Xi6 Ethernet Port

[IslandCragos]

Connected 1 of 3 Xi6 boxes via Ethernet. The box is showing that it's still connected via Wi-Fi, and the BlueCurve app is showing it twice. Yep, as an Ethernet connection & wi-fi connection. Anyone know how to force the Ethernet connection only?

[mdk]

@IslandCragos -- change the BlueCurve's WiFi password, and power-off/power-on the XI6.  Since it cannot connect via WiFi, it will connect via Ethernet. Change the WiFi password back to its original value.

[IslandCragos]

Thanks for the feedback, but that did not work. Shaw has also told me that it will default to Ethernet, but that is not true. It only flips over to Ethernet when the wi-fi signal reaches a certain point. Seems cheap if a component can't even default to Ethernet when the cable is plugged into the port. The cheap router is a separate discussion. 😉

[IslandCragos · Accepted solution]

Apparently the box doesn't switch over to Ethernet right away. For a couple of hours it jumped between Wi-Fi & Ethernet. All 3 boxes now seem to have a stable Ethernet connection. That being said, each XI6 is still pulling a Wi-Fi IP address though.

[mdk]

@IslandCragos -- All 3 boxes now seem to have a stable Ethernet connection.

As expected, if an Ethernet cable is connected to the XI6 and to the "base" unit.

> That being said, each XI6 is still pulling a Wi-Fi IP address though.

The DHCP-server inside your Shaw cable-modem/router has over 250 IP-addresses to hand out to devices on your LAN (Local Area Network) -- do you need more?

When both WiFi and Ethernet are available to the XI6, does it use both, or just the one that seems to be "better" ?  My Windows notebook seems to choose the "better" one.

[rickatk]

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@IslandCragos wrote:

Apparently the box doesn't switch over to Ethernet right away. For a couple of hours it jumped between Wi-Fi & Ethernet. All 3 boxes now seem to have a stable Ethernet connection. That being said, each XI6 is still pulling a Wi-Fi IP address though.

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Adaptive MESH @ work?  

The wireless Shaw TV terminals all indicate the system will default to Ethernet if available. 

I plugged my ST 30 into one of the Ethernet ports and my Motorla AX cordless phone hub into the other. Both connected right away. 

[IslandCragos]

@mdk I never asked for more IP-addresses, I'm asking why the box needs two IP-addresses? What's the point of having the router work harder?

The Xi6 boxes seem to do whatever they want. The box closest to the router had the "worst" wi-fi connection & the box furthest had the "best" wi-fi connection. Go figure! Ethernet should always be better than wi-fi, if it's wired properly.

Besides, I mentioned what's happening & "accepted the solution". You must be bored asking more questions? 🙂

BTW my Dell laptop is plugged in & the wi-fi is on. I check the BlueCurve app & it's only showing an ip address for the ethernet connection. Over & out...no further discussion req'd.

[mdk]

@IslandCragos --  I'm asking why the box needs two IP-addresses?

The box does not NEED two IP-addresses. Because the box has two network adapters, with two unique MAC-addresses, each adapter, if active, will obtain a unique IP-address from your cable-modem.

As @rickatk wrote, the box will prefer the faster (Ethernet) connection, whenever it is available.

> What's the point of having the router work harder?

When an Ethernet connection is available, ONLY that connection will be used. The cable-modem will not see any traffic from the WiFi adapter inside the box. There is no "double-work".

> The Xi6 boxes seem to do whatever they want. The box closest to the router had the "worst" wi-fi connection & the box furthest had the "best" wi-fi connection. Go figure!

Without knowing the exact placement of the router & the two boxes, and what's inside the walls in a straight line between each box and the router, just being "close" (in two dimensions) to the router is not the sole determining factor in the signal strength reaching each box.

> Ethernet should always be better than wi-fi, if it's wired properly.

Not always. If you have "Shaw Internet Fibre+ 1.5 Gig", and a "wireless AX" network adapter, you will get a maximum of 1.0 Gbps to any computer, over Internet, while you can get 1.2 Gbps over WiFi.  Otherwise, you are correct.

> Besides, I mentioned what's happening & "accepted the solution". You must be bored asking more questions?

You too must be bored.

> BTW my Dell laptop is plugged in & the wi-fi is on. I check the BlueCurve app & it's only showing an ip address for the ethernet connection.

Is this a fault in that app, or the fact that your laptop also "prefers" to use the Internet connection, even when the laptop's WiFi adapter is "enabled" ? Your router is not doing "double-duty", because the laptop's WiFi adapter is "silent".

> Over & out...no further discussion req'd.

Agreed!

[IslandCragos]

@rickatk I'm not familiar with Adaptive MESH, please elaborate.

[IslandCragos]

@mdk bahaha...I needed a good laugh thanks. I've closed the loop, so I'm not sure why you're still blabbing about this?

Seeing as you love responding to maintain your "grandmaster" holy title, here you go; (A) 2 IP addresses for the same unit are NOT req'd at the same time and is a waste of resources. Unless it's trying to maximize both streams, but this is not the case here (B) I told you the placement of my equipment, the closest (in this case is less than a foot away) has the worst wi-fi connection, the furthest (in this case is downstairs with 3 walls in between) has the best wi-fi connection. Yup that makes sense to me! (C) It shows that my laptop equipment is superior & doesn't bother pulling an IP address for the wi-fi when Ethernet is plugged in. I like things neat & tidy but some vendors these days lean on cheap or lazy.

(D) I need to research this 1.5 gig vs wi-fi

Again, I found my own solution so no further response is required. This loop is closed for the SECOND time! Unless of course your a board troll??