Firstly, to answer your comment about a service port. USB Service ports are used by repair technicians, that kind of thing, using dedicated software to work with specific systems. They often have access to things like level inputs and outputs, along with other configuration parameters which the user never needs to know about, let alone tinker with.
Regarding the adapter, you may find that some will work, some won’t. It depends really on how Robel have configured your system. In all probability, your solution should work. However, not always. If the port needs to be enabled, by the engineer analysing your system, I mean, then you could be out of luck. But, if they are saying you need an adapter from them, in all probability that’s just sales talks. They’d probably charge you a fortune for the brand name, and nothing else. I’ll give you an example of both these scenarios because I’ve been there. I used to own a Pace Sky box. On the rear of that box, there was a USB host port marked, “Service”. Just out of interest, I did exactly what you’re about to try, as that box didn’t have Ethernet or WiFi. Sky were selling what they used to call the “Sky Connector” kit. Essentially, it was just a LAN adapter, with a service port extender socket as well. Sky wanted £99.99 for this adapter, which I refused point blank to pay. I bought a Buck-she adapter from a local computer hardware store. I plugged it into the Service port, and turned the box on. Well, the LEDs on the box apparently flashed like traffic lights for a little while, then it all just went dead. That box never worked again, and I had to replace it. I went online and looked for a company selling the boxes, as I refused again to pay Sky’s £349.99 asking price for the then current Sky Plus box. I found a company selling the new boxes for just £99.99 which, as you can see, was quite a significantly lower price. That box, I still have to this day and it works fine. All that having been said, I have another piece of equipment to which I would also like to use via Ethernet. It, too, contains a USB Service port. But the manufacturers of that device were much more forthcoming than the Sky dealers were. They told me that, if I took the unit into a local repair shop and gave them a reference number of the case that I opened with the manufacturers, they would be quite happy for me to use the port as an Ethernet hub. This, I duly did. And I used the Slingbox in this configuration for quite some time until my circumstances changed, and I no longer required it. So based on my own experience, I would say that, if you consider the gamble worthwhile, then try it. If not, then there is one more thing you could try and this is also something I’ve done. Why not just buy a WiFi Extender? Set it up as it comes by default, in repeater mode. Then just plug it into an AC port close to your tuner, and it will boost the signal to and from your router. Thus, you can use it in a cabinet or backed shelving arrangement. That is how my Neo box is configured and it works just fine. Although the Neo box does have Ethernet, if I remember rightly, it isn’t convenient for me to run cables from the media centre here in my lounge to the router in my front room. But this solution works a treat, solves the problem without taking any chances. The extender only cost me £19.99 so it was definitely a worthwhile investment. Just my thoughts. ================================================= My compliments and kindest regards Gordon Smith: <[email protected]> Accessibility & Information Technology Support Specialist.. This Message Was Created Using 100% Recycled Electrons. If you can avoid printing it, please do so. Think of the environment, save a tree! Contact: • UK Free Phone: 0800 8620538 • UK Mobile/SMS: +44 (0) 7907 823971 • Vic. Australia: +61 38 82059300 • US/Canada: +1 646 9151493 • UK Geographic / Global: +44(0) 1642 688095 ---------------------------------------- —— > On 26 Aug 2017, at 12:14, Dane Trethowan <[email protected]> wrote: > > And that I am, he's given me excellent advice and service up until this point > so let me explain. > > I bought a Rotel T14 Dab/FM/Internet Internet streamer back in February this > year, its a wonderful high quality piece of gear and I have no problem with > the equipment except for one annoyance, the T14 doesn't have a LAN port so > all connectivity to your network is done by Wi-Fi though this in itself is > absolutely nothing to complain about. > > The T14's Wi-Fi connectivity is rock solid on either 2.4 or 5.0GHZ with an > array of 3 antennas on the back. > > So one has to wonder why the designers of the T14 left out a LAN port? > > W-Fi connectivity is fine as it goes (in particular very good Wi-Fi > connectivity)( but its a damn pain in the bum having those 3 antennas > standing proud on the back of your T14 when you're wanting to house the > device in a cabinet or shelf. > > So I turned to the manual of the Rotel T14 to see if any other connectivity > solution was offered and I discovered that yes, their was another way and > that was using an adapter that plugs into the USB port on the back of the T14. > > Now apparently this USB port is labeled "Service", whatever that is supposed > to mean. > > The manual then tells the user to "Consult Your Rotel Dealer" and that's > exactly what I did. > > The dealer didn't have any idea what I was talking about but at least he did > contact the distributor of Rotel equipment out here asking for a further > explanation of this mysterious USB to Ethernet Port adapter. > > The dealer got back to me telling me that he hoped to have stock of the > adapter within a week and the cost of the adapter could be anywhere from $50 > to $100, possibly that much? Well if it meant I could connect the Rotel T14 > to a fixed LAN port then I'd be happy. > > Well all this was some time ago and I've not heard a dicky bird on the > subject from my friendly Rotel dealer so I decided to take matters into my > own hands and I'm not sure whether this will work but its worth a try. > > I spotted some USB 3 to Ethernet port adapters on eBay at $15 each so I > bought four of those given the usefulness of the adapters themselves for > other applications in my home. > > I'm awaiting the arrival of these adapters and then comes the business of > testing one with the Rotel T14 to see whether it will work, i'm hoping it > will and I won't need some sort of proprietary adapter from Rotel. > > I'll let the list know how I get on. > > > -- > > ********** > "Live each day as if you were goiing to die tomorrow, learn each day as if > you were going to live forever" > > ------------------------------ > > This post, like all posts to the Techno Chat E-Mail group has been scanned by > our server-side antivirus/malware solution. 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