DirecTV install question

[Widescreen]

I am a new customer and am having DirecTV install a whole home DVR system in our house. The wiring, while sloppy, should already largely be in place (I've had Dish for years with RG-6 going to the various TV locations). However, they are supposed to install the Internet connection kit. None of the receivers will be near my router and I don't have wired ethernet or a coax connection at the router location (other than the cable Internet that comes into the house near that location). I do have a wireless bridge in my theater which is what I use to connect to my wireless router for our slingbox, current sat receiver and blu-ray player.

Anyway, since there is no ethernet or coax connection from any receiver location to my router, I assume they're going to have to run a cable somehow to that location. My install called for "Free Professional Installation". Would that include any additional interior cable runs or do you think the installer will try to hit me up for more $$$?

 

[jdspencer]

Are the existing coax lines run from a common location? Hopefully they are, because this is where the SWM splitter would be installed to connect to your receivers. A coax line would be run from here to where your router is located for the ICK. Or the ICK could be installed there and a cat5e run to the router. (ICK = Internet Connection Kit)

 

[Widescreen]

Well, the coax enters my attic through a vent in the roof and then travels to the TV locations. Running coax/cat5 from the attic (above the 2nd floor) to my router on the 1st floor seems like it would be challenging, but I'm certainly not a cable-run expert. I'm hoping I don't get gouged for that.

 

[jdspencer]

Maybe you could use one of the coax runs to pull through a few more cables (coax and/or cat5e).

 

[Widescreen]

Unfortunately, there isn't really anything going from the attic to my router location (except for electrical cables, obviously) so there's really nothing to pull.

At least Dallas is cooler now than it is during the summer. Crawling around in the attic in July/August is miserable, and frankly unhealthy.

 

[Widescreen]

Anyone know if the ICK can connect to the wireless bridge in my theater (which connects to my router downstairs which connects to the Internet)? It works fine for VOD with my current Dish DVR but I know the ICK works somewhat differently. With my Dish DVR, I just use an ethernet cable and plug it into my DVR and the wireless bridge.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

The ICK can connect to your wireless bridge via its ethernet port.

 

[Widescreen]

That's actually a little surprising (but good news).

Let me make sure I understand. The coax to the sat1 connection on the receiver goes into one side of the DECA box and on the other side of the DECA box there's another coax that goes to the rest of the house and an ethernet cable that will go from the DECA box to my wireless bridge?