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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Now TV Black Box - Static IP Address?

Is it possible to allocate a static IP address to the Now TV Black Box?  On our network DHCP can't be used.

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Anonymous User
Not applicable

@Anonymous User unfortunately not, the Roku boxes (which the NOW TV box is based off) will only take an IP assigned via DHCP.

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Anonymous User
Not applicable

@Anonymous User unfortunately not, the Roku boxes (which the NOW TV box is based off) will only take an IP assigned via DHCP.

ukbobboy
Legend

Hi Artesea

 

I've just seen this old thread and it has caused me to slightly question your reply.

 

That said, my understanding of the term "Static IP Address" has two flavours to it :-

 

1) Static Address assigned by your ISP, usually you have to pay for this facility and is used mainly for computerised equipment with direct access to the Internet.

 

2) Static Address assigned internally, i.e. within an office or home, by the users own internal equipment.

 

My ISP has assigned me a permanent (or semi-permanent) IP address which is used by my modem-router to access the Internet. I have no control over this IP address, nor would I want to, but I do know that with it I can use my computer kit as intended.

 

However, there are internal IP addresses that my modem-router assigns to my computerise equipment e.g. Now TV box, NAS computer, Smartphone, PC, etc. These IPs I do have control over because I can assign individual addresses to each of the stuff on my network.  

 

Now, I have assigned internal permanent IP addresses to my NAS (if it's IP changed my PC could not see it), my son's laptop, my Now TV box and everything else on my network to keep things running smoothly.

 

So you see, you can assign permanent internal IP addresses to your computerised equipment via your modem-router.

 

 

UK Bob 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@ukbobboy but assigning via the router is still part of DHCP. The user wanted to set the IP address direct on the box, which some other devices have settings to do.

ukbobboy
Legend

Dear Artesea (& JGH7)

 

You said: "The user wanted to set the IP address direct on the box." Yes, I can see that now from JGH's post and, you are right, there is no facility within the Now TV Box to permanently set an IP address independently of the network it is on.  

 

Plus, I understanding that most, if not all, ISPs will charge an additional subscription fee for a separate IP address, which I believe would still have to be allocated via the modem-router.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

JGH7

 

Just out of interest, why would you want a separate IP address for your Now TV box? 

 

 

UK Bob 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

You are looking at it wrong. If DHCP is disabled on the router your devices aren't issued the 192.168.x..x IP addresses locally. Instead someone configures each device and gives them each a unique IP address. If they assign the same IP to two different devices they'll get a network conflict. They still route through the public IP on the router. 

There are many reasons why DHCP is disabled on a router (although for home use I'd always suggest ensuring it's on) especially in an enterprise environment to stop unknown devices from connecting to the LAN. 

My personal setup is more like yours. The router IP is practically static and for specific devices (laptop, Raspberry Pi, NOW TV boxes, mobile) I tell the router to give them a fixed IP in the 192.168.1.1xx range and let everything else get 1+.

This allows me to gain remote access to my devices or speak to them locally via known IP addresses (controlling my NOW TV box via my watch for example). 

ukbobboy
Legend

Hi again Artesea

 

You know, I don't think I have actually written anything in my last post that disagrees with what you have said so far.  Because I have not said that DHCP should be switched off or tampered with.

 

I think you may have disagreed with my saying: "......... which I believe would still have to be allocated via the modem-router."

 

I think this point needs clarification, in practical terms a new separate IP can be handled in two ways (I have just checked this with my ISP):

 

a) DNS server,  definitely required if you want to keep two or more networks separate while using a main line. However, possibly too expensive to buy and maintain for the average home user.

 

b) Separate line running a separate account, probably more affordable but for most home users unnecessary.

 

Mind you, I think this thread may have become a tad too technical (boring) which entirely my fault.

 

 

UK Bob

 

 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@ukbobboy wrote:

I think you may have disagreed with my saying: "......... which I believe would still have to be allocated via the modem-router."

 

I think this point needs clarification, in practical terms a new separate IP can be handled in two ways (I have just checked this with my ISP):

 

a) DNS server,  definitely required if you want to keep two or more networks separate while using a main line. However, possibly too expensive to buy and maintain for the average home user.

 

b) Separate line running a separate account, probably more affordable but for most home users unnecessary.


But again that's not what the user is on about. Yes you could ask your ISP for additional public IP addresses, but in this case we are talking about assigning devices within the LAN a static local IP address.

If you have a read of this help guide for a PS4, the second half talks about how you would do it on the device avoiding DHCP, in their case giving the PS4 the local IP address of 192.168.1.201.