If ordering a Hopper tomorrow- Internet connection

[navychop]

If you were to order a Hopper tomorrow, whether a 1 or 2 H system, would you order a HIC or just direct connect, assuming you had a wired Ethernet connection to every spot you might ever locate a Hopper or a Joey?

Please explain if choosing the third option, especially.

 

[D. Manley]

If you were to order a Hopper tomorrow, whether a 1 or 2 H system, would you order a HIC or just direct connect, assuming you had a wired Ethernet connection to every spot you might ever locate a Hopper or a Joey?

Please explain if choosing the third option, especially.

With easy & a available Ethernet, I see no reason not to use it. I'd prefer to save the rear USB port for other purposes although, their wireless dongle works fine for me.

Sent from my Droid RAZR MAXX using Tapatalk2

 

[bcbarlow7737]

I voted HIC but if you have available Ethernet at all locations using that would be just as good

 

[3HaloODST]

HIC used to be the best solution however with Hopper bridging they worked out all the bugs so a single direct Ethernet connection would be the simplest in terms of hardware. HIC would be simplest in terms of software since you won't have to enable bridging on any Hoppers. That being said I have a single Ethernet connection to one Hopper and I have no issues with the other receivers getting Internet-connected through Hopper bridging. Before Hopper bridging I had the other ones on WiFi with the Dish-supplied dongles with no issues either. Then again I have a huge pair WLAN antennas so I generally don't have wireless-related issues.

 

[GaryPen]

If there was a wired LAN port at every location, that would certainly be the best way to go.
Otherwise, I would just use the bridging function of the Hopper instead of a HIC, which is what I currently do. (The Hopper is connected wirelessly thru a wi-fi bridge, as well.)

 

[gdarwin]

I'm using the HIC on one of the Joey feeds. Works great.

 

[oldengineer]

Funny that this thread comes up at this time. I was about to start a thread about my 2H/2J/HIC setup hiccuping. After working good for 9 months I suddenly lost the Hopper/Hopper capability. Neither Hopper could see the other, but the broadband connections were still good. I have a tap off of one line feeding a Hopper and the HIC. I tried all kinds of resets but got no joy.

Rather than bother with a service call I reverted to wiring 1 Hopper to the router and enabling bridging. The system works fine. Other posters have noted that bridging has been improved with recent updates.

My opinion is that if you can wire a Hopper directly to your router the HIC is unnecessary.

 

[356B]

If you have an ethernet wire to the Hopper what's the point? Just another opportunity for trouble.

 

[ScottChez]

I do not agree with most. The HIC is important to have as it offloads some of the services the Hopper has to run to support the direct connection of the internet.
Basically it acts as a software based router to send the internet to the other devices.
If the HIC is used some CPU time is off loaded to the HIC.

In other words the less work the Hopper has to do the faster it is as the CPU does not have to worry about the network.
This comes in to play with the home media icon. Streaming Video takes longer to start up if you do not have a HIC. I also notice more jitters on stream.
To me this is all proof that the HIC helps with the load and is good to have.
Think about 2 years from now when the Hopper has even more apps and video functions. The CPU will be busy. The HIC helps take the load.