We are having trouble communicating to your Set Top Box.

[eljefe2]

Too often, and for no apparent reason, when I try to manage my DVR via the iPad mobile app or My Verizon on my PC I get the message in the subject title:  We are having trouble communicating to your Set Top Box.

Standard troubleshooting steps fix the problem, i.e. rebooting the DVR set top box and the router.  I haven't yet been able to pin down if just one of those devices cause the problem or, which one it is, but I'm wondering why this happens and if anything can be done to prevent it?

It's an annoyance anytime it happens, but it's a particular problem if we're away and we go to set a program to record, only to find we can't access our DVR and there's no way to do the rebooting necessary.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. 

[Hubrisnxs]

I remember seeing some people saying that they replaced the router.  Maybe give that a shot?   It's a communication problem between the router the cabling and the set top box,  so replacing one is a good first step I would think.   re check the cabling, maybe even access the router and make sure you have good MOCA rates.  

---

How to check MOCA stats?

There are two MOCA interfaces in the Actiontec/Westell routers:

• MOCA WAN is used between the router and the ONT (if your WAN connection is provisioned over coax).

• MOCA LAN is used between the router and the STBs.

A weak MOCA signal can cause connectivity problems.

MOCA speeds

> 200 Mbps	acceptable
180 - 200 Mbps	marginal
< 180 Mbps	unacceptable

To check the MOCA WAN stats:

• On the MAIN status page, click on the blue globe in the My Router column. The 

System Monitoring

 page is displayed.

• Click on 

Broadband Connection (coax)

. The 

Broadband Connection (Coax) Properties

 page is displayed.

• Click on 

Settings

.

• Click on 

Go to Coax WAN Stats

. The 

WAN Coax Connection Stats

 page is displayed along with the MOCA speeds between the router and the ONT.

To check the MOCA LAN stats:

• On the MAIN status page, click on the blue globe in the My Router column. The 

System Monitoring

 page is displayed.

• In the Network (Home/Office) column, click on 

coax stats

. The 

Coax Connection Stats

 page is displayed. This shows the MOCA speeds between the router and all MOCA LAN devices. Speeds should be as listed for MCOA WAN.

Note: Instructions vary slightly for the Westell.

---

[eljefe2]

I think that DSL Reports FAQ is a little outdated.  The MOCA LAN stats directions don't follow, but the WAN ONT/Router speeds each are 250 Mb/s to my rev L Actiontec router.

I have a splitter just before my 7232-2 STB.  One output from the splitter goes to the STB and one to an ECB22200 MOCA adapter feeding switch feeding a DLink wireless access point and an at&t Microcell.  I get consistent output from that ECB2200 in the range of 50 MB/s and I don't ever seem to lose connectivity to the Microcell or through the WAP.  Thus I'm skeptical that the coax can be the issue.  Could be the splitter, I guess, or the short patch cord between the splitter and the STB.  Or the switch.  Maybe I'll replace all three of those....switch, patch cord, and splitter.

I'm also going to try to pin down whether it's rebooting the STB or rebooting the router that restores the connection between the two.  That might not be 100% conclusive but it might point to device or the other.

Thanks for your thoughts.  I'll be experimenting trying to get to the bottom of the problem.  If I come up with anything I'll report back,  If you have any other ideas I'm all ears.