of the areas you listed. Network Browser still lists both of the T4s as the default "BEYONWIZT4". Any Idea what I am doing wrong?

Liberty · Post by **Liberty** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 11:06

All OK now. I forgot to do a rescan... duhhh

Thanks again
John

terry · Post by **terry** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:55

I have a t2 and a t3 and i am trying to mount the t2 as i am trying to watch programs from one to the other.How do i mount the t2 to the t3?

MrQuade · Post by **MrQuade** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 12:51

Go into the Settings section of the main menu and find networking.
Choose the Network browser, and then allow it to search your network. You should see the the T series PVRs listed here.

You can list and open up the shares on the other PVRs and mount them from there.

See how you go with those vague instructions, and post back if you get unstuck.

terry · Post by **terry** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 13:13

Gone into network browser. the t2 and the t3 are there. but what do i do from there as i can't seem to go any further?

prl · Post by **prl** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 13:30

terry wrote:Gone into network browser. the t2 and the t3 are there. but what do i do from there as i can't seem to go any further?

Use UP/DOWN to highlight the device you want to connect to. Press OK on the remote (the instructions at the bottom of the panel actually tell you to do that bit). You'll get a popup asking if you want to enter a username/password. Answer "no". The entry will expand, offering you either Root or Harddisk. Navigate to Harddisk. It will ask again whether you want to enter a username/password. Answer "no".

You should then get a setup screen that is pre-filled correctly to make the connection. You may want to change the Local share name from HarddiskBEYONWIZT2/3 to something more user-friendly. Don't uses spaces in the new name (probably safest to keep it as straight alphanumerics).

When that's all done, press OK, and answer "yes" yo any popups asking whether you really, really want to do this.

Then you should get a popup telling you the connection has been made. You can dismiss it with OK or EXIT.

terry · Post by **terry** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 13:58

Done everything you said to do highlighted the t2 , pressed ok and nothing happened. At the bottom of the screen it says press ok to collapse or expand this host. That is all it will let me do. Red button close,Green button log in, Yellow button rescan,Blue button expert.All at the bottom of the same page.

{PLEASE HELP}

MrQuade · Post by **MrQuade** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 15:36

When you click the "OK" button (on the T3 remote) when you have the T2 highlighed, it should ask you "Do you want to enter a user name and password for this host?"

You should answer "No" to the question, and then it should list the "Root" and "Harddisk" shares on the T2.
The recordings are on the Harddisk share.

Is the firmware up to date on both T2 and T3?

terry · Post by **terry** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 16:09

I have tried everything you have said and nothing is working i am going nutso
What is the latest firmware update as the latest upgrade i have got is 2015-08-31 07:11
the bootloader is thu mar 12 23:37:35 AEDT 2015

MrQuade · Post by **MrQuade** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 17:05

Boy that there was any particular problem like this with the version you have, but you might want to try the latest version here:
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=9771

Remember to back up your settings before applying this update so that you can restore them again after the update.

The update will not delete any recordings, and your timers will be saved as long as you do the backup/restore that I mentioned.

Paul_oz53 · Post by **Paul_oz53** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 22:09

You can also create a direct link to a share, so it appears as a folder in "Media".

dRdoS7

I'd love to know how to do that. Is this different to the list when you press the yellow button in media?

I've searched but haven't found a clue.
Cheers, Paul

simoncasey · Post by **simoncasey** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 22:28

Paul_oz53 wrote:

You can also create a direct link to a share, so it appears as a folder in "Media".

dRdoS7
I'd love to know how to do that. Is this different to the list when you press the yellow button in media?

I've searched but haven't found a clue.
Cheers, Paul

You create a symlink so that your share appears like a folder in your movie list but is actually on your NAS. So there is no need to use the yellow button to access your NAS. It makes the interface much easier to use.
In simple terms, a symlink is basically a shortcut to another file or folder.

I've posted instructions on how to do it from file commander using the BW interface, try searching my posts for symlink. It's also easy to do if you know Linux and others have posted instructions on that but I'm assuming if you are asking then you probably dont know much Linux.

Grumpy_Geoff · Post by **Grumpy_Geoff** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 10:48

simoncasey wrote:
Paul_oz53 wrote:

You can also create a direct link to a share, so it appears as a folder in "Media".

dRdoS7
I'd love to know how to do that. Is this different to the list when you press the yellow button in media?

I've searched but haven't found a clue.
Cheers, Paul
You create a symlink so that your share appears like a folder in your movie list but is actually on your NAS. So there is no need to use the yellow button to access your NAS. It makes the interface much easier to use.
In simple terms, a symlink is basically a shortcut to another file or folder.

I've posted instructions on how to do it from file commander using the BW interface, try searching my posts for symlink. It's also easy to do if you know Linux and others have posted instructions on that but I'm assuming if you are asking then you probably dont know much Linux.

I used this create symlink post from simoncasey to create a link in "movies" to one of my Windows shares. It's then quick to get to the share as it appears as a folder in the MEDIA (/media/hdd/movie) list.
If you create the link in the wrong location, you can move it, You can also rename it via the movie player.

simoncasey · Post by **simoncasey** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 10:51

Grumpy_Geoff wrote:
simoncasey wrote:
You create a symlink so that your share appears like a folder in your movie list but is actually on your NAS. So there is no need to use the yellow button to access your NAS. It makes the interface much easier to use.
In simple terms, a symlink is basically a shortcut to another file or folder.

I've posted instructions on how to do it from file commander using the BW interface, try searching my posts for symlink. It's also easy to do if you know Linux and others have posted instructions on that but I'm assuming if you are asking then you probably dont know much Linux.
I used this create symlink post from simoncasey to create a link in "movies" to one of my Windows shares. It's then quick to get to the share as it appears as a folder in the MEDIA (/media/hdd/movie) list.
If you create the link in the wrong location, you can move it, You can also rename it via the movie player.

That's the one. Cheers grumpy

Paul_oz53 · Post by **Paul_oz53** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 12:54

Thanks guys.

You're right about my general ignorance of linux. Anything more than 'grep' is a real challenge. When I get through New Years I'll give it a try.

Hope you all have a good New Year too.

Paul_oz53 · Post by **Paul_oz53** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 17:23

Thanks all.

Got this to work on Windows 7 shares by creating a sub - directory below the Windows share and creating a symlink to the sub - directory.

Charlotte · Post by **Charlotte** » Sun Apr 10, 2016 02:51

I read all this and found it very helpful, however I'm stuck at the very end. I renamed my two t4s but can't find a way to see the other hard drive. I go into media and click on location. There are 7 choices, including DLNA, the name that I put in for the host and /media/autofs/host Name/movie/Movies. But if I click on them I just go back to the hdd of the t4 I'm looking at, not the host. I've restarted the network adapter and rescanned after naming the t4s, but the names don't come up in the network, just ip address and BEYONWIZT4. Also it scans itself ie it finds both its own ip address and the IP address of the other T4.
Anyone got any suggestions please?

prl · Post by **prl** » Sun Apr 10, 2016 08:56

I've found that changing the host's network name requires a reboot for it to work properly in my setup, not just the network restart that is done by the system when you change the network name (and that you've done manually).

To get things back to a clean state, I suggest that you delete all the flie system mounts in MENU>Setup>Network>Mount manager>Mountpoints management, reboot, check that the mountpoints have been removed (the DLNA locations should still be there). Do that on both T4s. Mounted filesystems also seem to be too "sticky" and often need a reboot to sort them out when they've been deleted.

Then re-make the correct mounts on each T4 by scanning and setting the mounts up the way you had them before.

It's normal for a T4 to see itself in the network scan in MENU>Setup>Network>Mount manager>Network browser, but you don't normally want to mount it on itself.

Charlotte · Post by **Charlotte** » Sun Apr 10, 2016 16:32

Thanks Peter. I followed your instructions but now how to see the other T4 movie list? I tried the symlink without success - information posted by Simon? I did three links but who knows what I linked. I did find when I clicked on movie on bwizb, the one I was trying to access on from bwiza, that the parent directory showed bwiza information. The heading at top of page /media/autofs/bwizb/movie but it was bwiza information. Have I messed this up with one of the three links. I wrote more info than this before and saved as draft, but it wasn't there when I went back to access it!

Ive also been getting error messages when I try to cut and paste. Grrr
Can anyone tell me how you highlight something without opening it and where will I find the useless links I made so I can remove them? I'll have a look myself but am not game to leave this post now in case I lose it.
I think I may be going too deep in the list by opening too many folders.

Simplest way to access the other t4? I'd be happy to use location button, in fact prefer that to another folder.
Many thanks.

prl · Post by **prl** » Sun Apr 10, 2016 17:10

Charlotte wrote:... I followed your instructions but now how to see the other T4 movie list? I tried the symlink without success - information posted by Simon? I did three links but who knows what I linked.

If you don't know, then no-one does.

Charlotte wrote:Simplest way to access the other t4? I'd be happy to use location button, in fact prefer that to another folder. ...

Do the T4s show up in each others Location lists in the media player (MEDIA from live TV, then YELLOW Location)? If thy do, what folders do you see when you go to the other T4? You should see backup, timeshift, lost+found and movie listed (and possibly some others). The other T4's recordings will be in movie. If you don't see that, what do you see? If you see autofs, bin, boot, dev, etc ... then you've mounted the other T4's root filesystem. You can get to its movies from there, but it's unnecessarily complicated.

Charlotte · Post by **Charlotte** » Sun Apr 10, 2016 18:13

The penny has dropped after 24 hours! I have got the ip addresses muddled! So all fixed now. Thanks for your help.

prl · Post by **prl** » Sun Apr 10, 2016 18:39

Glad you've got it sorted out.

csutak40 · Post by **csutak40** » Fri Apr 29, 2016 01:07

dRdoS7 wrote:Hi,

You can also create a direct link to a share, so it appears as a folder in "Media".

dRdoS7

Thank you everyone! I have attempted to do this just the other day, to no avail. Studied the manual... Why didn't I think to come here? I actually came here for another reason today (will start another thread) but when I found this, I was thrilled.

I did it and got it to work

However, I would love an easy shortcut to it, how do you do that?

Also had another small problem, which I've come across before, so may as well ask. At the bottom of the screen, you get the red, green, yellow and blue, each telling you what it will do, then you get a grey button (in this case "text") Where do you find that????

I wanted to change the name of the device, but gave up in the end. Was happy enough to figure out how to set it.

MrQuade · Post by **MrQuade** » Fri Apr 29, 2016 08:46

csutak40 wrote: I did it and got it to work However, I would love an easy shortcut to it, how do you do that?

You can set a bookmark to a directory by highlighting the directory while in the media player, and then pressing MENU. One of the options there will allow you to set a bookmark. You can access your bookmarks by pressing the YELLOW button (by default).
You can manage your bookmarks by pressing MEDIA while the media player is already open.

csutak40 wrote:
Also had another small problem, which I've come across before, so may as well ask. At the bottom of the screen, you get the red, green, yellow and blue, each telling you what it will do, then you get a grey button (in this case "text") Where do you find that????

The TEXT button is near the bottom of your remote.
That TEXT going button is contextual and will only appear when pressing TEXT will do something useful, such as when you have a text box highlighted in the settings screen.

csutak40 wrote: I wanted to change the name of the device, but gave up in the end. Was happy enough to figure out how to set it.

Did you want to change the name of your Wiz so that it has a unique name on the network?
To do that you go to MENU->Settings->Network->Mount manager->Change hostnme
(Terrible location, I know)

Grumpy_Geoff · Post by **Grumpy_Geoff** » Fri Apr 29, 2016 13:45

csutak40 wrote:
dRdoS7 wrote:Hi,
You can also create a direct link to a share, so it appears as a folder in "Media".
dRdoS7
...
However, I would love an easy shortcut to it, how do you do that?

If you're referring to a selectable entry/link in the media selection list (MEDIA) to a share on another T-series/NAS/PC, then go back to my post from New Years Eve in this thread and follow the link to simoncasey's post on how to create a symbolic link (it appears as a folder) in the media list to share(s).

madmax · Post by **madmax** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 20:03

I've been running a T2 and T4 independently of each other for a few years, and it's about time I got them networked. I need my T2 to see the T4's recordings. By logging in to my router, I can see both their IP addresses, and they both get IceTV, so I know they both have working connections. But when I go into the T2's Network Browser and go Scan, the only device it finds is itself (BEYONWIZT2) on some strange IP address which is nothing like my router's address. What am I doing wrong?

[edit] I should also mention that in contrast, when I do the same on the T4, it correctly finds itself plus the NAS plus the study PC, and shows all the correct corresponding IP addresses.

[double edit] The 'strange' IP address is 127.0.0.0, which Google says is a 'loopback' network. That obviously means something.....

prl · Post by **prl** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 20:22

127.0.0.0 is a generic IP address that means "this computer".

madmax · Post by **madmax** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 21:20

prl wrote:127.0.0.0 is a generic IP address that means "this computer".

The T4 doesn't show this address when it finds itself on the network, so why is the T2 doing this?

MrQuade · Post by **MrQuade** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 21:33

127.0.0.0 seems like an unusual address to find to me. The home address is actually 127.0.0.1.

No idea why the T2 is seeing that though. Sounds like its network settings are buggered. Like Samba has bound itself to the loopback adaptor instead of the physical adaptor.

I'd be tempted to recommend a fresh USB firmware install and set up from scratch, but I'm sure there must be a more elegant solution.

You could start by just running the network setup wizard again.
MENU->Setup->Network->Network adaptor selection->Network wizard

Is it a wired, or wireless connection on the T2?

madmax · Post by **madmax** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 21:56

MrQuade wrote:127.0.0.0 seems like an unusual address to find to me. The home address is actually 127.0.0.1

Sorry, you're right, it is 127.0.0.1

I ran the Network Wizard and it reports the correct IP address by DHCP, but after doing another Network Browser -> Rescan, it still finds itself as 127.0.0.1

It's a wired connection.

MrQuade · Post by **MrQuade** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 22:05

Any network related plugins installed?

Otherwise I have no idea why Samba is only trying to use the loopback adaptor. There is nothing in that standard Samba configuration that would cause it to restrict itself to a particular adaptor AFAIK.

Hopefully someone else has a suggestion that is less hassle than the USB reinstall.

madmax · Post by **madmax** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 22:11

I notice this subforum is titled "Networking your T3/T4", i.e. T2 is not mentioned. But is there any reason the T2 shouldn't work?

MrQuade · Post by **MrQuade** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 22:14

madmax wrote:I notice this subforum is titled "Networking your T3/T4", i.e. T2 is not mentioned. But is there any reason the T2 shouldn't work?

No, the T2 is practically identical to the T4 in terms of the network software. (T3 uses slightly older packages).

All the same things will work, just a bit slower, since its NIC is 100Mbps and the T4's is 1000Mbps.

madmax · Post by **madmax** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 22:39

Success! Just by randomly playing around, I went into the Expert settings and set an IP scan range of 192.168, and it found all devices with the correct IP addresses, including itself. There is still a duplicate version of itself on 127.0.0.1 which I don't know how to remove from the list, but at least I'm up and running. I can see the T4 and access its recordings. I'll test it properly tomorrow.

Thanks for your efforts.

MrQuade · Post by **MrQuade** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 23:31

Nice work

Just keep an eye out for any other odd network behaviour, as there must be something underlying that issue somewhere.

peteru · Post by **peteru** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 23:41

Sounds like a netmask problem. Post the network info from both T2 and T4. Found in the About section.

prl · Post by **prl** » Sun Oct 16, 2016 08:33

madmax wrote:I notice this subforum is titled "Networking your T3/T4", i.e. T2 is not mentioned. ...

I think all that means is that the subforum was created before the T2 existed and no-one has renamed it since.

madmax · Post by **madmax** » Sun Oct 16, 2016 21:08

peteru wrote:Sounds like a netmask problem. Post the network info from both T2 and T4. Found in the About section.

T2:
IP 192.168.0.110
Netmask 255.255.255.0
Broadcast: 192.168.0.255

T4:
IP 192.168.0.111
Netmask 255.255.255.0
Broadcast: 192.168.0.255

I tested a T4 recording via the T2 tonight, it is seriously laggy. It takes ~20 seconds just to bring up the Resume Playback pop-up, and any action such us skip or stop usually takes ~5 seconds to perform, and I get regular 'twirly spikes' on the screen (i.e. the Wiz's hourglass equivalent). Is this normal behaviour for networked Wizzes?

MrQuade · Post by **MrQuade** » Sun Oct 16, 2016 21:17

madmax wrote: I tested a T4 recording via the T2 tonight, it is seriously laggy. It takes ~20 seconds just to bring up the Resume Playback pop-up, and any action such us skip or stop usually takes ~5 seconds to perform, and I get regular 'twirly spikes' on the screen (i.e. the Wiz's hourglass equivalent). Is this normal behaviour for networked Wizzes?

Nope, not normal. You normally can't tell the difference between a local hard-disk and a network mount.

madmax · Post by **madmax** » Sun Oct 16, 2016 22:04

MrQuade wrote:Nope, not normal. You normally can't tell the difference between a local hard-disk and a network mount.

Hmmm, ok. Clearly all is not well. Anything else I can do or try? Hoping not to have to start from scratch.....

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