RV220W - Connecting to TiVo mothership w/ ProtectLink

[David Burns]

I'm using ProtectLink on my RV220W, and since activating, my TiVos are unable to connect to the mothership to get program data (fails at negotiation). I've tried to isolate it to a given setting, but if any single ProtectLink option is enabled, be it URL filtering, or web reputation, it will fail. I have to completely disable all features in order for it to successfully connect (effectively shutting ProtectLink off completely).

I've tried white listing both the TiVo IP addresses in "Approved Clients" as well as white listing tivo.com in URL/Keywords, but to no avail. I've even tried creating firewall rules specifically allowing these connections, but it seems to have something to do with how ProtectLink is implemented on the RV220W gateway (can't say I fully understand yet how ProtectLink does its blocking [unless it uses the ProtectLink servers as a proxy or something]).

Anyway, any help is appreciated. I'd like to be able to use ProtectLink if it's effective, but none of my attempts to get TiVo going is working!

Thanks!

[showprolights]

I had the same issue you are describing. For some reason, none of my TiVos would connect to the Internet through the RV220W.

I found the cause of this issue. This is due to Content Filtering being active. When you turn on the Content Filtering, it automatically blocks some ports, preventing TiVo from connecting to the services. The Content Filtering also creates another issue, which prevents you from being able to apply Firewall rules to allow the TiVo to communicate with the services.

The issue with Content Filtering, is how it disables the Firewall. For some reason, upon activating the Content Filtering, all Firewall rules are unknowningly disabled. Any rules, either Allowing or Blocking anything are automatically bypassed as if they don't exist. I found this to happen in both 1.0.0.26 and 1.0.1.0 firmwares.

Hopefully Cisco will be able to recreate the issue of Content Filtering bypassing Firewall rules, and a resolution will be presented. Meanwhile, in order to use TiVo you need to keep Content Filtering disabled, and define with Firewall all websites (by IP address) that you'd like to block.