Hack 50. Getting Your TiVo Series 2 Online

   

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Hack 50 Getting Your TiVo Series 2 Online

The TiVo Series 2 comes with online access baked in. Plug in a USB-to-Ethernet or USB-to-WiFi adapter, and your TiVo's a first-class citizen on your home network .

While it might be useful to have your TiVo online via another computer [Hack #47], purists are sure to find it quite frustrating to see a fledgling Linux box not be able to spread its wings. Owners of the Series 2 Standalone TiVo are in luck. TiVo, Inc. has partnered with Linksys (http://www.linksys.com/), makers of networking and WiFi equipment for work and home, to take its users' TiVos online. TiVo recommends two adapters: the WUSB11 Version 2.6 (a WiFi 802.11b adapter from Linksys' "Instant Wireless Series") and the USB100TX USB-to-Ethernet (10/100 BaseT) adapter from their "Instant Etherfast Series."

Users have also reported success using non-TiVo USB-to-Ethernet adapters, such as these:

Linksys USB100M

Linksys USB200M

NetGear FA101

NetGear FA120

Belkin F5D5050

3Com 3C460B

Microsoft MN-110

Hawking UF200

Hawking UF100

D-Link DSB-650TX

D-Link DUB-E100

Siemens SS1001

SMC SMC2208

On the WiFi front, Table 4-2 lists non-TiVo-recommended USB-to-802.11b adapters and the TiVo service numbers with which they are most likely to work. You can find your service number with a quick trip to TiVo Messages & Setup System Information . Look for it a couple of lines down from the top.

Table 4-2. Non-TiVo-recommended USB-to-802.11b adapters and associated TiVo service numbers

Initial digits of TiVo service number	Alternative USB-to-802.11b adapters
110, 130, 140	NetGear MA101 V.A, D-Link DWL-120 V.A
230, 240	D-Link DWL-120 V.D, Linksys WUSB12, Hawking WU250, Microsoft MN-510
Any	NetGear MA101 V.B, D-Link DWL-120 V.E, SMC 2662W V.2, Belkin F5D6050

That said, unless you have one of the unsupported adapters lying about your house, I'd recommend just going with one of the recommended ones.

Simply plug the adapter into the back of your Series 2 running TiVo OS 4.0 or later, and follow the onscreen directions to get it onto the network.

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