Wireless Cinema Connection Kit Question

[barthjf]

Hi,

I just had Directv installed today, but did not have internet installed by the time the technician showed up. I have the whole home DVR service installed and the technician indicated that he would come back out at no charge to install the cinema connection kit.

The Directv website indicated that I could order the wireless connection kit for $32 shipped. I called the local Directv install office back to inquire about the wireless connection as I would not want to be charged for the wireless kit if it should have been included in my order and I mentioned I could set that up myself. He indicated that the kit online was likely the wired version as the wireless one was over $100. He told me to call back to setup an appt. at no charge once my internet was installed and that a cable would have to be run from the bedroom to the outside of the house and back inside to the basement.

I then spoke to a friend who has the whole home dvr service and he mentioned he just uses the wireless cinema connection kit and everything works as expected, including the whole home dvr, as well as on demand and the remote dvr from internet functionality. Thinking the local directv office didn't know what they were talking about, I decided to call the national number. I indicated I would use the wireless kit, but didn't want to be charged the $32 for it if it should have been included in my order. She did some checking and came back to tell me the wireless connection kit will not work with the whole home dvr service so I should call my local office back to set up the free install.

In doing some research, I found the following post on the directv forums: "Wireless networking networking will not work for Whole Home DVR sharing. It can, however, work for the "adapter box" (Cinema Connection Kit) that bridges the WHDVR coax DECA network to your home ethernet network."

I am trying to avoid paying anything for a cinema connection kit and having unnecessary holes and cables run if I don't need them. My question is what functionality will i be losing if I follow my friends approach and just hook up with the wireless kit? Based on what he's telling me I shouldn't be losing any functionality. Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[harshness]

Either CCK will accomplish what you're trying to do without interfering with WHDS. The wired version requires some extra parts and wiring and you would probably be much better off letting a technician do it.

Can you just not wait for the technician to install or is it that you're afraid they'll bring the wired version and that will somehow damage your experience?

 

[barthjf]

Harshness,

I have no problem in waiting for a technician to do it, however, my internet connection is in a different room from the directv equipment. They indicated they would need to drill a hole through my bedroom wall where the internet connection is, run a cable over my roof and back in to the basement where the rest of the cables come in. I don't see the point in running this cable if I can just hook up wirelessly. If either CCK will accomplish what I'm trying to do, I don't understand why they need to run this cable. Thanks for your reply.

 

[kanderna]

I have the Wireless CCK, and everything works great (including WHDVR and on-demand). It was a pain to get, though. Took three calls to customer service. They kept claiming I needed new/different hardware, another claimed I needed to have it professionally installed (even though it says self-install). I finally sent an email and they apologized for the issues when calling and sent the unit with no issues.

 

[Drucifer]

If you are never going to put a TV in the room with the router -- Go with the WCCK.

 

[egressionx]

if you have the phone # to the install tech and let him know your internet and wifi is up he will probley want to install the wcck to help him with his conectivity #'s he has to meet. As a tech the only way I would install the wired version is if I didn't have wcck (out of stock) or the customer didn't have wifi. the wired version is just more work and cable for same end result.