My Humax Forum » Freeview HD » FVP 4000T, 5000T

Router Settings

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    GrahamRHK

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    So far so good. So its not the humax portal blocked in the firewall. Now we are back to an issue that we have seen in other scenarios - using the gateway as a DNS server. Please can you try setting the Wired connection manually (not DHCP) to use some well known external DNS server IP addresses - either open DNS or the DNS servers for your ISP. Just a hunch at this stage as I don't know the reason why the HUMAX is fussy about this - but worth a try when you have time please.

    | Sun 24 Nov 2019 9:18:27 #11 |
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    mcdonald_ajr

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    Already tried that. No joy. What I did try was bypassing the Unifi router by setting my Netgear modem up as a router again to check the path to the router (via power line and switch). As expected that worked. What was odd was that when I reverted to the Unifi router, it continued to work for a while, until I power cycled the Humax.

    Then it struggled to even use DHCP to get an address, used the default 169 one. Had to directly connect the Humax via long Ethernet cable to the switch, bypassing the power line adaptors for DHCP to work again.

    I suspect multiple problems here are confounding the issue. I’ve spend approx 30 hours on this this week, and think I will give up, return the new Humax, and try a different manufacturer’s box.

    I have 20 devices connected to my UniFi network plus 2 switches, 3 Wireless access points, 4 power line adapters. My devices range from home built Arduino brewery controllers, Raspberry Pi multi room synchronised hifi and web streaming radio, web servers, NAS, Apple TV, Amazon Echo, printer, voice controlled switch. All use the network without any issues. My old YouView T1000 has the same issues as this 5000T so I can only assume there is something odd in the way the Humax is set up.

    I hate admitting defeat, but can’t redesign my home network around one box!

    Thanks for all your help anyway, much appreciated.

    | Sun 24 Nov 2019 9:45:05 #12 |
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    Martin Liddle

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    mcdonald_ajr - 16 hours ago  » 
    Already tried that. No joy. What I did try was bypassing the Unifi router by setting my Netgear modem up as a router again to check the path to the router (via power line and switch). As expected that worked. What was odd was that when I reverted to the Unifi router, it continued to work for a while, until I power cycled the Humax.
    Then it struggled to even use DHCP to get an address, used the default 169 one. Had to directly connect the Humax via long Ethernet cable to the switch, bypassing the power line adaptors for DHCP to work again.

    What make and model of power line adaptor are you using?

    | Mon 25 Nov 2019 1:55:57 #13 |
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    mcdonald_ajr

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    TP-LINK AV1200

    However most of my tests were done with a temporary long Ethernet cable to eliminate them as a potential contributor to the problem.

    | Mon 25 Nov 2019 7:43:17 #14 |
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    GrahamRHK

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    What was odd was that when I reverted to the Unifi router, it continued to work for a while, until I power cycled the Humax.

    I have seen this in the early days (last January) - often I needed to reboot the router to get things to work again only to find that internet access failed again after some arbitrary time. Just to confirm please that you are setting the FVP to use Wired manual configuration with DNS servers set to some valid external DNS server addresses? I ask because you said
    Then it struggled to even use DHCP to get an address

    Next question...
    until I power cycled the Humax.
    Do mean power off at the mains? Or in and out of standby?
    I have 20 devices connected to my UniFi network plus 2 switches, 3 Wireless access points, 4 power line adapters. My devices range from home built Arduino brewery controllers, Raspberry Pi multi room synchronised hifi and web streaming radio, web servers, NAS, Apple TV, Amazon Echo, printer, voice controlled switch.

    Now I understand why you are using a Unify Gateway Firewall!
    My old YouView T1000 has the same issues

    New information - very useful. It certainly does seem to be a quirk in the way HUMAX have implemented IP protocols. I am still working on the basis that there is an issue with the way some networks handle DNS caching and correct implementation of TTL rules upstream. I know for certain that the FVP knows the names of a range of servers that it uses but over time the IP addresses of those servers change - particularly NETFLIX - presumably for load balancing. Slowly I am trying to recreate the problem under controlled conditions with Wireshark captures running but have not had success yet. All I can say is that my FVP now works perfectly consistently with a wired connection through powerline adapters through a Draytek 2862 router/firewall.
    I am sorry that you feel the need to ditch the FVP as it is a very good piece of kit but I understand that one can waste too much time trying to chase obscure problems.

    | Mon 25 Nov 2019 16:08:50 #15 |
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    mcdonald_ajr

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    Yes, I manually set the DNS servers to 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8 and used a cable to connect directly to the switch. It was when I went back to DHCP and power line it had a problem getting an IP address automatically.

    I unplugged the power from the back of the box, counted to 10, then plugged it in again.

    I too am sad I have given up on it, but this is my third attempt! I had an old T1000 that was very unreliable serving on demand, even on my old BT Homehub, and not at all with my new network set up. A couple of weeks ago, I replaced that with a new Humax Youview box, but that had all the problems I have been describing here as well, so I returned that and was determined to get this FVP 4000T working.

    I've ordered a Panasonic DMR-PWT550EB Blu-Ray Player and HDD Recorder with Freeview Play. It has the benefit of me being able to reduce the number of boxes under the TV. It will be very interesting to see if it has similar issues. As I'm sure all these boxes probably share some open source software for networking it may not work either!

    | Mon 25 Nov 2019 16:20:35 #16 |
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    mcdonald_ajr

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    Well I finally got it to work. I used MTU checker to determine what MTU I was getting from BT Infinity. It showed a maximum MTU of 1484. I think this is lower than the default as the connection is PPPoE. Subtracting 40 bytes (20 bytes each for IP & TCP headers) I then set MSS clamping to 1444.

    Bingo, it works. No idea why the Humax box needed this set, whereas nothing else did. The default setting for MSS clamping was "Auto", so I suppose better behaved software worked with it on auto.

    | Tue 26 Nov 2019 20:54:23 #17 |
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    Martin Liddle

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    mcdonald_ajr - 2 hours ago  » 
    Well I finally got it to work. I used MTU checker to determine what MTU I was getting from BT Infinity. It showed a maximum MTU of 1484. I think this is lower than the default as the connection is PPPoE. Subtracting 40 bytes (20 bytes each for IP & TCP headers) I then set MSS clamping to 1444.
    Bingo, it works. No idea why the Humax box needed this set, whereas nothing else did.

    Interesting observation, thank you.

    | Tue 26 Nov 2019 22:55:33 #18 |
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    GrahamRHK

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    Very interesting. My MTU size using the checker you quote is 1492. That value appears to be set in my Draytek 2862 router. My ISP is Plusnet. As a matter of interest, where did you set your MSS value - in the modem or your security gateway? This is a new and insightful diagnosis of this problem - which may help other users. I am (when time allows) going try my other routers (Sagem) to see whether I can discover more.

    | Wed 27 Nov 2019 12:41:12 #19 |
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    mcdonald_ajr

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    I set it in my Router (Unifi Security Gateway).

    | Wed 27 Nov 2019 13:27:12 #20 |

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