wireless to get the $5/month savings solution

[Laddyboy]

We do have DVR Advantage. But I'm a bit confused about the exemption you mention. We have four TVs. Two with the Dual DVR, two without. It would be easy enough to plug the phone line into the computer for the TV that doesn't have the DVR since it's in the same room.

Are you saying that the two TVs using Dual Tuner DVR is not subject to the charge at all and only the two others are if I don't connect to a phone line?

I don't understand what you're saying about cat5, 5e etc., or the bridge/router stuff.

Only dual tuner receivers are required to be connected to a phone line or broadband internet to avoid the $5 connection charge, as I recall. The primary receiver if a dual tuner is the one exempted from the requirement with DDA. Check with an E* CSR for your account. I'd do an online chat and ask and save the chat when completed in case you don't hook up the primary and they go ahead and charge you. I think it's better to just plug them into broadband internet if you have either DSL or cable internet. If you have DSL or cable internet you should have a router connected to the DSL or cable modem that serves as both a firewall and a means of connecting all the computers/devices in your home to the internet. Usually the router serves both wireless and wired devices. Wired devices are connected by cable (looks like telephone cable and comes in 3 basic grades Category 5, 5e, and 6) to the router by connecting the cable to the ethernet port of the device and one of the ports on the router. Wireless connections require a wireless bridge for the receiver to be able to connect to the router. Receivers like the 622 and 722 have a homeplug adapter built-in so you can also place a homeplug adapter kit at the electrical outlet into which the router is plugged-in to enable the receiver to connect to the router through your electrical cabling.

What receivers do you have? Not all are internet capable.

 

[Laddyboy]

We only have the choice of Charter and Frontier in our area because of all the non-compete agreements between the providers. Frontier had a good deal for phone and DSL last year when we moved here. Both $90/mo - although we paid alot less with Qwest when we lived in AZ. The DSL is sloooooooo. The year is up and the bill just reset to a whopping $125/mo. I can get it reduced to $90 with another year contract, but don't want to do that.

So, I switched to Charter cable for $34.99/mo for 6 months then it goes to $55. Without the phone line, we're saving $50/mo. We don't use the phone line that much and figure going to cell is better.

I'd like to know how to have a much smaller phone/broadband bill! Aren't these area centric? We're in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and I'm shocked for such a large metro area, the choices are limited b/c of the non-compete BS.

I have phone and DSL-lite through Frontier in Central IL. It's about $60 with taxes.

 

[sparksals]

Only dual tuner receivers are required to be connected to a phone line or broadband internet to avoid the $5 connection charge, as I recall. The primary receiver if a dual tuner is the one exempted from the requirement with DDA. Check with an E* CSR for your account. I'd do an online chat and ask and save the chat when completed in case you don't hook up the primary and they go ahead and charge you. I think it's better to just plug them into broadband internet if you have either DSL or cable internet. If you have DSL or cable internet you should have a router connected to the DSL or cable modem that serves as both a firewall and a means of connecting all the computers/devices in your home to the internet. Usually the router serves both wireless and wired devices. Wired devices are connected by cable (looks like telephone cable and comes in 3 basic grades Category 5, 5e, and 6) to the router by connecting the cable to the ethernet port of the device and one of the ports on the router. Wireless connections require a wireless bridge for the receiver to be able to connect to the router. Receivers like the 622 and 722 have a homeplug adapter built-in so you can also place a homeplug adapter kit at the electrical outlet into which the router is plugged-in to enable the receiver to connect to the router through your electrical cabling.

What receivers do you have? Not all are internet capable.

Wow...thanks for that info. I will give it a shot. It may work out for me if I have to plug in the secondary receiver, I can do that into the computer.

Well, that's weird. I checked our receivers online today before I posted here. It specifically said 622 was the primary receiver. When I went back to check again after you posted, it now says 625. Receiver #2 is 325G.

 

[sparksals]

I have phone and DSL-lite through Frontier in Central IL. It's about $60 with taxes.

I only wish!

 

[Laddyboy]

Wow...thanks for that info. I will give it a shot. It may work out for me if I have to plug in the secondary receiver, I can do that into the computer.

Well, that's weird. I checked our receivers online today before I posted here. It specifically said 622 was the primary receiver. When I went back to check again after you posted, it now says 625. Receiver #2 is 325G.

Only the newer receivers have ethernet ports for connecting to the internet. The older ones require phone lines unfortunately.

 

[sparksals]

Dang! So, I can still get by with paying the $5/month in order to get rid of the landline, right?

 

[TheKrell]

Are you saying that the two TVs using Dual Tuner DVR is not subject to the charge at all and only the two others are if I don't connect to a phone line?

That's correct, as of Feb 1 and a new policy for DVR Advantage. If you have a 622 and two other single-tuner receivers, then you should see no no-phone-line fee.

Yes, broadband charges are highly location-specific. I'm too far from the CO where I am now, so cable Internet is my cheapest option. It's almost my only option, other than one of the sat broadband providers. To get my cable company to un-block ports, I had to go for a SOHO account at $79/mo. But in the same general area, before I moved a couple of miles, I had DSL from Cavalier Telephone for $25/mo with 2 static IPs and no blocked ports!

Edit: what's a 325G?

 

[Laddyboy]

Dang! So, I can still get by with paying the $5/month in order to get rid of the landline, right?

yes

 

[Bobby H]

You know, I thought Dish Network was supposed to abolish that anti-customer $5 per month phone/Internet receiver connection penalty.

Nevertheless, my latest statement says "you saved $5 by having your ViP connected via phone line or broadband Internet." WTF. We're they lying? I have one ViP722 receiver connected to only 1 HDTV set. Nothing else.

FWIW, I use a Linksys WGA600N "game adapter" to connect my ViP series receiver to my Wi-Fi network. It works pretty well. It would be even better if such a receiver had built in Wi-Fi like my Playstation 3.

 

[bighick]

If you have dsl you should have a phone line....

 

[Laddyboy]

You know, I thought Dish Network was supposed to abolish that anti-customer $5 per month phone/Internet receiver connection penalty.

Nevertheless, my latest statement says "you saved $5 by having your ViP connected via phone line or broadband Internet." WTF. We're they lying? I have one ViP722 receiver connected to only 1 HDTV set. Nothing else.

FWIW, I use a Linksys WGA600N "game adapter" to connect my ViP series receiver to my Wi-Fi network. It works pretty well. It would be even better if such a receiver had built in Wi-Fi like my Playstation 3.

The exemption is only for the primary receiver on the account if a dual tuner receiver. The message auto generates whenever there is no connection fee.

 

[Laddyboy]

If you have dsl you should have a phone line....

One can have DSL and not have a phone. It's called naked DSL. In this case I think the OP said they had switched to Charter cable.

 

[w2n]

what is the benefit of connecting the ethernet other than:
1) avoiding the fee
2) downloading on demand crap

when are they going to let us enable remote programming?

this feature has been enabled for tivo & replaytv units for years...

 

[hendrix04]

what is the benefit of connecting the ethernet other than:
1) avoiding the fee
2) downloading on demand crap

when are they going to let us enable remote programming?

this feature has been enabled for tivo & replaytv units for years...

go to dish.sling.com and sign up for the beta. Almost everyone that signs up gets in.

 

[holtzdog55]

The guide is downloaded from satellite. If you have broadband internet just connect your receiver's ethernet port by Cat5 or 5e or 6 ethernet cable to your router or use a wireless bridge/game adapter connected to the receiver's ethernet port to connect to your router. If you have DDA (Dish DVR Advantage) I think the first dual tuner receiver is exempt from the charge.

I had my Land Line disconnected in Jan. and they took off the phone line charges off my bills, forever, for all recievers. They now use my Cell # as my account phone#:up

 

[GaryPen]

You should be able to use any wireless router and set it to bridge mode.

Except that not every router is capable of bridge mode.

 

[CoreyC]

Wouldn't one of those powerline ethernet kits work? I found one on ebay for $25, should get it next week.

There is also this for $45 shipped, I think it communicates with the DishComm enabled (vip) receivers... [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Sling-Media-SlingLink-TURBO-SL300-100/dp/B001Z5140O]Amazon.com: SlingLink TURBO W1 (SL300-100): Electronics[/ame]

 

[CoreyC]

I got this for about $27 shipped on ebay. You have to hunt for the right deal, but it works.

I'm a little disappointed in the flexibility of the DishComm system. I should be able to use just 1 homeplug connected to my router, but I have to use 2. The technology is there in the box, they were just lazy on the software.

 

[makman]

I'm a little disappointed in the flexibility of the DishComm system. I should be able to use just 1 homeplug connected to my router, but I have to use 2. The technology is there in the box, they were just lazy on the software.

I agree. I have one homeplug attached to my router. One of my 722's connects to my network on its own. The other one will not but it does connect through a second homeplug attached to the same socket as the DVR.

Mitch