Long story short - 1) I recently bought one on ebay, and I think I'm going to love it. I was listening to music through the wired LAN within about 15 minutes of opening the box. 2) I'm about to move into an old house (1917) and am interested in something besides a wired hookup...

I understand there is a PCI card for the computer that will allow you to use an existing phone line connection. Sounds like a good option, but - I can't find the card anywhere. The auction didn't have it, no other auctions in the last month have had it, and nowhere online seems to carry it. Did it even exist? If so, anybody have one that they are certain they have no use for? I might be interested if I can't get the next idea to work.

The other hookup method I can see, and may prefer, is through a wireless network. I don't currently have one, but I'm certain I will as soon as I can afford it after the move, simply to eliminate the need to cut a lot of holes into the plaster walls to run Cat5 or any other cabling. I understand basic wireless networking - however, how would you hook up a Rio Reciever? There's no place for a PCI or PCMCIA card... How would that work?

I don't think I'll buy anything or set this up until after I move, but I'd like to get an idea of what I'm up against so that I can start budgeting and keep an eye out for good deals on the required parts. And I figure everybody likes to design someone else's electronics setups

No idea where you'll find an HPNA card for the Rio Receiver but you might want to look around in the Turtlebeach AudioTron forums. I believe the US model comes with a HPNA interface. Yes... I know they're not Empeg but it's the first thing I can think of that has HPNA as well

If you wanted to use a wireless network then you'll need to buy a Wireless Access Point/Bridge and set it to bridging mode and plug it into the Rio ethernet port. It's not an internal add on.

I understand there is a PCI card for the computer that will allow you to use an existing phone line connection. Sounds like a good option, but - I can't find the card anywhere.

I have one if you can't get your hands on one. Just pay shipping.

Oh yeah. One more thing. HPNA doesn't work if you've got a DSL signal on the line as well.

HPNA doesn't work if you've got a DSL signal on the line as well.
What the eff is up with that!? Seems like a worthless technology.

They both work by transmitting the data at frequencies above the normal voice traffic.
It may work actually. I've reread the list of frequencies and I don't think they interfere. Please ignore me!

HPNA is 4MHz+
DSL should be below that

They do work together I know from experience.

With an ethernet card and XP on my computer I had no luck getting the rio branded HPNA card (Rio Connector card) to work with the Receiver software.
What I did is I went out and bought a Earthlink branded 2Wire HomePortal 100 Gateway Router off of eBay for a great price. Then I plugged my cable modem into the router. I then used an ethernet cable to plug the router into my computer's ethernet card. The router also has ports to create either a USB or HPNA networks. I am using the HPNA port instead of using the Rio Connector card (HPNA card) and it is working great so far. They make a wireless version but a Time Warner Cable installer told me that it is "garbage" and they have problems with them.

BTW, I won two of these things off of ebay by accident. I will sell the spare as soon s I get it for what I paid for it.


Sean in NC

Yeah I know I was reading the wrong set of specs and had DSL extending up higher.

The other hookup method I can see, and may prefer, is through a wireless network. I don't currently have one, but I'm certain I will as soon as I can afford it after the move, simply to eliminate the need to cut a lot of holes into the plaster walls to run Cat5 or any other cabling. I understand basic wireless networking - however, how would you hook up a Rio Reciever? There's no place for a PCI or PCMCIA card... How would that work?

I recommend going the wireless way, being a wireless engineer myself. To make the Rio Receiver wireless you would get a wireless ethernet bridge here's one from Linksys WET11. or this one from D-Link DWL-810+ I prefer the Linksys one as it has a higher transmitter power and larger gain antenna.
You just connect the wireless bridge to the ethernet port of the Rio receiver, no drivers, you can configure it with your web browser. Then all you get is a wireless access point connect it to your hub or computer. Instead of an access point you can get a wireless PCI card for your PC and connect it to the wireless bridge in Ad-Hoc mode, but an access point is better.

cheers,
Jai

FYI, Tracerbullet, there are a lot of discussions of hook up options for the Rio Receiver over on the Rio Receiver BBS.

LOL, that figures - there's a bulletin board for anything cool these days. Thanks for the link.

Jerz, thank you for the offer. I may be PM'ing you in month and a half if I don't feel I can afford going to wireless by then.

Everyone else, thanks for the info - "wireless bridge" is clearly the solution, very cool. Funny, I regularly go to coworker's houses and help them install and fix PC issues ranging from new Newegg parts setups to modem problems to noisy power supply fans - but wireless is something I haven't moved into yet, and am pretty ignorant so far. The bridge however is exactly what I had pictured I would need, glad it does exist!

I also saw that for the first time since I started watching, of course last night someone listed a Receiver for sale on ebay that includes the card...

As a follow-up to this, in case anyone else does a search here, I purchased a Linksys branded, Cisco made unit ("LKS WGA11B") that was marketed towards PS2 and X-Box game systems. Plug the games into this guy and they can either go head to head or connect through a wireless router and access the internet. Ditto for the Rio as well apparently.

Took about 5 minutes total, it was so easy it was ridiculous. Plugged it in and - didn't even need the setup CD. The Rio Receiver picked up music right away.