WD TV Live Plus Streaming with Netgear WNCE2001 Universal Wifi Adapter [ Edited ]

[sirc625]

Hello All,

I recently purchased a Neatgear WNCE2001 Universal Wifi Adapter to be used with my WD TV Live Plus. I wanted to know what other users have done to increase the quality of streaming video on thier network with this device. I run Windows 7 and have a Linksys WRT54G router.

Netgear WNCE2001

 

First let me say that I can't get the adapter to show up on my WD TV Live Plus as a wireless adapter. It thinks it's an ethernet LAN connection. I can see my shared hard drives on my nework with no problem. However, streaming is hit or miss. I can stream 720p 4GB movies with no problem at times. Other times the videos freeze every 10 seconds. I changed my network adapter setting to run a 100 Mbps FULL and that worked like a charm for a few days. After that choppy video streaming again so I changed the settings back to Auto.

When I check the network connection on the WD TV Live Plus I get a green check on the IP Address but an error on the DNS Server setting. I checked my network and verified that the DNS address is the same. Also I used to get yellow and green LED inicator lights on the Netgear adapter for wifi connectivity (green being good, yellow poor and red being bad), now it goes from yellow to red. Not sure what to do at this point. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated .

[sirc625]

Some more information. I am running a 1TB and a 2TB HD via usb to a laptop (Win 7) and connecting the laptop to the router via ethernet cable.

[Redwood · Accepted solution]

I have wireless streaming set up with a WD TV Live Plus. Here is my components:

• Router: Netgear RangMax Wireless - N300 Gigabit Router with USB WNR3500L

• Wireless Adapter: Netgear Universal WiFi Range Extender WN2000RPT (connect to WD TV Live Plus via a CAT 5 cable)

• NAS: Netgear Stora with 4TB (2 x 2TB) (connect to the Router via a CAT 6 cable)

I can play any movie (1080p MKV, MTS files up to 24 mbps) without any problem. Any all computers (which are connected to the Router) can play any movie as well.

You mentioned you use a Linksys WRT54G router - that could be the problem. You may try a wirless N (300mbps) router.

Good luck.

[TonyPh12345]

>>> First let me say that I can't get the adapter to show up on my WD TV Live Plus as a wireless adapter.

>>> It thinks it's an ethernet LAN connection.

That's because it *is* an ethernet LAN connection.   It is NOT a Wireless adapter.

Netgear has some pretty decent tips on their website:

http://support.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/14157/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xMzIxMzk4NTc3L3NpZC9...

[sirc625 · Accepted solution]

Thanks to all who replied. I ended up getting a Netgear WNR1000v3 (N150) 802.11n router from Best Buy. The unit was an "open item" and the tag didn't indicate there was anything missing. As you can imagine I was a little ticked off that the power supply and the installation CD were both missing! Luckily my power supply for the Linksys router worked and I was able to program the router by typing in the default IP address.

Nretgear WNR1000v3

Once I got the router connected and set up all the settings I synced the WNCE2001 adapter with the router with what Netgaer calls "Push N Connect". Once you press the WPS button on the adapter and place it in sync mode, you press the WPS button on the router and your done. No configuring needed!

I played four movies of different sizes and types (avi, mkv, mp4). Some were 720p  and all streamed flawlessly!

The bottom line is if you expect to stream movies ditch those old 802.11g routers for a wireless n router.

[mike27oct]

I speak up to defend my o'l trusty WRT54G router and its brethren.   

It continues to provide excellent Internet bandwidth of usually 30mbps (even though I pay Comcast for 20mbps minimum).  The old router was helped along last year when I replaced the Linksys modem with a new DOCCIS 3 modem from Motorola.  Basically, if you want an Internet connection speed above 15mbps, the modem has to have the guts to do so; hence the DOCCIS 3 modem upgrade.  (BTW, I was lucky to get 20mbps before the modem upgrade.)

Since my network is all wired, the internal speed of the router's 100mbps is still fine.  Whenever I use wireless, the results are the same with WDTV as wired:  excellent.  My experience with wireless over many years is, if you cannot get an excellent to very good signal strength consistantly, you are better off wired.  Fortunately, the house came wired, CAT5-ready, and I have taken advantage of that throughout the house.

All this is not to say that a newer router could not improve things more, and if this was a wireless house I would step up to wireless.n.  Not sure that a newer router would improve my wired situation.  Does anyone care to convince me otherwise?