Connecing router to television ...

[sdavison78]

Hello, I'm trying (meaning not succeeding...) to connect a dd-wrt enabled router (to receive a wireless signal from my primary router) to our television, which does NOT have an ethernet port (as our other television does). How does one physically make a connection like this? Thanks!

 

[RealBeast]

If you can connect a laptop to the bridge router you will diagnose the problem more easily. If you can connect the laptop through the bridge router (with the laptop wireless turned off of course) then the television is the next step.

Once you have that connection then proceed to the television. I find that often the problem is that you need to alter the network settings on the television, most often using a particular IP range, usually static (or at least reserved dynamic) in the router that controls DHCP assignment. Take a look at your television manual for the recommended choices.

 

[sdavison78]

If you can connect a laptop to the bridge router you will diagnose the problem more easily. If you can connect the laptop through the bridge router (with the laptop wireless turned off of course) then the television is the next step.

Once you have that connection then proceed to the television. I find that often the problem is that you need to alter the network settings on the television, most often using a particular IP range, usually static (or at least reserved dynamic) in the router that controls DHCP assignment. Take a look at your television manual for the recommended choices.

Hi, sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. I meant a LITERAL connection between the television and the router bridge. The television has ONLY HDMI jacks, while the router has ONLY ethernet. Is there such a thing as an adapter that would allow these two jacks to join together? I'd have to do that first; then I would begin to think about the router and the television being able to COMMUNICATE with each other.... BTW, the manual for the television says absolutely nothing about this. Thanks for responding!

 

[RealBeast]

Ah, my bad and poor reading comprehension (although I plead that I was in the midst of a LONG telephone survey about healthcare and zoning out -- god only knows why I didn't hang up like usual), I thought you meant the TV only had an Ethernet connector and not wifi -- your post was clear when I re-read. Since it does not and also does not have wireless, then you really need a small HTPC, an old PC or laptop will do fine and VGA to HDMI adapters work well.

While there might be an HDMI to Ethernet adapter your TV would very likely not know what to do with the signal received. The manual probably says nothing because the TV is older (or dumber) and does not support such connections.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

HDMI != Ethernet

You can not connect an ethernet port to a video port (why would you even think that you could?)

 

[sdavison78]

Ah, my bad and poor reading comprehension (although I plead that I was in the midst of a LONG telephone survey about healthcare and zoning out -- god only knows why I didn't hang up like usual), I thought you meant the TV only had an Ethernet connector and not wifi -- your post was clear when I re-read. Since it does not and also does not have wireless, then you really need a small HTPC, an old PC or laptop will do fine and VGA to HDMI adapters work well.

While there might be an HDMI to Ethernet adapter your TV would very likely not know what to do with the signal received. The manual probably says nothing because the TV is older (or dumber) and does not support such connections.

I confess to being the village idiot of complex wireless connections. I want to be able to stream Netflix and others wirelessly from my primary router and was given the suggestion to use a router with DD-WRT firmware on it to do so. This came from someone whom I assumed knew what he was talking about. Maybe he didn't; I'd have no way of knowing.

They say that when all else fails, ask a kid. We have two granddaughters living with us, and they hooked up what looks to me like a Rube Goldberg contraption using their PlayStation to get television and streaming videos wirelessly onto the OLD set in their room. Our set is a Sony Bravia, less than two years old. Is the only way to do it, then, is to use a Blu-ray player with built-in wireless, or a Roku, or a PlayStation such as our granddaughters are using? This is sure more complicated than I had envisioned....

 

[RealBeast]

The Playstation is just like a HTPC -- it gets the signal and turns it into one that the TV can understand through an HCMI port. If you get a compatible bluray that has wifi, it can also do that translation, like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BDP-S590-Blu-ray-Player-Wi-Fi/dp/B006U1YUZE/ref=pd_cp_e_0

 

[sdavison78]

The Playstation is just like a HTPC -- it gets the signal and turns it into one that the TV can understand through an HCMI port. If you get a compatible bluray that has wifi, it can also do that translation, like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BDP-S590-Blu-ray-Player-Wi-Fi/dp/B006U1YUZE/ref=pd_cp_e_0

I was hoping to avoid that, since I have no use for a blu-ray player or a playstation. But by now I do think it's unavoidable.... Many thanks for all your comments and suggestions!

 

[RealBeast]

If you have some old PC parts, or an old laptop they do a great job and can play other stuff too. Good luck!

 

[sdavison78]

If you have some old PC parts, or an old laptop they do a great job and can play other stuff too. Good luck!

Not sure what you mean. I don't have old PC parts, though I do have an old laptop. What can I do with these items? Thanks again!

 

[RealBeast]

Well if you have an old laptop that has a VGA or DVI output, you can use that instead of another device (bluray player/game console/etc) to connect the TV to the network. If your TV doesn't have a VGA or DVI connector -- and it probably does -- you would need a VGA to HDMI adapter. You also need a $2 3.5mm to 3.5mm 6 foot RCA cable to get the sound to the TV. I used a VGA and 3.5mm RCA cable with an old laptop for a while before I built a HTPC to play bluray images from a server, and stream Netflix, to one of my older TVs.

You are basically just using the TV as your laptop monitor, which you set up in the display control panel. The laptop connects to the wireless or wired network. Then you can use the Netflix PC app to play Netflix, or you can play avi files with Windows Media Player or some other program.

 

[sdavison78]

Please remember that I'm not versed in this stuff, so I probably DO sound like the village idiot.... If the television can serve as the 'monitor' for an old laptop, then why can't it be a monitor for my primary computer which is, after all, always on? BTW--and this surprised me--the television uses old-style RCA plugs for the sound. We have a larger primary television that required the small plug to add a sound system, but not this Sony Bravia.

 

[RealBeast]

It can if you place your main computer next to the TV and attach it with a VGA cable.

The problem is that you can't use too long of a VGA cable, the resolution is limited with greater length since it is an analog signal unless you use exotic expensive repeaters. If the TV and computer graphic card both have DVI (a digital signal) you can use a longer cable. You just can't connect the TV as a monitor to the computer over a network cable, which is what you really want to do.

Standards die slowly, even my newest TV has a 3.5mm sound jack.

 

[sdavison78]

It can if you place your main computer next to the TV and attach it with a VGA cable.

The problem is that you can't use too long of a VGA cable, the resolution is limited with greater length since it is an analog signal unless you use exotic expensive repeaters. If the TV and computer graphic card both have DVI (a digital signal) you can use a longer cable. You just can't connect the TV as a monitor to the computer over a network cable, which is what you really want to do.

Standards die slowly, even my newest TV has a 3.5mm sound jack.

Thank you again. If I could run a cable, I could run an ethernet cable; that's why I need to go wireless. I'm giving up on this venture and will go for a blu-ray player with built-in WiFi which can at least be used as a DVD player. Well, I tried--and so did you....

 

[RealBeast]

That is probably easiest, and if the wireless signal is too weak you can always use a pair of powerline adapters to get the secondary AP closer, assuming you have good electrical wiring you can often get up to 40-60Mbps with the 200 or 500Mbps adapters (yeah lots of marketing hype there).

 

[sdavison78]

That is probably easiest, and if the wireless signal is too weak you can always use a pair of powerline adapters to get the secondary AP closer, assuming you have good electrical wiring you can often get up to 40-60Mbps with the 200 or 500Mbps adapters (yeah lots of marketing hype there).

Again I have no clue what you're talking about. I know so little about this stuff. I have really high-gain antennas on my Linksys router; the signal goes all over the neighborhood (I do know enough to have a secure network), so I hope there will be no problem getting it from one side of the house to another. Thanks again!

 

[RealBeast]

LOL, just a way to extend a network where cabling is not possible and wireless is not doing the job. If your wireless signal is strong you are good.

If not Google PLA4205 -- I've used a half dozen pairs of these for folks now and the kit does a reasonable job of getting a network signal to a distant location to attach an access point without the use of an Ethernet cable.

 

[sdavison78]

LOL, just a way to extend a network where cabling is not possible and wireless is not doing the job. If your wireless signal is strong you are good.

If not Google PLA4205 -- I've used a half dozen pairs of these for folks now and the kit does a reasonable job of getting a network signal to a distant location to attach an access point without the use of an Ethernet cable.

I guess I'll cross that bridge if I come to it. Our wireless is pretty good; the next trick for me will be getting a blu-ray player that has WiFi built in and do a bit of praying (as well as exclaiming, probably...).I've made a copy of our message exchanges and will refer to them when I face the inevitable. BTW, who are you? Is this solely an anonymous site? I'm an old coot white-haired great grandfather retired in central Florida--old but at least continuing to get older!

 

[sdavison78]

Best answer selected by sdavison78.

 

[sdavison78]

To RealBeast (Puppy looks like a RealBeast!) and anyone else who wandered into this thread, I gave up on being creative, got a Blu-ray player with built-in WiFi, and the whole setup works perfectly! It may not have been the ideal solution that I would have wanted, but it'll do. Thanks!

 

[RealBeast]

The easiest way to go is often the best.

Yeah, she's almost 3 now and is a great sheepdog from an amazing blood line. Her and her two younger sisters are a blast.

 

[sdavison78]

The easiest way to go is often the best.

Yeah, she's almost 3 now and is a great sheepdog from an amazing blood line. Her and her two younger sisters are a blast.

Looks like a fierce attack dog; I'll be very careful around her.... Thanks again for all your help!