[RndTbl] auto-IP

[Dan Martin]

I am wondering how I can connect my Mac to a device over ethernet,  
when I have no control over the device's IP address.

I recently purchased HDHomeRun, a dual TV tuner that connects via  
ethernet.  The idea of it is to be able to stream video content to any  
machine on your network.

My network has static IP addresses, so just plugging it into the hub  
and searching for the device does not work.  I understand that it is a  
DHCP client.  There is no documentation with the device, such as a  
default IP address if one exists.

I will only use the video on one machine at present, my Mac.   
Wikipedia indicates that the device "will also work via an auto IP  
address if no DHCP server is available".  Instructions meant for  
Windows (different document) talk about assigning an IP address of  
169.254.x.x to the network interface.

I am far from clear on how that works.  If the NIC I use to attach the  
HDHomeRun has such an IP address, does the HDHomeRun know to configure  
itself with a similar address?  The Mac's network preferences GUI  
allows 4 choices:  DHCP, DHCP with manual address, BootP, and Manual.   
None of these seems to work.

I can't even be sure if the device works - but LEDs come on.

Does anyone have suggestions, other than changing my entire network to  
DHCP?  Can you have some nodes on a network get addresses by DHCP  
while others are static?

-Dan

Dan Martin
GP Hospital Practitioner
Computer Scientist
ummar143 at shaw.ca
(204) 831-1746
answering machine always on

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